Daily national Democrat., 1859-08-03
TeNAcIo ToLEs, New York
Washington lime o. 1S52 (
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington June l 1852.
SIR / have to acknowledge the receipt ofy"ul
letter to Mr. Reddall, Of the 27th ultmo, inquir
ing whether Victor b. Depierre, native o
| France, but naturalized citizen of the United
States, can expect the protection of this Govern
ment in that country when proceeding thitheI
| with passport from this Department. In reply,
have TO inform you that if, as is understood to
be the fact, the Government OF France does not ac-
| owledge the right of natives OF that country to
renounce their allegiance, it may lawfully claim
their services when found within French jurisdic-
| tion.
am, sir, very respectfully, your ob't. serv't.
DANIEL WEBSTER.
To- B. Nones, Esq, New York.
The Express virtually acknowledges, by
the foregoing preface, that we were right,
when we asserted that Lewis Cass had as
sumed position in his LeClerc and Hofer
letters which could only be sustained by a
full and perfect acquiescence in the European
doctrine of perpetual allegiance. 1t says
The following letters from Daniel Webster
on the naturalization question will be read
with much interest. 1t will be seen that
Mr. Webster took the same position ,chieh Mr..
CaSS has taken"
Very well-now, what position did Web
ster take in the above copied letter? Why.
this That man, claimed under the doctrine
of perpetual allegiance, could not plead his
American citizenship, as protection, if he
revisited his native country. Oppression
drove him forth and oppression can enslave
him, if he returns Webster acknowledged
the doctrine of perpetual allegiance, at least
so far as any interference of the Government
of the United States to protect a naturalized
citizen was concerned, and the Express says,
such is the CdSS doctrine.
We are gratifed at being able to under
stand the true position of the G Twin organ, in
this city, on the question under considera-
tion. Gwin himself has already emphati.
cally endorsed the Cass doctrine and the
whole Lecompton team seem to be pulling
together. Here and there is a balky horse,
but he makes little difference with the on
ward progress of the Lecompton wagon.
! The Express cites Daniel Webster as au.
thorty for the Democracy on the rights Of
naturalized citizensl When was Daniel Web
ster ever an exponent of Democratic princi
Piles Was he not always at war with the
Democratic party? Was he not always op-
posed to States Rights? Did he not always
have leaning to a consolidated government?
Were not his notions somewhat Federalisti-
| callY conservative2 Is he good authority
with the true Jacksonian and Jeffersonian
Democracy? Hardly. Yet, the Express
! quotes him, and declares that his views and
Lewis Caes's on this naturalization question
are identical. Webster was a great man, but
he was no Democrat, and Democratic princi-
pies are what we are now discussing The
views of Daniel Webster were not the views
of even tho Wing party on this subject, for
the Wing Administration of Millard Fillmore
took the very opposite ground, and denied
the power of France to re-assert her control
over a naturalzed American citizen under
the co seription laws of that Kingdom, and
France herself relinquished all claim to the
pretended right No Administration of our
Government, except the imbecile and corrupt
Administration of James Buchanan, has ever
recognized any such doctrine as that set forth
/ in the Cass letters Webster, great as he
was, committed grevous error when he sub
scribed to the European and monarchical
doctrine of perpetual allegiance. He placed
himself in antagonism to the entire spirit of
our Government, as it respects this question,
and showed Difference for European notions
and opinions unworthy of an American states
man.
The nearest approximation that Webster
ever made in his life to pure and unadultera
ted Federalism was in the avowal of the prin-
! ciples contained in the above quoted letters
and the fact that Mr.. Buche mans Admins
/ tration endorses this most Federaistic phase
of Webster's anti Democratic opinions, shows
plainly how the old leaven of federalism in
the present Chief Magistrate of the Nation is
at work in him with all its ancient effective
ness and power.
We have no more to say on this subject at
present The Express has fully committed
itself to the doctrine of perpetual allegiance
and may very properly be conside ed an old
Blue Light Federalist sheet