The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1859-06-24

ADOPTED NtuEcnS Going A~
hropd.
GnthewOshipgton Constitution ofJune
10th, We find the following letter Of Dir.
CAss, on a question intimately affecting
the riehts Of noturaliscd citizens ofthis
country. Tho Constitution stylcs this let
ter an "ofieial exposition of tho views Of
our Government"
DEPARTMENT OF SrArEJ
WAsHiNcroN, june Ia, l659S
SiH; In answer 70 your letter ofthe 9th |
inst, I have TO inform you that the brief
letter from this Department, towhich YOU
refer, dated the 18th Of May last. and ad- |
dressed to Mr.. FelixLe Clcre, was in re- |
ply TO an application for information, and
was principally Intended 70 recommend
caution TO Our natufulzod fellow-ci citizens,
natives Of France, IN returning to that
country, us the operations OF tho French
conseription law were not precisely known
here, and might bear lniuriously upon that
class of American ctizeus. Most Of the
continental European nations have sys-
ten ofmiltory organization BY which thoir
citizens are compcllcdto serve in the army
by consoription as ia France, where the
duty is desiguatod by lot. or by draft az IN
/ Prussia, where every person is required 70
take his turn az a soldier. The condition
Of American naturalized citizens, return
| ing 70 their native country, where the sys-
tenn Of compulsory service prevails, and
who had len before performing such SER
vice, has frequently been the subject Of
discussion with some of the European
powers. Quite recently il has arisen be-
tween the United States and Prussia, and
the representative Of this country az the
court Of Berlin has brought the matter to
the attention oftho prussian G. Government.
In the Instructions which were sent to
him, dated May -, 1859, Il was explicit
ly stated that this Government is opposed
20 the doctrine ofperpehial allegiance and
maintains the right Of exp0triatich
. and the right 10 form new political par
ties elsewhere. Upon this subject Il is OBJ
served that, Gin this age Of the world, the
idea Of controlling the citizens In the
choice Of home and binding him by O
b mere political theory to inhabit for his
, lifetime country which he constantly
, desires TO leave, can hardly be ascertain
ed by any Government whatever" The
position Of the United States, as commu.
nicated 10 the minister at Berlin for the
information Of the Prusian Government
, ia, that native-born Prusians, naturalizet
, in the United States, and returning TO the
country Of their birth, are not liable tC
any duties or penalties EXCEPT SUCH
, AS WERE EXISTING AT THE Pc
h, RIOD OF THEIR EMIGRATION. /
, at that time they were in the army, oil
actually called into il, SUCH EMIGRA
lTION AND NATURALIZATION DC
q NOT EXEMPT THEM FROM THT
/, LEGAL PENALTY WHICH THEY
INCURRED BY THEIR DESERTION
. but THIS PENALTY MAY BE EN-
: FORCED AGAINST THEM WHEN
I EVER THEY SHALL VOLUNTARY
= LY PLACE THEMSELVES WITHIN
n THE LOCAL JURISDICTION OF
y THEIR NATIVE COUNTRY, AM
SHALL BE PROCEEDED AGAINST
+ ACCORDING TO LAW. But whei
n no present liabilities exist against them a
i the period of their emigration, the law o
nations in the opinion Of this G overnmen
gives no right to any country to interfere
. ','itliy ynaturplizod American citizens, an
i the attempt TO do 10 .wUuid -. -.-..-;.Iasa
an act unjust in itself and unfriendly 10
wards the United States. The question
> cannot, of course, arise in the case of
noturalized citizenwho remains in the Uni
ted States, It is only when he voluntari
q ly returns to his native country, THAT
ITS LOCAL LAWS CAN BE EN-.
FORCED AGAINST HIM.
] am, sir, your obedient servant,
= lr.r a. LEWIS CAss.
, To A. V. HoFER, Esq, Cincinnati, Ohio