Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-07-18
8. B. ROW, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
CLEARFIELD, Pa, JULY 20, 1859.
a SUDDEN CHANGE.


The naturalization question continues to be
discussed by the newspapers, and though the
doctrine of Gen. Cass as set forth in the Lie
Clerc letter was rather obnoxious, the DEM
ocratic prints found themselves forced to
swallow it. For a while they tried to mystify
the people, by specious arguments and all sorts
Of explanations, as to its real character, but
failing to create The desired impression, they
next attempt to divert attention from the point
at issue by charging Webster and Everett, du-
ring Mr.. Fillmore's administration, with en-
tertaining views ssless favorable to the policy
and right of interference in behalf of our a.
dopted citizens who voluntarily place them
selves within the jurisdiction of the govern
ments of their native countries, than Secrcta-
ry Cass." In this they are laboring under
decided mistake though they implicitly ac-
knowledge, in the sentence quoted, that the
opinions of Gen. Cass are unfavorable to ssthe
policy and right of interference" But let
the views of Webster and Everett have been
what they may, they do not alter the posi-
tion of Mr.. Cass and his apologists on the ques-
tion. Their doctrine, that naturalized citi-
zen under certain circumstances cannot be
protected by the United States government,
remains unchanged.
Whilst the Democratic editors have been
thus engaged, the ssnoise and confusion" that
Cass's letter produced among the Irish, Ger
man, French and other foreign-born Demo-
Gratis, reached the ears of President Buchan-
an, and filed his soul with terror and dismay,
and with deep solicitude to save his already
shattered party from complete destruction.
Thus moved and thus actuatcd, what does he
do but go Immediately about STRENGTHENING up
matters and applying remedy for the mis-
chief done. Accordingly a counter-irrtant,
in the shape of despatch from the Depart
ment of State to the U. S. Minister at Berlin,
was prepared on the Sth July. This despatch
has reference to the case of naturaIized citi-
zen of the United States, who is native of
Hanover, and who, when he left his native
country, was neither in actual service in the
Hanoverian army nor had been drafted to serve
in it, but who, upon his return to Hanover,
has yet been seized and compelled to do mill
tary duty. In this document the position is
taken, that our laws confer upon naturalzed
citizen call the rights, privileges and immuni-
ties which belong to a native-born citizen, in
their full extent, with the single exception
that, under the Constitution, sno person ex-
cept a native-born citizen is eligible to the Of
fee of President; > with this exception, the
naturalized citizen, from and after the date of
his naturalization, both at home and abroad, is
placed upon the very same footing with the
native citizen; he is in neither a better nor
native country, he returns as an American cit
izen, and in no other character and in order
to entitle his original government to punish
him, the offence must have been committed
willis the was subject and owed allegiance to
that goveInment-it must have been complete
before his expatriation, and of such charac-
ter that he might have been tried and punished
for it at the moment of his departure
This is a complete turn round of the Ad-
ministratiOn from the doctrine enunciated in
the LIE Clerc letter; but, as contemporary re-
marks, s'it is so extraordinary, SO awkward,
and has SO little of the grace of a real repent
ance, that We can only wonder at the weakness
OF the error and the laundering manner of the
recaDtation." Whether this eleventh-hour
iOiNCu UPON tuctu Dy all OutTdScQ
and indignant public sentiment will have the
effect Of restoring to the Administration party
the respect and confidence of that class of cit
izens, whose claims to protection they were
willing to partially overlook, remains TO no
seen.
We wonder what those firm friends of Ru-
chanan and Cass, the Lecompton editors will
do nov that the Administration has in cffac,
renounced the doctrine contained in the Ia
Clerc letter. Will they stick to their posi-
tion, or will they change tune and also back
.down-deelare that this is just what they were
after-that fhe despatch to the Minister al
Berlin contains the right doctrine, but that
being little careless, or sobfuscated,' or
something Of that sort, they perhaps did not
heretofore make matters quite as clear as they
might have been; and consequently were not
properly understood by the people2 We con-
less thaswe should like to know; and have no
hesitation about acknowledging that we are
especially curious to see whether the editor of
the CfeGrfefd Republican will undertake to in
struct the faithful how to ssturn about and
wheel about'' on this occasion. or like the
man VINO testified to horse being sixteen feet
high, say last what he said FIRST
The July No. of that independent. nlain-
spoken, fearless, and highly interesting Guar.
terly, The Sc0iPef, has heen received at this