St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-08-25
Dolitital.
Democratic War upon Foreigners.

The Democratic party not only
frowns upon the National principle of
allegiance, but ignores the precedcnts
heretofore established by this Govern
ment, in regard to naturalized citizens
who visit the country from which they
have been absolved
In the year 1889, Francis ALBERT,
anative of France, having been drawn
us a conscript, emigrated to the Uni
ted States, and, in due time, became
naturalized citizen of this country
In 1852, after an absence of nearly
fourteen years, Mr.. ALBERT returned
to his native country, whereupon he
was seized by the police as one from
whom military service was due at the
period of his emigration. He imme-
diately applied to the American Con-
sui, Mr.. Hodge, who promptly inter
posed in his behalf and finally, by the
dint of proper energy and spirit, pro-
cured lis release, on the specific
ground that he was an American citi-
zen.
The then Secretary of State, Hon
Edward Everett, not only congratula-
ted our Minister upon the success of
his efforts in the case of Mr. ALBERT,
but indited a letter to Mr.. Hodge,
claiming it to be precedent in like
cases for all time to come. Said Mr.
Everett:
"Thc Department is gratificd to
learn that Mr.. ALBERT, whose arrest
and Imprisonment as an Msoumis, al
though naturalized citizen of the
United States, as mentioned in your
communication, has been released.
This is undoubtedly due to the firm
and decided stand maintained through
out the long controversy in your Off
cial correspondence with the authori-
ties on the subject. 1t is much to
be desired that this case may be CON
sidcred as a precedent, as you init
mate, and that hereafter naturaizcd
citizens of the United States may visit
France without danger of arrest for
military service. In this event,
hurtful source of irritation and un-
friendly feeling will be avoided
But our present Democratic Sccre-
tary yields the point obtained by Mr.
Hodge, and ingloriously proclaims
that the American flag protects its
citizens only so long as they keep
within its shade
We do not wonder that the Admin
istration are beginning to recall its
agents of foreign birth who are abroad,
for under this new regime, we may ex-
poet to see beside American citizens,
American Consuls and even Ministers
at foreign Courts drafted into the SER
vice of Napoleon or Francis Joseph
American citizens in peace, but
Croats or Zouavcs in War
We trust we shall hear no more n.y.
pocritical winnings Of the Democratic
press over the prospective amendment
to the Constitution of Massachusetts,
so long as the heads of that party set
aside both precedents and policy in
order to strike down naturalizcd citi-
zens. 1t is evident that the " states
men " OF the Democratic party have
no more appreciation of the real rights
and properties Of American citizen
ship, than the proscriptive advocates !
IF the Know Nothing doctrines have
of true patriotism, While the latter
would deny naturalization and citizen
ship to the foreign immigrant desiring
to give his allegiance to our Govern
ment, the former would violate faith
with him by refusing to protect him
in his citizenship after accepting him
as citizen.
We see that Caleb Cushing, Mr..
Pierce's Attorney General, in recent
letter, substantially concurs in the
views Of Secretary Cass, and we have
yet to hear Of or see a reputation
thereof by a Democratic politician or
organ. 1t is a Democratic doctrine,
them Chicago Journal.