Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-15
The Naturalization Question.

States at Berlin, dated July =, 1899.
The right of repatriation cannot at tins
day he doubted OF denied in the United
States. The idea has been repudlated ever
since the origin of our Government, that
man is bound to remain forever in the coun-
try of his birth. and that he has no right to
happiness by selecting new home The
most eminent writer's on public law rec"g
nize the right of expatriation. This can on
ly be contested by those who in the nine
teenth century are still devoted to the an
cient feudal law with all its oppression
The doctrine of perpetual allegiance is
relic of barbarism which has been gradually
disappearing from ChristendOm during the
last century
The Constitution of the United States re-
cognises the natural right Of expatrlatlon,
by comforting upon Congress the power to
establish uniform rule Of naturalization.
Indeed, it was one of the grievances alleged
against the British King in the Declaration
Of independence that he had "endeavored
to prevent the population of these States
for that purpose obstructing the laws OF ma
turalization of foreigners, refusing to pass
others TO encourage their migration hlther,
&c, &c. The Constitution thus clearly re-
cognises the principle of expatriaton III the
strongest manner 1t would have been IN
consistent in itself and unworthy "f the
| character of the authors of that instrument,
to hold out inducements to foreigners u
abandon their native land, to renounce their
allegiance to their native government and
u become citizens of the United States, II
they had not been convinced of the absolute
and unconditional right Of expatratIon.-
Congress have uniformly acted upon this
principle ever since the commencement OF
the Federal Government. They established
u uniform rule of naturalization" nearly
seventy years ago. There has since been no
period ia our history when laws for this pur-
pose did not exist, though their provisions
| have undergone successive changes. Inc
| alien, in order to become Il citizen, must de-
| clare on oath or affirmation that he Will
support the Constitution of the United States;
and, at the same time, he is required to alb
solutely and entirely reuuunce and ablure
all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign
prince, potentate, State or sovereignty what
ever, and particularly by name, the prince,
potentate, State or soverei gnty, whereof he
was before il citizen.
The exercise Of the right of naturaliza.
ton, and the consequent recognition OF tue
principle Of repatriation, are not confined
| To the Government of the United States
There is not IL country in Europe, believe
ut the present moment, where the law does
not authorize the naturalization of foreign
ers in one form or other Indeed, in some
of these countries this law is more liberal
than our own towards foreigners.
The question, then arises, what right do
our laws confer upon foreigner by granting
him naturalization! answer, all the rights,
privileges and immunities which belong
to native born citizen, in their full extent,
with the single qualification that, under the
Constitution IN" person except natural
born citizen is eligible to the office Of Presl-
dent" With this exception, the natural
lied citizen from and after the date OF his
naturalization, both at home and abroad, IL
placed upon the very same footing with the
native citizen. He is neither in better nor
worse condition. If native citizen
choose to take up his residence in Il foreign
country for the purpose of advancing his
fortune or promoting his happiness, he Is
whilst there bound to obey its municipal
laws equally with those who have lived in 1t
all their lives. lie goes abroad with his
ewes open; and if these laws be arbitrary
aud unjust, he has chosen to abide by the
consequences Ii they are administered IN
an equal spirit towards native subjects, this
government have no right to interfere ai-
thoritatively in his behalf Todo this would
be to violate the right of an independent
nation to legislate within its own Terrific
res. If this government were to undertake
such task we might soon be involved IN
trouble with nearly the whole world. /"
protect our citizens against the application
of this principle of universal law. in lts full
extent, we have treaties with several nations
securing exemption to American citizens
when residing abroad from some Of the oner,
GUS duties required from their own subjects,
Where no such treaty exists and an Amerl'
can citizen has committed crime or Incurred a
penalty for violating any municipal law what
ever Of the country of his temporary residence
he il Just as liable to be tried and punished tor
his offence, as though he had resided IN IT
from the day of his birth. If this has not
been done before his departure and he should
voluntarily return under the same jurisdlc'
ton, he may be tried and punished tor the
OHenCe upoH pTiHCiples VI u"''''"' SOW
Under such circumstances, no person womb
think of cnntending that an intermediate
residence in his own country for years would
deprive the government whose laws he had
, violated of the power to enforce their eXecu
, ton. The very same principle, and no 9th
er, ia applicable to the case OF naturallzen
, citizen, should he choose to return to ms
native country. In that case, II he had
committed an offence against the law before
his departure he is responsible for 1t IN the
, same manner "a the native American citizen
to whom have referred In the language
. of the late Mr. Marcy, in his letter OF the
, 10th January, 1854, to Mr.. Jackson, then
our charge atfaires to Vienna when speak
ing of Tousig's case, every nation when
ever its laws are violated by any one owing
obedience to them, whether he be citizen
, or stranger, has a right to inflct penaitiei
incurred upon the trangressor, II found
within its jurisdiction. The principle Is
, too we'll established 70 admit Ut serious con
troversy. If one of our native or natural
lied citizens were to expose himself to pun
ishment by the commission OF an offence
against any of our laws, state or national
and afterwards become naturallzed sub
ject of foreign country, he would not have
. the hardihood to contend. upon voluntarily
returning within our jurisdiction, that ms
naturalization relieved him from the pun
ishment dino 70 his crime, much less could 1t