The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-07-13
A. BROWN.
From the Indiana State Sentinel or June lS
Rights OF NEturalixed Citizens.


Riehts OF NEturalixed Citizens.
In to-days paper we publish cominuni.
cation from Gen. Cass, stating the rights Of
naturalized citizens; the alleGiance they
owe to their native countries, and the obli-
cations of our government to them. A.
previous note from the same source, upon
the same question, has excited good deal
Of discussion. The Philadelphia LeAger.
in referring to these criticisms, says that
some Of the newspapers reflect very seve,eay
upon Secretary .Cass for acknowledging
well known principle of public law, in bis
recent announcement to French citizens
that they were liable to military duty in
France If they voluntarily returned to that
country during the war These censures
arc unwarTanted by either the facts in THE
case or the principle avowed Within each
State it's own municipal law prevails; but
no one State has right to extend its NUM-
cipal law into another State. The duty Of
military service exists BY obligation, Of
municipal law in France, Austria and Prus-
sia. American citizenship rests on this
municipal law of the United States, md
hence can have ne extra territorial jurisdic-
ton. The military service claimed in Euro
pean countries Of former subjects is not
made by Great Britain. Z.
. The doctrine of perpetual allegiance do
pends upon the municipal law Of Great
Britain, which she not only exercised with
in her own jurisdiction, but attempted to
force at sea on board American ships, which
were under the jurisdiction Of the country
whose fiag they bore This was violation
of her international law, and hence VAS re-
sented by the United States. Those who
think the United States municipal law ought
to operate in France, Austria and Prussia,
are committing the same error that Great
Britain did in extending her municipal law
beyond its legitimate bounds Mr.. Cass
has not surrendered any right Of naturalised
citizens in the announcement he has made.
The same principle has always been the
recornixed principle of public law. Mr.
MarcE distinctly laid It down III the cAse a
Tousig, an Austrian, who Voluntarily ~
turned to the country Of his birth 1eo3G
tina United States IN that case Mr.. Marcy
said. $50 j. -
eTousig voluntarily returned to. .Auos.
tria, and placed himself within the reach ~
her municipal laws. He Went by his hSS
act ander their jurisdiction, and thereby
subjected himself to them If he had inl
cured penalties or assumed dxtiss aala:A
aan1ar these laass, he might hsps srpsctSx
t1sy uonld BE- enforced against hin, and
should have known that the new political
relation he had acquired, if, indeed, he bad
acquired any, could not operate as . release
from these penalties. Having been once
subject to the municipal laws Of Austria
and while under her jurisdiction violated
these laws, his withdrawal from that jusss.,
diction and acquiring different national
character, would not exempt him from their
operation whenever he again chose % place
himself under them Every nation, when
ever its laws are violated by any one owing
obedience to them, whether hs.be citizen
or stranger, has right to in4l!ct the penal
ties incurred upon the transrsssor, if found
within its jurisdiction. The case Is not
altered by the character Of the laws, unls1e
thsy ars in derogation Of the well sstabGss<
ed international code No nation has the
ripht to supervise the municipal code e
another nation, or claim that its citizena o.
subjects shall be exempted from the opera-
ton Of such code, if they have voluntarily
placed themselves under H., The character
Of the municipal laws Of cpe country does
not furnish Just ground for other States to
Interfere with the execution OF these laws.
even upon their oEns citizens, when they
have gone into that country and sub]eetee
,h.snSslyes, W ity jurisdiction.