Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-07-14
The Rights Of NaturaliZed
Citizens.

SHthAC4Ss
The Republican Of last week publishes
long article from the Indiana Journal
about Gen. CAss's letter in relation to pro.
tecting naturalized citizens. 1t Is disgust
ing to see the meanness some Of the repub.
lican prints exhibit in relation to this aues-
ton. The facts are, that Frenchman
left France, came 10 this country, got nat
uralized, and returned Thu ~ Gov
ernme Mt drafted Kim into q :, and
he applies to our governme -. q release
him or fight for him. and because Gen.
CAss. in reply refuses to do either. on the
ground of existing liabilities then the
republicans howl AS usual, and ask us to
show the distinction between naturalized
and native citizen, or what "exis.ing la.
bilIties" mean.
This whole thing is Gin a nutshell" and
only tue ignorance or knavery of men who
write rs the Journal article is written can
excuse any man for reputation of the po-
siiion of Gen. CAss. Everybody knows,
or ought TO know, That France and every
other country of Europe, all births are
registered, aud the officers of government
know the existence Of every person in it
by the registers of births, deaths, immi-
grafton, &c.-In many of them every male
as bound to DO military duty, and liable to
be drafted for service. When 4 foreigner
wishes to leave his country. it is his duty
10 get passport. Ii he wishes to visit or
travel, one is issued accordingly. If he
wishes TO emigrate. one issues for that
In the latter case his name is erased or
checked on the register. and he is not eli
able" to do military duty. but is looked up
or as civilly dead in his own country. If
he leaves without doing this. or gets any
other passport, his name remains as tho
he was still at home and citizen, and liza
bic to all that any other resident is, and
when other drafts are made he stands as
though at home. This is the "existing
liability" referred to by Gen. CAss. Cor
Frenchman had never taken an emigrant's
passport, bat remained a citizen of France.
His taking the oath of naturalization here
could not absolve him from his liability,
because he had not complied with the LAWS
which this government recognizes. and is
bound to recognize. lie knew what was
necessary 10 release him from the liabili-
ties Of citizen there as well as our gov.
ernmaat did; and if he omitted to do So
when he returned he remained as liable TO
duty as though be had never been out of
the country; and it would be pretty bus
mess for US to go to fighting France for
enforcing her own laws, because some
Frehchman had come here and said he
liked ours best, and swore to obey them,
and then went back to France and placed
himself within the reach of her laws and
officers. When any Frenchman expatri-
a.es himself-leaves France with an emf
grant'a passport and comes to this coun-
try TO live, and declares his intention. his
name will be erased from the French req
is:er. and he will no longer be French
citizen, and he may become naturalized
here He msy return 20 France. and, ia
the first place, lie Will not be drafted into
service; and if he is, our government will
claim him and release him, or fight for
him, because he left France according to
law. became a citizen here in the same
way. and France will respect our laws as
We respect hers, or else We will make her,
because there will then be no existing IL
ability on her citizen thus returning
Now, Messrs. Republican. Register, jour
nal, ct ia genus onsne come down decently
and give Gen. CAss his due, and not make
fools of yourselves and lie about him.