Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-07-01
From the Louisville Journal.

From the Louisville Journal.
1t seems that the position of Mr.. LeClerc as to
the extent of the obligations to France the country
OF his birth, though now naturalized citizen of the
United States not so desperate rs the letter of
Secretary Cass made it out to be. There is a case
recalled to our recollection by the New York Ex-
press, that occurred in France in 1852, during Mr.
filmores administration. in which the attempt TO
compel naturalized citizen to serve term of milf
tary duty successfully resisted through the firm
and decided stand taken by John L. Hodge, Esq,
the American Consul at Marsees The case is one
directly in point and is of Importance in the present
state of the question, furnishing n precedent in
this, the first and we believe the only instance in
which France has attempted TO enforce the rule
Francis Alibert, native of the Department de
Mar, in the South of France, left there during the
drawing of the conscription in 1880, and actll-
ally drawn as conscrpt, and was therefore an
echappe d; Ia conscrpton He arrived at New Or
leans, made the usual application for citizenship and
was duly naturaZed in 1915. lie was successful
in business in Louisiana, and in July 1852 after an
absence Of nearly fourteen years, he returned to
visit his family in his native village, and under the
vgiant police in France he arrested in twenty
four hours after his return. He Immediately wrote
to Mr.. Hodge as the nearest American Consul the
latter, that he might the better attend to the case
Immediately requested that Mr. Allihert might be
brought to Marseilles which request was promptly
acceded to by the General-in-chief commanding the
military division. Hewas there brought before the
Tribunal dc Gucrre as an ISouDliS and condemned
Mr.. Allibcrt was willing to pay 1000 francs for
substitute, but Mr. Hodge would not allow him
even to make the Offer but obtained rehearing of
his case, appeared in person before the Tribunal de
Guerre, and pleaded the case and, after two trials
and detention of six months lie was acknowledge
ed an American citizen, and orders came fron. the
Minister of war at Paris, directing his release Mr.
Hodge gave him passport, which was viscd by the
police, and with which he remained some weeks
with his family travelled through France, and en-
barked at Havre on his return to the United States
1t will thus be seen that under the Wing admin
istration of Millard Fillmore-the same statesman
who four years after, was pursued by alien cit
zens as an intolerant American and rejected for the
Presidency-our naturalZed citizens had guaTan-
tees for their protection abroad which are denied to
them under the administration that they preferred
to him. The correspondence on the subject above
referred to, file in the Department of State, gives
the full details OF the case, and Mr.. Everett the
Secretary of State under Mr.. Fillmore. on the Sd of
March, 1859 (the last day he in office,) wrote
complimentary letter to Mr., Hodge, in which he
says:
"The Department was grat6cd to learn that NJ
ALBERT whose arrest and Imprisonment as an In
soumis, although naturalzed citizen of the United
States, as mentioned in your communications has
been released. This is undoubtedly due to the firm
and decided stand maintained throughout the long
controversy in your official correspondence with the
authorities on the subject.
at is much to be desired that this case may be
considered as precedent, as you intimate, and that
hereafter naturalzed citizens of the United States
may visit France without danger of arrest for mli-
tary service. In This event hurtml source of ir-
raton and unfriendly feeling will be avoided.
% -.-
IN. n. nr
ton in possession of the following letter explain
ing his position on the subject of the Presidency,
Of which they have permitted copy to be taken
for publication:
WASHINGTON, June %, 1889.
My DEAR SIR: | have received your letter inquir-
ing wether my friends are at bertyto present my
name TO the Charleston convention for the Presi- |
dental nomination. Before this question can be /
fully determined it viii be necessary to understand
distinctly upon what issue the canvass is to he con-
Quoted. If las | have full faith they wilD the
Democratic party shall determine in the Presden- /
tal election OF $50, to adhere to the principles
embodied in the compromise measures of 1850 and /
ratified by the people in the Presidential election of
fs52 aGd reallirmed in the KauSls-NehrlSka act of
1854 and Incorporated into the Cincinnati platform
in 1856 as eXpOunded by Mr.. Buchanan in his let /
ter accepting the nomination, and approved by the
l- p.. rs election; in that event my friends will
be at liberty to present my name to the convention
if they see proper 10 do 50, IT, on the contrary il
shall become the policy Of the Democratic marty /
(which cannot antcipael to repudiate these, their
tme-honorcd principles ON which we have achicv- ]
ed so many patriotic tridmphs and in lieu of them
the convention shall intcrpoatc into the creed of
the party such new issues as the revival of the
African slave tntde, or Congressional slave code
for the Territories the doctrine that the consitu-
ton Of the United States either establishes or pro-
hibits slavery IN the Territories beyond the power
of the people legally to control it rs other property
it is due to candor to say that in such an event
could not accept the nomination if rendered to me
Trusting that this answer will be deemed sufll- /
cienty explicit, am very respectfully your friend,
d. A. DOUGLAS