Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-06-25
Important From WashingtOn...Imnn-
tant DOcnn,e lrOm the State Depart.
ment Defining the Position of Natu.
rallied Citizens Abroad.

Important From VVashington...Jnnn-
tant Docur.e from the State Depart.
ment Def ning the Position Of Natu-
rallied Citizens Abroad.
WASHINGTON, June Is, 1859.
The following important letter was to-day
communicated to A. V. Hofer, of Cincinnati,
by Secretary Cass. 1t needs no comment:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON,
June 14th, 1853. {
SR:-In answer to your letter of the 9Th
inst, have to inform you that the brief letter
from this Department to which you refer, dated
the 18th of May last, and addressed to Mr..
Felix Leclere, was in reply to an application
for information, and was principally intended
to recommend caution to our naturalized fel-
low citizens, natives of France, in returning
to that country, as the operations of the French
conscription law were not precisely known
here, and might bear injuriously upon that
class of American citizens Most of the Con-
tinental European nations have system of
military organization by which their citizens
are compelled to serve in the army by con-
scription, as in France, where the duty is des-
ignated by lot or by draft, as in Prussia, where
every person is required to take his turn as a
soldier.
The condition of American naturalized cit-
zens returning to their native country where
the system of compulsory service prevails,
and who had left before performing such SER
vice, has frequently been the subject of dis
cussion with some of the European powers.
Quite recently it has arisen between the Uni
ted States and Prussia, and the representative
| of this country at the Court of Berlin has
brought the matter to the attention of the
| Prussian government. In the instructions
which were sent to him dated May IL, 1859,
it was explicitly stated that this government
is opposed to the doctrine of perpetual alle-
glance, and maintains the right of expatria-
ton and the right to form new political ties
elsewhere. Upon this subject it is observed,
that in this age of the world the idea of con-
trolling the citizen to the choice of home and
binding him by mere political theory to in
habit for his lifetime country which he con-
| stantly desires to leave, can hardly be enter
tained by any government whatever.
The position of the United States, as com.
municated to the Minister at Berlin for the
information of the Prussian government, is
that native born Prussians naturalized in the
United States and returning to the country o
their birth, are not liable to any duties or pen
alties, except such as were existing at the pc
riod of their emigration. If at that time they
were in the army or actually called into it
such emigration and naturalization do not ex
empt them from the legal penalty which they
incurred by their .desertion, but this penalty
may be enforced against them whenever they
shall voluntarily place themselves within tn
} local jurisdiction Of their native country ant
shall be proceeded against according to law
But when no present liabilities exist az 'ins
them at the period Of their emigration, the Law
OF nations, in the opinion of this government
naturalized American citizens, and the at
t"m"t =" Sc c SO ;:cnld ho considered an &C
unjust in itself and unfriendly toward tn
United States. tbs only when he yoluntar
ly returns to his native country that its locs
e laws can be enforced against him.
r am, sir, your obedient servant,
LEWIS CAss.