Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-06-13
The Cnss Letter on NaturalizatIon.

The Cass Letter on Naturalization.
The short letter of Secretary Cass giving NJ
all pretensioLs to protect naturaized citizent
ever, wheri, is exci'ing much remark, as sucl
Illuminating position If the Federal Admins.
tration well may Formerly the America
G vernment asserted the right Of expatrialion
aud held that American citizenship once co
ferred was paramount to the "olaims" Of sovcr
eigus But by the letter of Gen. Cass IT,
great Ameri AN doctrine of eXpatrialion an,
naturalization has been practically yielded, al,
the assumption by some Of the Continer
tal nations of Europe that allegiance is per
petual and indissoluble, is admitted to apply iC
American adopted citizens. Great Britain fl
ty year ago asserted that "once citizen, =
wavs CITIZEN and he practical applcs
TIN OF this rule involved that nation il
hosulities with the Uned States in lsl2.-
In discussing hesubject, the Richmond kn
qurer refers to sumo cases showing for win
leugth of time our Government has been prac
cilly y dug the Amerlc dOctriue Ot eKpatr
alton and naturalization. During Mr.. Na
v o had been naturaized in the United State'
was seized on Prusslsn soil aud impressed in',
the military service nf the Kingdom. N
Wheaton, u Minister at Berlin refused
interfere when app1ed to, holding that wh'I
the person revisited PrussiaD soil the right
Prussan sovereignty was renewed simila'
instance occurred in Prussia during the
ministratlon of Mr.. Fillmore, and Mr.. Barnard
American dinister at Berlin, also refused to il
terfere for the release of an American citizen
Under Mr. Plerce's administration number
American citizens we're arrested and held /,
military service in Prussia and Hanover, anO
even in the little Grand Duchy of Oldenburg
Mr.. VrJom succeeded Mr.. Barnard in th,
mission to Berlin, and his efforts for the liber
alton of our citizens were unremitting, and moi
without favorable effect. The release Of every
American ciizen impressed in any part Of
Northern Germany was laborod for and in one
instance. when the Prussan Government mad
a requisition on the authorities of Hamburg foi
the arrest and delivery of one Of our natural
lied citizens from whom military service wa
claimed, the U. s. Consul at Hamburg added
HIS efforts to those of the American Minister at
Berlin, and succeeded in preventing the arrest.
Tue Secretary of State approved this, on the
ground that no third power could properly in
terfere in disputed case of allegiance, and Oh
the further ground that the person concerned
was an American sailor, and as such, entitled
e
The Prussian Constitution, says the En-
quirer, provides that emigration or expatriaton
shall b. subject to no restriction, except for the
purpose of enforcing from each native of Prus
sia the term of military service, TO which every
citizen OF the Kingdom is liable, Similar leg
islation has been adopted by France and most
of the other continental powers. The same
paper remarks
The doctrine asserted by the Constitution
and laws OF the United States Is, that each in
dividual citizen may, at his own option, abjure
all allegiance TO one sovereign, and contract
enire obligations OF allegancetO another sover-
eign, pro ided only that the Remuneration
aud act of naturalization be performed bona
fde.
~ ith us citizens are naturalized, l. p natiDe
tzed aud thus guarantee the iull extent Ot pIO
tertlun against the claims for service or ae-
gltnc made by any foreign government, tu
which protection ANY ndtiUe citizen would be
entitled By Obhgiug a man to "renOunce all
allegiance to every foreign potentate, our
goverument obigts itself tO protect HIM against
every claim to his allegiance which may be
pretended by any foreign pOtentaie. Without
this, there " ould be NJ reciprocity of pruJeo-
tiOn aud a ieplance.
The cases which now present themselves in-
volNe a conflict Of laws The question to be
decide IS. which law ought 10 govern, accord
ing to tie dictates of right and justice
IL two na IONS cannot agree on this point, an
appeal to arms is the only escape from subms
son to wrong on the part OF the injured COMES
tant.
So fay as the Executive is concerned, its duty
is plain. Ii must maIutain the Constitution
and laws, by femonstrance, by protest, by treaty
II possible and, i! It's efforts prove unavalling,
the President must then refer the question Of
war or suomlssi N directly TO Congress
Aud f we are TO submit let the submission
be made openly and under protest Let not
our submission be velled u"der such fimsy pre-
teXs as the STATE Department has put forWarI
during the past ten ears; for these preiexts
amIu o. TO nothing less than an entire renuucia-
ton of the doctrines asserted by our laws, Of
the great principles OF popular sovereignty ana
indI'1uai liberty wHlch lie at the root of our
WhUle governmental theory.
The State COnEreEutiOnaI CouyeutioU