The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-07-05
From the ClnclnnEN Gazette
NaturaliZed Citizens Abroad.

Cass Surrenders = RiSh w b lch France
turned Conscrips, IL ele ascd as Am A.
meftcah Citizen iD 1853
The utter indefensibility of Secretary Cass'
timid surrender of the right of natural;zed
citizens returning to their native country
becomes moro clearly evident, the more
carefully the subject is investigated. This
disgraceful attitude of our government seems
unaccOuntable, when the fact is called to
mind that the question has already been
practically settled between this country and
France, the American claim, which we have
emphatically asserted, being fully recogai-
Sed by the French government! This NAV
seem incredible to those who have go conf
IDENTIFY taken up the defence of the Cass
theory, and have SO unhesitatingly attributed
all contrary opinions, to want of '.intelli-
gence or candor' But az we have before
endeavored to Gfer conclusive reasons for de-
aying the justice of the Administration doe
trine on this subject, we will now substan~
tate our position by showing that what we
insist on has been conceded by foreign gov.
crnment, and that, too, in an extreme case,
and OF the strongest that could arise on the
side of the Cassism.
What the administration of Mr.. Buchanan
W
word of objection, was insisted on under the
administration OF Mr.. Fillmore, and trium ph-
antly maintained. After this important con-
cession on the part of France, Mr.. verett,
then Secretary of State, very justly expressed
the hope, that this case would "be consid.
cred as precedent and that thereafter
naturalized citizens of the United States may
visit France without danger Of arrest for
military service Had we not an imbecile
Administration, such a conclusion might
safely have been assumed by every natural
ICED citizen of French origin. AS it is, such
people are treated to an extraordinary speci-
men of diplomacy, which has not left this
even an open question, as it was before the
days OF Fillmore's presidency, but has volun-
tarily offered to France the privilege of for
cling naturalized citizens, natives of that
country, into her military service, when she
had fairly renowned any such claim. We
copy from the New York Express version
OF the case We refer to-that Of man who
had been actually dra1n as a conscript
Francis ALBERT, native OF the Depart
ment de Var, in the south Of France, left
there during the drawing Of the Consumption
in 1889, and was actually drawn as q con.
script, and was, therefore, an echape de la |
He arrived at New Orleans,
made the usual application for citizenship, |
and was duly naturalized in 1916. He was
successful in business in Louisiana, and in |
July, 1852, after an absence of nearly four |
teen years, he returned to visit his family in
his native village, and under the yigilant
police in France, he was arrested in twenty |
four hours after his return. He Immediately /
wrote ~ Mr.. Hodge, the nearest American
,onsul. The latter, that he might the better
attend to the case, Immediately requested |
hat Mr. ALBERT might be brought to Mar
'eilles, which request was promptly acceded /
o by the General in Chief commanding the
military division. He was there brought be.
ore the Tribunal de Guerre as an lnsoumis
md condemned. Mr. ALBERT was willing
o pay four thousand francs for substitute,
tut Mr. Hodge would not allow him even to
make the offer, but obtained q rehearinc Of
lis case, appeared in person before the Tri.
'unal de Guerre, and pleaded the case; and
liter two trials aud detention Of six months,
'e was acknowledged An American citizen,
md orders came from the Minister Of War at
Paris, directing his release. Mr. Hodge gave
lin passport, which was vised by the
'olice, and with which he remained some
Teeks with his family, travelled through
rance, and embarked ct Havre on his return
D the United States Z
The correspondence on file in the Depart.
aent Of State gives the full details OF the
ase, and Mr.. Everett, the Secretary of State
nder MIR. Fillmore, on the Sd Of March, 1858
The last day he was in ofice), wrote com.
limentary letter to Mr.. Hodge, in Which he
sys:
"The Department was gratified to learn
lat NJ. ALBERT, whose arrest and imprison>
ent a. an Insoumis. although naturali-
ID citizen Of the United States, as mentioned
your communications has been released.
his is undoubtedly due to the firm and de.
ded stand maintained throughout the long
,ntroversy, in your Official correspondence
'tn the authorities on the subject.
III 10 much to be desired that this case
~ % considered - precedent, as YOU
innate, and that hereafter paturalized Cit
ems Of the United States may visit France =
lthout danger Of arrest for military acrvica.
this event, hurtfnl source Of INVITATION
ID unfriendly feeling will be avoided :