The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-07-20
Letter from Senator Pugh TO MIR.
HOfer. i'm relation 10 the Rights
and Liabilities OF NaturaIiZcd
Americans.
C1NcrNNArI, June Il, 1859.


DEAR SR-I have read your letter to Gen
eral Cass, together with his answer and your
comments in the Volksfreund OF the 18th inst.
The question is not entirely new to me; had
occasion to examine it last winter, and endeav.
ored to bring it before the Senate BY resolu-
ton adopted on the End Of February, request
ing copies Of the correspondence between our
Government and the Government of Prussia
nished, however, while the Senate remained in
session, and probably because the negotiations
with Prussia was not finished.
IF General Cass intends what you seem to
suppose, namely, that every native of Prussia
or Austria, or France, enrolled in the reserve or
militia (Landwehr) and thus rendered liable to
military duty, notwithstanding his naturaliZa-
ton under our laws, agree that the opinion is
altogether untenable. 1t is OF no import ance
Gas view this question: whether the return Of
naturalized citizen to Prussia or Austria or
France be voluntary or involuntary; because if
he is subject to military duty-as to debt or
obligation not discharged by naturalization in
the United S,ales-such duty can as well be
enforced in case of involuntary return, I'M
pressment, captivity, or shipwreck; nay, it can
be asserted within the dominion of neutral
pOWGF, VI cFeH wy dlCduS VI tICatt Va cAtia~
dition) in our own midst. Fa s.
| am satisfied that no such duty remains, or
can be recognized by the United States for one
moment after naturalization. Birth in par
ticular place does not necessarily compel alle-
gience to the sovereignty of that place; for the
child Of American parents, although born in a
foreign country does not require naturalization
by our laws. He is citizen Of the United
Ctoko f,o,,a tha ftroa nf hic h,rfh G,llx1
born here.
Residence in any country, so long as it con-
tinues will subject the party resident to the
law OF that country; and we presume residence,
ordinarily, from the mere fact of birth. But
this presumption is rebutted and completely
overcome by change Of residence, accompa-
med by other acts denoting the intention of the
party to expatriate himself .
A man born in Prussia, therefore, who has
become resident Of the United States, and ia
ken the oath of naturalization, is no longer a
subject of the King of Prussia in any sense OF
to any extent whatsoever. He never can be-
come Prursian subject, in fact, unless by re-
moving to Prussia and obtaining q new, fixed
permanent residence there. sfs
|. 1t is only necessary to read our Naturaliza-
ton Law to be convinced Of this. The act o.
Congress, approved April IA, 1902, requires that
every alien Gin order to become ctizen) shall
upon oath or affirmation, absolutely and en-.
tirely renounce and abjure oil allegience and d.
deity to every foreign prince, potentate, State
or Sovereignty whereof he was before a citizen
or subject" How absurd to say, after exact.
ing such an oath ofatfirmation, that the United
States ought to acknowledge as yet in existence
claim OF military service on the part of the
sovereign towards whom fidelity" as we'll as
allegiance" has been thus absolutely and en-
tirely renounced and abjured! To acknowl
edge any such claim after naturalization, il, Ii
effect, TO compel the party nfuralized to vio
late tho very oath or affirmation demanded o
himI
do not understand, however, that Genera
Cass entsrtains the doctrine which you attrib
ute to him. The real difficulty 10 that his at
tention has not been called specifically. TO thu
question which you proposed TO me, Every
able-bodied subject of Prussia, for instance
must serve in the army during period pf thre,
years, between the ages Of eighteen and thirty
and is liable to be again called into actual ser
vice, as the public exigencies may require, un
til he has passed his sixtieth year. Iftbe "du
J ties or penalties" to which Gen. Cass refers d