The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-04
.NO..5l.

that country. These circumstancss5
must necessarily modify the Opinisa 4
which we might otherwise have en- q
tertained in regard to an ex-
pedition expressly prohibited by our 4
neutrality laws. So long as those laws q
remain upon our statute books, theyh
should be faithfully executed, and II -'
they operate harshly, unjustly, or op-
the remedy, by their modification orr,
repeal.
Political and commercial interests Of
the United States are not unlikely 70 b v
affected in some degree by eveuts which a
are transpiring in the eastern regions =
of Europe, and the time seems to have .
come when our Government ought - N
have proper diplomatic Representations
in Greece.
This Government has claimed fbf saiP n
persons not covicted, or accused, or sus-
pectcd of crime, an absolute politieal 80
right of fself-expatriation, and choice !
of new national allegiance. Most of
the European States have dissented .
from this principle, and have claimed Q
right 10 hold such Of their subjects ss
have immigrated to and been natural y
iDed in tho United states, and after-
word, returned on transient visits
10 their native countries, Ito 1.-THE !
performance of military service in like
manner ~ resident y subjects. Com
plants arising from the claim In this
respect made by foreign States, have
heretofore been matters Of controversy
between the United States and soine or
the European Powers, and the irritation
consequent upon the failure To settle .
this question increased during the war,
in which Prussia, Italy aud Austria
We're recently engaged. While Grrat
Britain has never acknowledged the
right Of expatriation, she has not prac-
tically insisted upon il. France has
been equally fnrbearing; and Prussia
has proposed a compromise, which, al
though evincing increased liberality,
has not been accepted by the United
States. Peace is now prevailing every.
where i'll Europe, and the present seems
to be favorable time for an assertion
by Congress OF the principle, 80 long
maintained by the Executive Depart
ment, that naturalization 10y one State
fully exempts the native-born subject
of any other State from the perform
ance of military service under any for
eign Government, so long rs he does not
voluntarily renouncc its rights and
benefits. ....,G,
In the performance of n duty imposed,
upon me by the Constitution, l have
thus submitted 20 the Representatives
of the States and of the People such in
formation of our domestic aud foreign
affairs rs the public interests seem TO
require. Our Government is now un-
dcrgong its most trying ordeal, and my
earnest prayer is, that the peril may be
successfully and finally passed, without
impairing its original strength and sym.
metry. The interests Of the nation ara
best to be promoted by the revival Of =
fraternal relations, the complete oblit-
Grafton of our past differences, and the re-
Inauguration of all the pursuits Of peace.
Directing our efforts to the early accom-
plishment of these great ends, let us en-
deavor 10 preserve harmony between
the coordinate Departments Of the Gov
ernment, that each i'll its proper sphere
may cordially cooperate with the other
in securing the maintenance Of the
Constitution, the preservation of tho
Union, and the perpetuity Of our free
institutions. ...... ...E Ilr,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
WAsnIyGToS. December Z. tafs.