New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-02

the f0icigu Oicc never gives PASSPORT TO natuZru
snh.cc 10 protect Eim IN the d0mnlons where he was
born when he returns o. h, natiyo land, the .nglsh
natural zaiion not in force, amt native OF n,.l au ~
going 81 ohge Americans 10y calling ourselves Americans
At thc.r bidding. ienH0 on" yeloio coni2nf, D. 80
part and ON par With the Alabama stupidity"
Remarks by The Tribune
fl /, exceedingly desirable that the issue thus
glanced AT shall be discussed with calmncsS,
with candor and with thoughtful consdcra-
tom of the canmitics to both countries and to
the civilized world that war between this
country and Great Britain would involve. 1t
may be possible, by hasty, careless, random talk,
TO involve the two countries in conflict OF
prcteusiVus from which neither can recede with
honor. and thus force q bloody issue from which
both. in their cooler moments, would
rccoil with horror. We propose therefore,
10 discuss the main question with
studied ayoidancc Of all that might initiate
or cstrangc. Hence we bar all allusion to re-
cent Occurrences across the water, and leave
out of view the late cogcnt speech of Mr.. Rob
inson of Brooklyn in the House. For Mr. r.,
rs an Insh-bom uaturalizcd American, may
bc fairly presumed to have a personal interest
in the question; aud we would discuss it with
the sterrest iupattialiiy. Let MS consider,
then. the essential reasonabenoss OF the die
tum that man cannot change his nationality.
There are living in this county several mil
lions of people who came hi,hcr because they
failed 10 find employment and subsistence in
their native lands They were abundantly
willing to stay there; but work failed and
hunger pressed 50 they came where employment
and bread awaited and invited them I'm other
words they lcita country wherein they were
useless and hurdcnsomc Tor one in which they
could be- useful and comfortable. Was it not
their clear right 10 DO so? Was not the mi
grafton bcnclccnt and laudablcg And if it
were. why should they not have the right of
acquiring citizenship in the country which
prolcrcd and afforded the subsistence denied
them in their native lands I'm other words:
10 which country is a mans allegiance justly
duc-that which starved him ont or that which
received. sheltered protected. and fed him!
Ii Il government were to say, We guarantee
" wor, aud bread to every person born in this
realm; and we forbid any one of them to leave
" it so as to gain a permanent residence else
where" that government might plausibly set
up q claim to perpetual allegiance. 1t might
say ave secure to each the legitimate salts
" elsewhere in quest of food or fortune: if he
" goes, he does 80 at his own cost and risk, and
" does not mvaldatc nor weaken our claim upon
D" him." But 40 government gives such guar
anty, and Great Britain does not forbid emgra-
ton She virtually bids her people get their
living where and as they best can Admit that
she is right in 50 doing, we still insist that she
thereby lorfcts any claim she might otherwise
set up to perpetual allegiance. And such we
hold to be the Law of Nations, 20 which Brit
ish law, if they conflict, must give way,
Now consider The Court Journals contemptu-
ous refusal to let those who were born BritonS
or Irish cali themselves Americans. That Is
the precise assumption under which British
-Of-war used 10 overhaul our merchant
men, muster their crews, and impress such of
chem rs they declared Brtish-born--a practice
which led TO the War of 1872. Ii was admit
ted 10y British publicists that our native born
scamen were sometimes impressed under this
practice; but that 0hey said could not be
helped-the two peoples being nearly identical
in physiOgnomy and speech, while our Local
authorities often furnished Brtish-born sea-
men with false certificates of American ma
tivity. The British Ministry declared that they
never would-because they never c0uld-abandon
its claim of right SO to search our vessels
and take those assumed to be British subjects
thererrom; but they hare abandoned it for the
last haf-ccntury, aud are not likely to revive
IT, And they seem to get on quite tolerably
without IT,
-- Let it be clearly understood that we claim
no shadow of right i'll either our native or
natuTlizcd citizens 20 break British law on
British SOIL or TO foment rebelons against
British authority under the protection OF the
British flag. We quite understand that he who
does this whether he be American or Brton'
must abide the legal consequences. But the
right of our people. whether born here or else
where TO the protection of their country, 80
lOng Us lhey violate no law Of IA" other and