West-Jersey pioneer., 1867-12-27
NATuRAL1zEp CITIZENS.

NATURALIZED CITIZENS.
Considerable discussion Aud speculation
have recently occurre among public men.
reletive to the rights of naturalized citizens
This discussion has grown out of the fact that
at the recent trials of Fenians, in Ireland the
British courts refused to allow certain legal
privileges which some of them aemauded. on
the grounds Of being American citizens. This
action has stimulated much i'll feeling in this
country, and in several places meetings have
been held, at which resolutions were passed
asking Congress to take same decided steps in
the matter. That this question, which has
been an annoying and perplexing one ever
SINCE this government was established, should
be properly settled is an imperative necessity.
"Once surject always a subject" is the COM
mon law doctrine Of Great Britain which led to
the war of 1872. and which has come very near
involving that government in other serious diff.
fculties several times since The position
always maintained is the correct one, for it is
opposed to the doctrine of perpetual allegiance
and maintains the rights of expatriation, which
is the right to form new political ties else
where. The same rules also acknowledge
that if native e-born citizen of any foreign
country at the time of his emigration is liable
to any duties or penalties, his naturalization in
the United States, cannot and will not exempt
him from such liability and penalty, it he re-
turns voluntarily to his native country. When
a foreigner applies for his naturalization pa
pers he stipulates to renounce all allegiance to
any other government, prince, potentate, or
power and this renunciation must be complete
before he is invested with the prerogatives Of
citizenship. Thus invested. he becomes SUBJ
ject to all the requirements of our laws, and
he penalties consequent on their violation.
Il he voluntarily join fllibustering expedi-
ton to commit unlawful depredations upon the
citizens of another, or neighboring country,
and falls into the hands of the authorities of
that country, he cannot claim any protection
from the United States ON the grounds of cit
izensbip, because he has vioIated his privileges
with this government. 1t is such proceeding
which, it is alleged, demands Congressional ac-
ton. party of men claiming to be Ameri-
can citizens. unlawfully invaded the territory
of Great Britain for the purpose of commit
ting criminal acts. They were caught, tried,
convicted and condemned 1t may be there
were some technical points which were denied
them in their trial, but having forfeited the
protection of this government by their own
wilful and voluntary act, it is not reasonable to
suppose their case will lead to any serious in
reference on the part of Congress in their be-
half. But the right of repatriation is a matter
which Congress ought at once to definitely set
tie. We have always maintained, and SO have
all intelligent public men, that ''man has a
natural and indefeasible right" to leave the
country where he was born and the Govern
ment of which he was subject, and by re-
nouncing allegiance TO them transfer such al
legiance to the country of his adoption. Here
is the very POINT where the differences arise
between this and the governments of Great
Britain. Perpetual allegiance" is the doc
trine asserted by the government of the latter,
and the right of expatriation by that of the
former. Under this doctrine, England in 1912
and previous to that year, boarded American
merchant vessels, seized all sailors found
thereon of British nativity, and threatened to
execute as traitors all of that class of prison
ers taken from our army during the continu-
ance of the war. This disputed question has
never been authoritatvely settled, and it would
be well if Congress would act promptly on the
Presidents recommendation on the subject,
and put final decision on this dangerous and
perplexing question. A proposition has been
submitted by Judge Orth, of Indiana, on the
subject, embodying an official declaration,
which is that this government will not recog-
nize the doctrine of natural allegiance; 'that
person of foreign birth, naturalized accord
ing to the laws, acquires all the rights and
privileges of a native-born citizen, except such
as are denied by the Constitution in prescrib-
ing qualifications for the President and Vice.
President; that the United States owes the
same protection to its naturalzed citizens as
to the native-born."