Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-10-28
THE REPUBLICANS AND FOREIGN
BORN CITIZENS.

Senator Conness, in his speech at the
great Irish Republican meeting in New
York, on Wednesday evening, compared
the records of the Repub lean and Demo
cratic parties as regards the prote ctIon Of
American citizens abroad. He said:
'@sAs longias the Republican party re
presents the party Of liberty and of pro-
gress, as long as they make the corner
stone of their doctrine and Of their prac-
tice too, the upho!ding of human rights
and the defence Of American citizenship
at home and abroad, will go with them.
[ Loud applause. And this brings US to
what Republican Congress has for the
first time done for American citizens
abroad The following is the law passed
on the 25th of July, 1868 /:
WHEREAS, The right Of expatriation
is natural and inherent right Of all peo-
pie, indispensable to the enjoyment of the
rights of life, liberty and the pursuit Of
happiness; And Whereas, In the recog-
milton of this principle, this government
has freely received enigrants from ali ma
tions, and invested them with the rights
of citizenship; And Whereos, 1. is Claim
ed that such American citizens, with their
descendants, are subjects Of foreign states,
owing allegiance to the governments
thereof; And Hhereas, 1t is necessary
to the maintenance of. public peace that
this claim Of foreign allegiance should be
promptly and finally di5agowed There
fore,
BE il enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States
Of America in Congress assembled, That.
any declaration, instruction, opi.ion, or
der or decision Of any officers of this gov
ernment which denies, restricts, impajrs
or questions the rights of expatriation, is
hereby declared inconsistent with the
fundamental principles Of this govern
ment. s..
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted,
That all naturalized citizens of the Unit
ed StaceS, while in foreign states, shall he
entitled to and shall receive from this
government, the same protection of per-
sons and property that is accorded to ma
tive-born citizens in like situations and
circumstances, III.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted,
That whenever it shall be made known to
the President that any citizen of tn
United States has been justly deprived Of
his liberty by or under the authority OF
any foreign government, it shall be the
duty of the President forthwith to de
mand Of that government the reasons for
such Imprisonment, and if it appears to
be wrongful and in violation Of the rights
Of American citizenship the Presiden
shall forthwith demand the release SO de-
manded is unreasenabfy delayed or re
fused, it shall be the duty of the Presi-
dent to use such means, not amounting to
acts of war, as he may think necessary
and proper to obtain or effectuate such
release, and all the facts and proceeding
relative thereto shall as soon as practlc-
able be communicated by the President
to Congress" .s.....
Well, a Republican Congress first de-
clared that expatriation was a natural
right, Tapplause] J. and that the whole pow
t er Of the Republic must be exercised tc
preserve and protect it. They declared
! by law, not leaving it to the voliton O.
any President whatever, that all the pow
er of this government was vested in the
President except tue Warpower, for the
protection and deliverance of the humbles
citizen of this Republic who should have
hands put upon him by any foreign pot
entate in the world. Applause. L know
that under this present administration
that imperative law will be shuff1ed of
and that our Minister to the Court of ST
James Ehisses] S engaged in maxim:
apologies to the British Tories for the Re
public in pull harangues. But littl
can be expected from this miserable
crossbred Administration, [Cheers.
But when Graut is elected loud ap
plause1 the doors of foreign prisons Wi
open, and if there be an American citize
incarcerat6d in one Of them he will g
free. Enthusiastic cheers Both c
the political parties have endorsed th
policy of Congress, but it was lafE to
Republican Congress to carry it out an
make / law. LAPpIauso,l And