The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-18
ENGLISH NATURALIZATION BILL.

One Happy Result Of keyerdy Johnson,s Mis-
sion TO EnEiand-Nature Of the BilI and the
Evils it II Designed to Obyiate.
From the London Times.
A time will probably arrive when the case
of Don Pacifco will have faded out of men,
ory even more than that of the Captain Jen-
kins whose alleged wrongs drove Walpole
into war with Spain, and men will read with
surprise that we blockaded the port of
friendly power to assert the money claims of
person of uncertain faith, uncertain parent
age, and uncertain race. In days not long
past it was enough for man to claim British
nationality to receive British protection al
most without inquiry. An assumption so
arbitrary could not last. We were content to
enrol among the subjects of the English
Crown all who desired to be considered Eng
lish subjects. Our kinsmen in the United
States, faithfully following the principles
of the English Constitution, were
ready to do the same. conflict be-
came at once theoretically possible, and
nothing was wanting but the opportunity for
it to break forth. An English subject mi
grated to the States and became resident
there. Was he an Englishman or an Ameri-
can? Upon principle he ought to be recog-
nized by the two nations as q member of
both, and yet each of them refused to enter
tain the suggestion that he could by any pos
sibility be regarded as q citizen of the other.
The American law was the same as the
English law, and the two agreed in being con-
Trajectory. If we asserted, as we did, the es-
sential maxim, memo p0teSt eCuere pdtridB1,"
how could we pretend to confer on a stranger
the privileges of citizenship unless we we're
ready to allow, as we we're not, that the duties
of citizenship were local, so that man might
be responsible to the United States for the
fulflment of civic duties at New York and
to the United Kingdom in Dublin? The Anne
rican civil war precipitated difficulties which
had long been felt to be imminent, and the
mission of Mr.. Reverdy johnson, otherwise
unfruitful, brought about the settlement of
the disputed question embodied in the bill
read a second time in House of Lords
yesterday. There is fortunately no room for
dispute over the principle of the Naturaliza-
ton bill. The disposition of mankind to
fight over impossible questions may not have
disappeared, but it has certainly diminished
Lord Derby acknowledged the necessity of
the measure when he declared last night
that the old rule affirming that it is impos-
sible to shake off the nationality of origin
had become obsolete and impracticable
Nothing less could, of course, be expected
from Lord Derby. The Royal Commission
on the naturalization laws, whose recommend
ations are embodied in the bill, was ap-
pointed when he was Foreign Secretary. The
protocol with the United States on the sub
iect was negotiated between him and Mr.
Reverdy Johnson. Lord Clarendon again
was chairman of the commission. Party feel
ing had thus been effectually excluded from
the subject. 1t may be added that the
national Judgment must unanimously ap-
prove the conclusion implicitly sanctioned by
both the great parties of the State. The
French Code provides that the child of
French parents, born in France, is French,
but the child of foreign residents, born in
France, must elect his nationality when he
becomes of age. The true settlement of the
difficulty is found in the principle of this last
provision, although We believe no country
has hitherto been consistent enough to accept
it in its logical results. Nationality is mat
ter of choice, subject to this simple proviso,
that no man, whether naturaliZed or not, can
reside in a country and enjoy the benef is
of its social organization without con-
tributing i'll a proportionate degree to
its cost This is the substance of the
bill now before Parliament. 1t allows
foreigners to become English if they choose;
it allows English to become foreigners if they
chooses while it provides that the change shal
not operate to deprive foreign state of it,
subjects unless by consent. 1t admits aliens
to hold property ia the United Kingdom as il
they had been natural born subjects. Lore
Derby said Yesterday that theoretical objec
tions might be raised against this provision
but the suggestion that large portions of thu
soil might be held by persons who are no
citizens of the country is justly described a
theoretical. An alien who has resided fiv
years in the country, and purposes to remail
a resident may apply for and obtain a certif
cate of naturalization here, subject to the ex
ception that the certificate shall be invalid il
the country of his origin, unless it be recog
nized as of force there. We receive
therefore, all foreigners who wish t,
become Englishmen, and are permitte'
by their native Governments to absolv
themselves from their original duties O
allegiance. We accord the ibert
we claim, and something more. Any British
subject naturalized elsewhere ceases to be
British subject; but, if he has been natu
rallied before the passing of the bill withou
any intention of denuding himself Of tn
privileges of his origin, he may, within tw
years of grace allowed him, claim to retail
the status of a British citizen, although i
such case his claim is not to be of any fore
in the country where he has become natura
lied, unless that country consents to recoe
nize it. The choice of nationality thus cor
ceded renders of little Importance the que
tion as to the status of wives and children
The bill provides that they shall follow th
nationality of the husband and parent, til
same liberty being granted to them as to hi
to elect, when they are emancipated b
widowhood or by attaining adult years, I'll
nationality they desire to retain.
Home Amusememts.