Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-05-08

of feudalism and serfIom, that the man be-
longed to the land, a species of slavery ut
terly at war with the free principles and
ideas on which this Government was founded,
and never was sanctioned by our people.
MP. BANEs. They have abandoned that
doctrine.
MR POLAND. Whether they haze abandoned
it or not we abandoned it first. for one
wish TO see our country stand by the doctrine
which it has heretofore maintained; and l
would be glad TO see the chairman Of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs stand by it.
The difficulty with the resolution before the
House Is that 1t proposes we shall abandon
the very doctrine upon which we went tO
war with England in 1872, the very doctrine
under which we have claimed the right to
protect every Irishman and every German
who leaves his native land and comes here to
reside. We are asked to repudiate that doc
trine, and to say that a man shall not %
from among and make bis home in some
other country; for if we are under obli5a-
tiOns TO DR.. Houard, hels equally Under OBJ
legations TO US. The relation, 1t il exists,
must be a mutual one. Ii our Government
owes Dr.. HOuard anything in the way of
protection as citizen against any acts OF the
Spanish Government, he owes allegiance to
this Government, and we would have a right
to call upon him 70 perform the duties of
citizenship. Have we any such right " hen
he has gone abroad to Cuca or any other
country to reside for thirty years, have We
any right ID say to him, " You must return
and fulfill here the duties of citizenship
The true doctriuo ON this subject was lana
down in that celebrated letter OF Mr. Mercy
u ChevalIer Hulseman. which has created an
enduring fame for its author, and upon
which the whOe American nation has ever
since stood the correct exposition of the
law. IN that celebrated letter Mr.. Marcy
says
The ~auuder ami more prevalent doctrine Eav"yer
'be past and present duties resuun. irHm h- relation
o. Tile sovereign power. may amy time release himself
from the obligation of allegiance. freely gIIt tHe land n
ms brh ~ adoption seek ili"lAa t'' 'th'Ei,7 nome
aud select auyW here ti7t which offers hing fH" t7f'-
prospect ot happiness for himself ana ht, U'serity.
Now we are asked To say that that Is not
the true doctrine that Dr.. Houard, although
he hes chosen % spend the lifetime almost of
generation a & permanent resident in the
island OF Cuba had no right O. b .het that
be still owes obligations % this government
as q citizen Now. I say he does not and
If he does not, our Government ives no OBJ
legation t1 hl'n.
The consequence OF abauI ming. ae We are
called upon 90 do, the AmsrIcll doctrine
upon tins subject would De tc say q the Ens-
Ale4 lfDFtEAEL'EIk4 ALe 'l-LtAkl4 ~
10 every Government OF Europe. " Although
your citizens have chosen - eypttridte them
selves. although they have come and resided
permanently n our country for great mum
Der oi years with design TO make this their
home for the remainder of their lives, and
she home of their children after them, they
etiil owe obligations to YOU. Now, L deny
that doctrine. This country has denied It
lo- more than halt century. | am for abid-
i1E BY the American doctrine and SAYING that
whenever an IrishmaC or German OF d na-
tive OF any other fOreI5n country chooses %
come here, cas-, his l1J with US, anu make
this his home, we viii pr3tcc, him against
the government of his hlrth or any other.
am in favor of saying % every American cit
zen .'It YOU choose O 20 10 some other
country ana make your home there, you have
a perfect right To DO So Tau will MO longer
owe obligations 20 Us, and We shall no longer
owe obligations 70 You
Mr. ELDRzDGE I wish ID pas an inquiry
% the gentleman from Vermont Mr.. Poland j
lie has expressed some of the views and con-
clusions TO which have come Upln taIs ques
Ii0n but il seems 70 me that in the view
which he takes he ignores very Important
eonSid idyrati.n. lcw he claims
Mr.. POLAND. DO not makean argument
ask your question.
Mr.. ELpREDGC. / III be very oTlel. Inc
gentleman claims
Mr.. POLAND. Puy your question, do not
make an argument
Mr.. tLaPEDCE- ] am not g0luE 10 make
an argument. The gentleman claims that IN
order tor "a man 90 he entitled g thr protection
of this Government. be must himself owe and
acknow ledge obligations to the Government.
Now wisA To Put tais inquiry, il citizen
of this country goes u Spain and Spain does
mr. r-r Hmm a- "a d. 3 does
niEe her obligation to protect him Ms % citizen
OF Spain, can hc, hy the mere act eli going
to Spain, be considered as having abandoned
his American nationality. and rendered him
self NJ Longer entitled 10 the protection ul
this Government
Mr.. POLAND I can enswer that question
OF the gentleman
Mr.. EuDRzpGE. He Is t. be presumed to
have received the right of protection from the
Government of Spain # he has lost his right
OF protection by his own country. But such
Is not the understanding of Spain, for all OF
her acts IN regard to Dr. Houdrd have proved
that she regarded HIM an enemy, and not
as d subject OF Spain
Mr.. PorAND. l will answer that question
in halt the time in which the gentleman has
been putt NJ it. This man went abroad 70
reside permanently. lt Is OF no sore cf con
sequence whether he became naturdlized OF
not whether he undertook to take upon
himself obligations u that Government, OF
whether they undertook any obligations to
him. Is not OF the slightest account. The
fact i that he eXpatriated himself pCrma-
neutly, and that Is enough to end all oblIga-
tiOns between him and this Government.
agree, 1T 3 mere sOi0Urner ami mere traveller
in a country, he would have the same right
to call upon his country and that would be
under the same obligation to him as If he had
remained here but the moment he went
there permanently to reside, all obligation on
our part ceases, to protect him as an Ameri-
can citizen
Mr. EIDREpGE. Then. according e. the
Centleman's : argument this man Is citizen
Of no country, and entitled to the protection
of no Government
Mr. POLAND. The gentleman may - con-
slider if he pIeases but if that bc go iJ is this
mans own fault. and not that of the Govern
ment Ia my opinion man may expatriate
himself ami abandon his citizenship in this
country 50 as 20 lose ali claim to its protection
without becoming, in a technical sense, a cit
izeu of another, IN consequence Of falling TO
comply with their laws Of naturalization.
His abandonment of his home here ends his
claim to protection by US. Ii he has failed
to secure q new right IN the home of his
adoption it is his concern alone.
\ Curious CALCULATIoN.-Sup
your age to be - or thereabouts, L can
figure you to a dot You have 100 bones
and 800 muscle; your blood weighs -
pounds your heart is five inches in length