The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-12-12

scence of the eight arhitratoEs a.
pointed by the respective govern
ments.
The commission appointed, sub
. iject to the authority of Congress
to examine into the nature an,
extent of the forays by tresspasser
from that country upon the herd
of Tesxs, have made g report whicl
will be submitted for your con
sideration.
sANTo DOMINGO.
Il I transmit for the consideration
of Congress an application from
the Republic of Santo Domingo {,
this government, to exercise q pro
tectorate over the Republic.
- CREATES PROCLAIMED.
| Since the adjournment of Con
gress the following treaties Will
foreign powers have been pro
claimed: A naturalization con
vention with Denmark; a conven
ton with Mexico for renewing the
Claims Commission; q convention
Of commerce and extradition witt
the Swiss Free States; and a ma
turalization convention with Equa.
dore. t a7u
renew q recommendation
made in my message Of 1870, that
Congress authorize the Postmas.
ter General TO Issue all commits
sions to officials appointed
through his Department.
EXTRACTION.
Invite the earnest attention of
Congress to the existing laws of
the United States respecting ex-
tradition and the eligibility of
nationality, by individuals. Many
citizens of the United States
reside permanently abroad, with
their families. Under the provi-
sions of an act approved February
10th, 1866, the children of such
persons are to be deemed and ta-
ken to be citizens of the United
States, but the rights Of citizen
ship are not to descend to persons
whose fathers never resided in the
United States. 1t thus happens
that persons who have never re-
sided within the United States
have been enabled to put forward
pretension to the protection of
the United States, against the
claim of military service of the
Government, under whose protec-
tion they were born and have been
reared. In some cases natural
lied citizens of the United States.
have returned to the land of their
birth, to remain there, and their
children, the issue of q marriage
contracted there after their return
and who have never been in the
United States, have laid claim to
our protection, when the lapse of
many years have imposed upon
them the duty of military service
to the only government which had
ever known them personally. Until
the year 1868 it was left, embar-
raised by conflicting opinions of
courts and jurists, to determine
how far the doctrine of perpetual
allegiance, derived from our for
mer colonial relations with Great
Britain, was applicable to Ameri-
can citizens. Congress then wise
~ swept these doubts away, by
enacting that any declaration, in
struction, opinion, order, or decis-
ION of any officer of this govern
ment; which denies, restricts, i'm
pairs, or questions the right of ex-
patriation, is inconsistent with
the fundamental principles of this
government. But Congress did
not enact, in the statue, nor has
it since done so, what acts are to
be deemed to work expatriation.
For my own guidance in deter
mining such questions, required,
under the provisions of the Cons
titution, the opinion in writing of
the principal officers in the each of
the executive departments upon
certain questions relating to this
subject. The results satisfies me
that future legislation has become
necessary I therefore recommend
the subject to the consideration of
Congress, and I transmit herewith
copies of the several opinions of
the principal officers of the Execu-
tive Department, together with
other correspondence and peril
nent information on the same sub
ject. The United States who led
the way in the overthrow of the
feudal doctrine of perpetual al
legience, are among the last to
indicate how their own citizens
may elect another nationality.
The papers submitted herewith
indicate what is necessary to place
the United States on a par with
other leading nations in liberty Of
legislation on this international
question. We have already, in
our treaties, asserted these princi-
Piles, which need to be embodied
in laws intended to accomplish
such results. We have agreed
that citizens of the United States
may cease to be citizens, and may
voluntarily render allegiance to
other powers. We have agreed
that residence in a foreign land
without intent to return shall in
itself work expatriation. We
have agreed upon the length of
time necessary for such intent. II
invoke Congress to make out and
define when and how expatriation
can be accomplished, to regulate
by law the conditions of Ameri-
can woman marrying foreigners,
to fix the statues of children born
in foreign country, of American
parents residing more or less
abroad, and to fix a rule for deter
mining such other kindred points,
as may seem best.
THE SPANISH REPUBLIC.
In compliance with the request
of Congress, I transmitted to the
American Minister at Madrid.
with instructions to present it to
the Spanish Government, the Joint
resolution approved on the Sd Of
March last, rendering to the PEG
pie of Spain, in the name and on
behalf of the American people,
the congratulations of Congress
upon the efforts to consolidate in
Spain the principles OF universal
liberty in . Republican form of
Government. The existence of
this new Republic was inaugural
ed by striking the letters from the
slaves in Porto Rico. This bene-
fcient measure was followed by,
the release OF several thousand
persons Illegally held as slaves in
Cuba Next, the Captain General
Of that colony was deprived of
the power to set aside the orders
of his superior at Madrid, which
had pertaiRed to the Office since