Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-12-11

them springs, in part at least from real difficulty
J in dischargng them In connection with its obga-
tious other governments, the expediency Of fur
Their forbearance on our part is believed to be
| worthy Of your consideration.
| TURKEY AND EGYPT.
! The Ottoman Government and that Of Egypt
have latterly shown disposition to relieve foreign
| consuls Of the judicial powers which heretofore
| they have exercised in the Turkish dominions by
! the discharge Of judicial functions,
| by consuls of the United States in that quarter,
under the treaty OF 1880 have not felt at liberty
for myself TO accept the present change without the
| assent OF Congress whose decision upon the sub
! jet at az early period as may be convenient is
sANTo DomSGo pRorEcToRATE
! ! transmit herewith, for the consideration and
! determination Of Congress, an application Of the
| Republic Of Santo Domingo 10 this Government 10
! exercise proteciorate over that Republic.
FOREIGN TREATIES.
! Since the adjournment Of Congress- the following
treaties with foreign powers have been proclaimed.
| naturalization convention with Denmark; a
| convention with Mexico for renewing their Claims
| Commission; convention Of friendship, commerce
| and exiradidon with the Orange Free State, and a
1 naturalization convention with Ecuador.
POsT-OFFICE COMMISSIONS.
! renew recommendation made In my message
| Of December, 1870, that Congress authorize the
Postmaster General to issue all commissions to Of
| tcials appointed through his department.
EXTRACTION AND REPATRIATION.
invite the earnest attention of Congress to the
| existing laws of the United States respecting cX-
tradition and the eligibility of nationality by indi
! vduals. Many citizens OF the United States reside
| permanently abroad, with their families. Under
| the provisions OF the act approved February 10,
1859 the children OF such persons to be deemed
and taken to be citizens OF the United States, but
the rights of citizenship are not to descend TO per-
| sons whose fathers never resided in the United
! States. 1t thus happens that persons who have
! never "esided within the United States have
! been enabled to put forward Il prctcnSion to the
! protection o. the United States against the claim
| OF military service of the Government, under
! whose protection they were born and have bees
| reared. In some cases unnaturallzed citizens OF
| the United States have returned to the land of
their birth to remain there, and their children, the
Issue OF marriage contracted there after their re-
| turn, 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 embarrassed by the con
| ficung opinions of courts and Of jurista to de.
| terminc how far the doctrine of perpetual
| allegiance derived from our former colonial rela-
| lions with Great Britain was applicable to Ameri-
| can citizens Congress then wisely swept the
! doubts away by cnacting thar any declaration, in
struCtOn, opinion order or decision of any officer
| OF this Government, which denies, restricts, inn
pairs or questions the right of eXpatratiOn is in
| consistent with the fundamental principles Of this
Government; but Congress did not indicate in that
statute, nor has 1t since done 90, what acts are to
| be deemed TO work eSpatrintion. For my own
| guidance in determining such questions, | re-
quested, under the provisions of the Constitution,
| the opinion in writing OF the principal officer in
each of the Executive Departments upon
| certain questions relating to this sub
| ject The result satisfies me that further legis
| lation has become necessary. |, therefore, com
mend the subject To the careful consideration OF
| Congress, and transmit herewith copies Of the
| several opinions OF the principal officers OF the
| Executive Departments together with other cor
| respondence and pertinent information on the
same subject. The United states, who led the
| way in the overthrow OF the fCldal doctrine Of
perpetual allegiance, are among the last TO indi-
cate how their own citizens may elect another ma
lonality. The papers submitted herewith
us on par with other leading
nations in iberality OF legislation on this
international question. We have already in our
| treaties assented to the principles which would
| need 20 be embodied In laws intended TO accom-
| psh 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 of itself work ex-
| patrauon. We have agreed, In some instances,
upon the length of time necessary for such intent
invite Congress now to mark out and define when
and how cNpatriation can be accomplished, to reg
ulato by law the condition Of American women
marrying foreigners to fix the status of children
| born in foreign country of American parents re-
siding more or less permanently abroad, and to
make rules for determining such other kindred
point rs may seems best TO Congress
REPUBLIC oFsPhIN,
In compliance with the request Of Congress, |
transmitted to the American Minister Mt Madrid,
with instructions TO present II TO the Spanish
Government. the Joint resolution approved on the
Sd OF March last rendering TO the people OF Spain,
in the name and on behalf of the American people,
| the congratulations of Congress upon the efforts
10 consolidate In Spain the principles of universal
| liberty in II republican form of government. The
existence Of this new Republic was inauguraed by
striking the letters from the slaves in Porto Rico.
! This bonchccnt measure was followed by the re-
lease OF several thousand persons Illegally sold "a
slaves in Cuba Next, the Captain General of that
colony was deprived of the power to set aside the
orders OF his superiOrS at Madrid which had per
tanned to the Office since 1875. The sequestered es
| iates Of American citizens, which had been the
cause OF long and frequent correspondence, Were
ordered TO be restored to their owners All these
liberal steps were taken in the face of violent OPP
position directed by the reactionary Shareholders
| OF Havana, who are yainly striving to stay the
march of ideas that has terminated slavery in
Christendom, Cuba only excepted. Unhappily,
however, this baneful influence has thus far sue
cecded III defeating the efforts of
| all liberal minded men in Spain to abolish
| slavery in Cuba and in preventing the
| promised reform in that island. The struggle
| for political supremacy continues. The proslaSery
| arstucracy in Cuba Is gradually arrayng itself in
| more and more open hostility and defiance of the
| home Government, while 1t still maintains pont
ical connection with the Republic In the peninsula;
| and although usurping and defying the authority
| OF the home Government whenever such usurpa-
ton or defiance tends In the direction of oppres-
sion or OF the maintenance OF abuses, II is still
! power in Madrid and recognized by the Govern
| meRt thus forming an element more dangerous
| to the continued colonial relations between
| Cuba and Spair than that which inspired
| the nsurrcctiOn az larra. An element opposed to
| granting any relief from misrule and abuse, with
| no aspirations after freedom, commanding no sym
pathcs in generous breasts, aiming to riyet still
stronger the shacklcs OF slavery and oppres-
! sion, has seized many Of the cmblems OF power in
! Cuba, and under professions of loyalty to the
mother country is eNhausting the resources Of the
/ island, and is doing acts which are at variance
with those principles Of justice, hherality, and
! right which give nobility Of character to Repub'
| lie in the interests Of humanity, Of civilization
and Of progress 1t is to he hoped that this evil in
| huruce may be soon avorted,
! THE yIRGINIUs DIFFICULTY.
! The steamer Virgin ius was, on the Goth day Of
! September. 1870, duly registered at the port Of
! New York as part Of the commercial marine Of
! the United States. ON the 4lh Of October, 1870,
having the certificate OF her register in the usual
legal FORM she sailed from The port OF New York,
! and has not since been within the territorial jurs
diCtion OF the United States. On the Sist of OCto-