Litchfield enquirer., 1873-12-11

iects, arising during the period named in :: the treaty. but 1t is understood that tIasa are other British claims of similar na-
 tnse. arising after the 9th of April 1885,
 and It is known that other claims of like
 nature. are advanced by citizens or sub ;ects of other powers. It is desirable to
 nave these claims also examined and dis
 posed of. srH e. sf
 Official information being received from
 the Dutch government of 9 state of war
 between the king of Netherlands aad ths
 sultan. of Acheen. the officers of tue Uni ted States, who were near the seat of war,
 were instructed to observe all i'm partial
 neutrality. t is believed they hasadone so. .-.-.s ... --. Fs
 s.ss THE MEXICAN JOINT COMMISSION.
 The joint commission under the con
 vention with Mexico. Of 1868, has again
 been legally prolonged, has resumed its
 business, which. it is hoped, may be
 brought to an early conclusion.
 The distinguished representative Sof
 her Britannic majesty at Washington has
 kindly consented. with the approval of his government, to assume the arluuus
 and responsible duties of umpire III this commission, and to lend the Weightsof
 his character and name to such decisions
 as may not receive the acquiescence of
 both the arbitrators appointed by the re-
 spective governments. The commission I CTS appointed pursuant to the authority. l of Congress to examine into the nature
 and extent of the forays by trespassers
 from that country upon the herds of Tex
 as have made report which will be sub-
 mitted for your consideration.
 l The Venezuelan government has been appraised of the sense of congress in re- l gard to the award of the joint commis- l sion under the convention of the 25th Of l April, 1866 as expressed in the act of the
 25th of Febuary last. It is apprehended l that that government does not realize the
 character of it's obligations under that l convention. As there is reason to be- lieve, however, that it's hesitancy ill rec ognizing them springs, in part, at least, from real difficulty ill discharging them in connection with it's obligations to other governments. the expediency of further forbearance on cur part is believed to be worthy of your consideration
 The Ottoman government and that of Egypt have latterly shown disposition to relieve foreign consuls of the judicial powers which heretofore they have exer- l clsed in the Turkish dominions, by or ganizing other tribunals. As congress, however, has by law provided for the dis charge of judicial functions by consuls of the United States in that quarter, under the treaty of 1850, have not felt at hber- ty formally to accept the proposed change without the assent of congress, whose de- cIslon upon the subject, at as early q pe- FInd ha .. A1.. requested. .s..
 sASTo DOMINGO ai
 transmit herewith for the considera- tlon and determination of congress an ap- piicatfon of the republic of Santo Do mingo to this government to exercise a protectorate over that republic.
 s& TREarRs PRdcI. aIasa.
 Slnca the adjournment of congress the following treaties with foreign powers have been proclaimed: A naturalization convention with Denmark; convention with Mexico for renewing the claims con- mission; a convention of friendship, com- merce and extradition with the Orange Free State; and naturalization conven- tion with Ecuador. ..s. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
 renew recommendation made in my 1 message of December, 1870, that congress authorize the postmaster-general to issue 1 all commissions to officials appointed through his department
 l invite the earnest attention of con- gress to the existing laws of the United 1 States respecting repatriation. Many 1 citizens of the United States reside per- manently abroad with their families. Un- der the provisions of the act approved | February 10, 1855. the children of such 1 persons are to be deemed and taken to l be citizens of the United States. but the 1 rights of citizenship are not to descend to l persons whose fathers never resided in the | United States. Itthus happens that per- l sons who have never resided within the l United States have been enabled to put 1 forward pretention to the protection of l the United States against the claim of 1 military service of the government under l whose protection they were born and have l been reared. In some cases even natuf- l alized citizens of the United States have l returned to the land of their birth with | intent to remain there, and their child l ren, the issue of marriage contracted | there after return and who have never | been in the United States, have laid claim l to our protection when the lapse of many l years have imposed upon them the duty l of military service to the only govern 1 ment which had ever known them person. ally Until the year of 1868 it was left l embarrassed by conducting opinions of ] courts and of iurists to determine how far the doctrine of perpetual allegiance, derived from our former colonial relations | with Great Britain, was applicable to l Americana citizens Congress then wise- ly swept these douhts away by enacting that any declaration, instruction, opinion, | order or decision of any officer of this governments which denies, restricts, i'm pairs or questions the right of expatria- 1 ton is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of this government. But con gress did not indicate in that statute, nor has it since done so, what acts are to be deemed to work repatriation For my own guidance in determining such ques- tions required under the provisions of the constitution, the opinion in writing, of the principal officer in each of the ex- ecutive departments upon certain ques- tions relating to this subject satisfies me that further legislation has become nec- essary Itherefoxe commend the subject to- the careful consideration of Congress, and | transmit herewith copies of the sey- eral opinions of the principal officers of lsthes elective departments, together with other correspondence and prominent inn formation on the same subject The Uni ted States, who led the way in the over throw of the feudaf doctrine of perpet- nal allegiancs. are among the last to in- dicate how their own citizens may elect l ted herewith indicate what is necessary
 to place the United States on par with other leading nations in iberality of leg
 islation on this international question. We have already in our treaties assented
 tothe principles which would need to be
 embodied in laws intended to accomplish
 such results. Wa have agreed that citi- , zens of the United States may cease to
 be citixens, and may rander allegiance to