Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-12-05
determination of Congress, an application of the
Republic OF Santo Domingo to this Government to
exercise prOtectorate over that Republic.

OluCe the adJOurnmenb OF congress tne IOlloWlIg
treaties with foreign powers have been proclaimed
A naturalization convention with Denmark; a con-
vention with Mexico for renewing their Claims
COMMISSIONS convention of friendship. commerce
and extradition with the Orange Free State, and a
naturalization convention with Ecuador rr
PosT-oFFIcE ooMMIssIoNs.4 & s
renew recommendation made in my message
of December. 1870, that Congress authorize the
Postmaster General to issue all commissions TO
officials appointed through his department iI
ExTRADITIoN AND ExPATRIATIoN.
invite the earnest attention of Congress to the
existing laws of the United States respecting ex-
tradition and the eligibility of nationality by indi
viduals. Many citizens of the United States re-
side permanently abroad, with their families.
Under the provisions Of the act approved February
10, 1855, the children of such persons are to be
deemed and taken to be citizens of the United
States but the rights CT citizenship are not to de-
scend to persons whose fathers never resided in the
United States. 1t thus happens that persons who
have never resided within the United States have
been enabled to put forward a pretension to the
protection of the United States against the claim
of military service of the Government, under
whose protection they were born and have been
reared. In some cases unnaturaliZed 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
turn, and who have never been in the United
States, have laid claim to their protection, when
the lapse of many years have imposed upon them
the duty of military service to the only Govern
ment which had ever known them personally.
Outll year 1905 IL was lcIb embarrassed tue
conflicting opinions of courts and jurists to de-
termlne how far the doctrine of perpetual
allegiance derived from our former colonial rela-
tions with Great Britain was applicable to Ameri-
can citizens. Congress then wisely swept the
doubts away by enacting that any declaration. in
struction, opinion order or decision of any officer
of this Government. which denies, restricts. i'm
pairs or questions the right of expatraton is in
consistent with the fundamental principles of this
Government: but Congress did not indicate In that
statute, nor has 1t since done So what acts are to
be deemed to work expatriation. For my own
guidance in determining such questions required,
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 legsla-
ton has become necessary. / therefore commend
the subject to the careful consideration OF Con-
gress and transmit herewith copies Of the several
opinions of the principal officers of the Executive
Departments, together with other correspondence
and pertinent information on the same subject.
The United States, who led the way in the over
throw of the feudal doctrine of perpetual allegi-
ance, are among the last to indicate how their own
citizens may elect another nationality The papers
submitted herewith indicate what is necessary
nations in hberality of legislation on this
international question. We have already in our
treaties assented to the principles which would
need to be embodied in laws intended to accom-
plish sgch results. We have agreed that citizens
Of the United States may to be citizens. and
may voluntarily render allegiance to other powers.
wv nave agreed that residence In foreign land,
without intent to return shall of itself work expa
trlatlon. We have agreed, in some instances, upon
the length OF time necessary for such intent. in
Vlte Congress now to mark out and define when
and how expatriation be accomplished, to regu-
late by law the condition of American women
marrying foreigners, to fix the status of children
DO rn In foreign country of American parents re-
siding more or less permanently abroad, and to
make rules for determining such other kindred
points as may seem best to Congress.
REPUBLIC OF SPAIN.
In compliance with the request of Congress
transmitted to the American Minister at Madrid,
with instructions to present it to the Spanish Gov
ernment, the joint resolution approved on the 2d
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
to consolidate In Spain the principles of universal
liberty in republican form Of government The
existence of this new Republic was inaugurated
by striking the letters from the slaves in Porto
Rico. This bnnefcent measure was followed by
the release Of several Thousand persons illegally
sSd as slaves in Cuba Next s
deprived of the power to set aside the
orders of his superiors at Madrid which had per-
tanned to the office since 1896. The seQuestered
estates 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 op
position, directed by the reactionary Shareholders
the march of ideas that has terminated sla-
very in Christendom. Cuba only excepted
unhappily however. this baneful influence has
all liberal minded men in Spain to abolish
slavery in Cuba, and in preventing the
promised reform in that Island. The strug
gle for political supremacy continues The pro-
slavery aristocracy in Cuba is gradually arraying
itself in more and more open hostility and defiance
of the home Government, while it still maintains
a political connection with the Republic in the
peninsula, and although usurping and defying the
authority of the home Government whenever such
or defiance tends in the direction OF op-
preston of the maintenance of abuses, it is still
a power in Madrid and recognized by the Govern
ment-thus forming an element more dangerous
to the continued Colonial relations between
Cuba and Spain than that which inspired
to granting any relief from misrule and abuse,
with no aspirations after freedom, commanding no
sympSthes in generous breasts, aiming to rivet
still stronger the shackes of slavery and oppres-
sion, has seized many of the emblems of power in
Cuba, and under professions of loyalty to the
mother country is exhausting the resources of the
island. and il doing acts which are at variance
with those principles of justice, liberality and
right, which give nobility Of character to Re-
public. In the interests of humanity, of civiliza-
on and of progress it is to be hoped that this evil
may be soon averted
THE vIRGINIUs DIFFICULTY.
The steamer Virgnius 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 4tu 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 juris
diction of the United States On the 3lst of Octo-
States the high seas, she was forcihly seized by
the Spanish gunboat Tornado, and was carried
into the port of Santiago de Cuba, where many
of her passengers and crew were inhumanely,
and so far, at least, as relates to those who
were citizens of the United States, without due
process of law, put to death: 1t is well-estab-
from the beginning of national independence, rec
ognized by Great Britain and other maritime pow
eTs and stated by the Senate in resolution passed
unanimously on the 18th of June, 1858, that Amer
lean vessels on the high seas, in time of peace,
bearing the American flag, remain under the juris
diction of the country to which they belong,
and therefore, any TsiaOn mOesta
by force on the part of a foreign power is
in derogation of the sovereignty of the United
States. In accordance with this principle, the
of the Virginius and the surrender of
the survivors of her passengers and crew, and
due reparation TO the flag, and the punishment of
the authorities who had been guilty of the Illegal
acts of violence, were demanded The Spanish
Government has recognized the justice of the de-
mand, and has arranged for the immediate deliv-
cry of the vessel and for the surrender of the
vivors of the passengers and crew, and for salute
to the flag, and for proceedings looking to the
punishment of those who may be proved to have
been guilty of Illegal acts of violence toward
citizens of the United States, and also to-
ward indemnifying those who may be shown to be
entitled to indemnity: copy of protocol of
conference between the Secretary of State and the
Spanish Minister, In which the terms of this ar
rangement were agreed to, will be transmitted
herewith. The correspondence on this subject
with the Legation of the United States is in cipher
and by cable, and needs the verifcation of the
actual text Of the correspondence. 1t has seemed
to me to be due to the importance of the case
not to submit this Correspondence until
the accurate text can be received by mail.
1t is expected shertly, and will
be submitted when received. In taking leave of
this subjectfo for the present, wish to renew the
expression of my conviction that the existence of
African slavery in Cubais the principal cause of
the lamentabe condition of the island. ] do not
doubt that Congress shares with me the hope that
it will soon be made to disappear. and that peace
and prosperity may follow its abolition. The en-
bargoing of American estates in Cuba; cruelty to
American citizens detected In no act of hostility