Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-03


The recent conference under the Treaty of
Washington was confined to the claims of
British subjects, arising during the period
named in the treaty., but it is underste d
there are other British claims ef d similar
nature arising after the 9th Of April, 1865,
and it il known that other claims of like
nature are advanced by the citizens or sub
jects of other powers. 1t is desirable to
have these claims also examined and dis
posed of. ~
Our Antipodes.
Official information heihg received from
the Dutch government of state of war
between the King of the Netherlands and
the Sultan of Acheen, the officers Of the
| United States who were near the seat of
war were instructed to observe an inNpaas-
tial neutrality. 1t is believed that they
! have done so,
Mexican Marauders.
The joint commission under the treaty
with Mexico of 1866, having again been
legally prolonged, has resumed its business,
which it is hoped may be lsrcu6iit 10 an
early conclusion. TIE distinguished rep
resentative Of Her Britanic Majesty at
| Washington has kindly consented, with
the approval Of his government, to assuihe
the arduous and responsible duties Of UNI
pire in this ccithlission, and to lend the
weight OF his character and name to such
decisions as may not receive the acquies-
cence of both the arbitratoTs appointed by
the respective governments. The commits
sioners appointed subject to the authority
| of Congress to examine into the nature
and extent of the forays by trespassers
from that country upon the herds of Texas,
have made a report, which viii be sttbnsit-
| ted for your considerations
A Venezuelan Hitch.
| The Venezuelan government has been
| apprised of the sense of Congress in regard
to the award of the Joint Commission UNI
der the convention of the 25th of April, /
| 1866, as expressed in the act CT the 25th of
February last, u is apprehended that the
government does not realize the character
OF It's obligations under that Convention.
As there is reason to believe, however, that
its hesitancy in recognizing them spring in
part, at least, from a real difficulty in dis
charging them in connection with its obli-
cations to other governments, the eXpedi-
ency of further fOrbearance on our part is
believed to be worthy of your eensidera-
ton.
The Turk.
The Ottoman government and that. of
Egypt have latterly shown a disposition to
relieve foreign Consuls of the judicial pow
ers which heretofore they have exercised in
the Turkish dOminions, by organizing 9th
er tribunals As Congress, however, has
by law provided for the discharge of judi
cial functions by ConSulS Of the United
States in that quarter, under the treaty of
1880, have not felt at liberty formally to
accept the present change without the as
sent Of Congress, whose decision upon the
subject, at as early period as may be con-
venient, is requested.
SantO Domingo.
L transmit herewith for your considera-
ton and determination of Congress an ap-
plication of the republic of San Domingo
to this Government to a exercise a protec-
torate over that Republic. Since the adj
iournment of Congress. the following trea-
ties with foreign powers have been pro-
claimed. a naturalization convention with
Denmark; a convention with Mexico for
renewing the claims commissions and
convention of friendship, commerce and
extradition with the Orange free States;
a naturalization convention with Ecadore
[EcuadOr:]
POstmasters' Commissions.
| Irenew a recommendation made in my
message of December 1870, that Congress
authorize the PoStmaster-General to issue
all commissions to officials appointed
through his department.
Absenteeism.
invite the earnest attention of Congress
to the existing laws or the United States,
respecting eXpatriation of the selection of
nationality by individuals. Many citizens
of the United States reside permanently
abroad with their families. Under the pro-
visions of the act approved Feb. 10th, 1900,
the children of such persons are to be DEEM
ed and taken TO be citizens of the United
States, but the rights of citizenship are
not TO descend to persons whose fathers
never resided in the United States. 1t
thus happens that persons who have never
resided within the Z, nited States have been
enabled to put forward a pretenSion to the
protection of the United States against the
claim of military service of the Govern
ment under whose protection they were
born and have been cared. In some cases
, unnaturalized citizens of the United States
have returned to the land or their birth to
remain there, and their children, the issue
of a marriage contracted there attertheir re-
turn. and who have never been in the Uni
ted 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
I 1868 it was left embarrassed by conflicting
opinions of courts and juristS, TO determine
how far the doctrine of perpetual allie
glance derived from our former colonial re-
, lations with Great Britain was applicable
| to American citizens. Congress then wise
! lv swept these doubts away by enacting
that any declaration, instruction, opinion,
= order or decision OF any officer OF this
| Government which denies, restricts, i'm
, pairs or questions
The Right of ExPatriatiOu,
E is inconsistent with the fundamental prin-
: ciple of this Government. But
: Congress did not enact in that
statute. nor has it since done so, what acts
are to be deemed to work eXpatrlatlon.
For nv 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 exec
= utive departments upon certain questions
a relating to this subject. The result salts
fies me that further legislation has become
J necessary. | therefore commend the
= subject to the consideration of Congress.
transmit neIeWlIn copies Ol JIG oC'Olol
opinions OF the principal officers OF the eX
: ecutive departments, together with other
correspondence and prominent information
\ \ nthe same subject. The United States, who
u led the way in the overthrow of the fenda
Il doctrine of perpetual allegiance, are among
the last to Indicate how their own citizens
e NAV elect another nationality. The papers
! submitted herewith indicate what is neces
I sary to place us on par with other leading
= nations in liberality of legislation on this
!. international question. We have already
: in our treaties assented to the principles
. which would need to be embodied i'll laws
: intended to accomplish such results. We
u have agreed that citizens Of the Unitel
10 States may cease to be citizens, may vol
UNFAIRLY resume allegiance to other powers
We have agreed that residence in toreigl
IL land without intent to return, shall OF ltsei
d work expatriation. We have agreed II
e some instances upon the length OF tim
81 necessary for such intent. L invite Con
u rress to mark out and define when ant
&c how expatriation can be accomplished; t
:, regulate by law the condition OF
y American Women Marrying Foreisn