Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-12-09

| in connection with its obligations to other Gov
| ernments, the expediency of further forbearanc
on our part is believed to be worthy of your con
sideration.
TURKEY AND EGYPT
The Ottoman Government and that of Egyp
have shown a disposition to relieve foreign con
suls of the judicial powers which heretofore the,
have exercised in the Turkish dominions by or
ganizing other tribunals. As Congress, howev
er, has by law provided for the discharge of ju
dicial functions by consuls of the United State
In that quarter under the treaty OF 1880, L hav
not felt at liberty formally to accept the propos
ed change without the assent of Congress, who's
decision upon the subject at as early period q
may be convenient is earnestly requested.
sANTo DOMINGO.
I transmit herewith for the consideration anG
determination of Congress an application of the
Republic of Santo Domingo to this Government
TO exercise protectorate over that Republic.
TREATIES PROCLAIMED.
Since the adjournment of Congress'the follow
ing treaties with foreign Powers have been pro
claimed: A naturalization convention with Den
mark; convention with Mexico for receiving
the claims commission; convention ofsfriend
ship. commerce, and extradition with the Or.
ange free State; and a naturalization convention
with Ecuador.
I renew the recommendation made in my mes
sage of December, 1870. that Congress authorize
the Postmaster General to issue all commissions
to officials appointed through his Department.
REPATRIATION AND THE ELECTION OF NATION.
ALITY BY INDIVIDUALS.
Invite the earnest attention of Congress tc
the existing laws of the United States respecting
expatriation and the election of nationality by
individuals Many citizens of the United States
reside permanently abroad with their families
under the provisions of the act approved Febru-
ary 10th, 1856. The children ofsuch persons are
to be deemed and taken to be citizens of the Uni
31I 1~,.Ax L. Il e -
to descend to persons whose fathers never resid-
ed in the United States. It thus happens that
persons who have never resided within the Uni
ted States have been enabled to put forward a
pretension to the protection of the United States
against the claim to military service of the Gov
ernment under whose protection they were born
and have been reared. In some cases, even nat
uralized citizens of the United States have re-
turned to the land of their birth, with intent to
remain there, and their children, the issue of a
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 has 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 conflicting
opinions of courts and of jurists to determine
how far the decline of perpetual allegiance de
rived from our former colonial relations with
Great Britain was applicable to American citi
zens. Congress then wisely swept these doubts
away by enacting that ANY declaration, in
struction, opinion, order or decision of any off
Ger of this Government which denies, restricts
impairs, questions the right of expatriation is
inconsistent with the fundamental principles of
this Government but Congress did not indi-
cate in that statute, has it since done So what
acts are to be desired to work expatration. For
my own guidance in determining such questions
required, under the provisions of the Constitu-
ton, the opinion in writing, Of the principal Off
Ger in each of the Executive Departments upon
certain questions relating to this subject. The
result satisfies that further legislation has be-
come necessary. therefore commend the SUBJ
ject to the careful consideration of Congress- and
[ transmit herewith copies of the several Opin-
ions of the principal officers of the Executive
Departments together with other correspon-
dence and pertinent information on the same
subject The United States, who led the way in
the overthrow of the teudal doctrine of perpetu-
al allegiance, are among the last to indicate how
their own citizens may elect another nationality.
The papers submitted herewith indicate what is
necessary to place us on par with other lead
ing nations in iberaiity of legislation on this in
ternational question. We have already in our
treaties assented to the principles which would
need to be embodied in laws intended to accom-
plish such results. We have agreed that citi-
zens of the United States may rise to be citizens,
and may voluntarily render allegiance to other
Powers We have agreed that residence in 8
foreign land without intent to return shall of it.
self work expatristion We haveagreed in some
instances upon the length of time necessary for
such continued residence to work presumption
of such intent l invite Congress now to mark
out and define when ana how expatration can
be accomplished, to regulate by law the condi
ton Of American women marrying foreigners, to
tx the status of children born in a foreign coun-
try of American parents residing more or less
permanently abroad, and to make rules for de-
terminng such other kindred points as may seem
best to Congress.
SPAIN.
4l,or oe r
transmitted to the American Minister at Madrid
with instructions to present to the Spanish Gov
ernment the joint resolution approved on the
Sd of March last rendering to the people of Spain
in the name of and on behalf of the American
people the congratulations of Congress upon the
efforts to consolidate in Spain the principles of
universal liberty in a republican form of gov
ernment The existence of this new republic wars
inaugurated by striking the fetters from the
slaves in Porto Rico. This benehcent 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 supe-
riors at Madrid, which had pertaned to the
Office since 1925. The sequestered estates of
American citizens, which had been the cause of
lor and fruitless correspondence, were ordered
to be restored to their owners. All these liberal
steps were taken in the face of violent oppos-
ton directed by the reactionary Shareholders of
Havana. who are vanly striving to stay the
march of ideas which has terminated slavery in
Christendom, Cuba only excepted. Unhappily,
however this baneful influence has thus far sue
ceeded in 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 there. The pro-savery and aristo-
cratic party in Cuba is gradually arraigning itself
in more and more hostility and open defiance of
the Home Government, while it still maintains a
political connection with the republic in the
nnninsr1la and although usurDinp and defvin o.
the authority Of the Home Government when
ever such usurpation or defiance tends in the
direction of oppression or of the maintenance OF
abusesit is still power In Madrid, and is recog-
nzed by the Government. Thus an element more
dangerous to continued colonial relations be-
tween Cuba and Spain than that which inspired
the insurrection at Yara-an element opposed to
granting any relief from misrue and abuse, with
no aspirations after freedom, commanding no
sympathies in generous breasts, aiming to rivet
still stronger the shackles of slavery and op-
pression-has seized many of the emblems o.
power in Cuba and under profession of loyalty
to the mother country is eXhaustlng the resOurc-
es of the island, and is doing acts which are al
variance with those principles of justice, of lib.
erty. and of right, which give nobility of char
acter to a republic in the interests of humanity
of civilization, and of progress 1t is to be hopec
that this evil influence may soon be averted.
THE CUBAN TROUBLES.
The steamer Virginius was on the 26th day O
September, 1870, duly registered at the port O
New York as q part of the commercial marine
of the United States. On the 4th of October
1870 having received the certificate of her reg
lister in the usual legal form, she sailed from the
port of New York, and has not since been within
the territorial Jurisdiction of the United States
On the 3lst day of October last, while sailing
under the flag of the United States on the higf
SEAS she was forcibly seized by the Spanish gun
| boat Tornado, and was carried into the port o
10 C,,ha fbora of hor Snr1