The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-29
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.
r- Remarks ,of
Hon, Samuel S. Cox. Of New York.

dony samuel ,. Sox, OF Ns" @SA~'
House Bill No. 2lo9, to carry into ex-
ecution the provisions of the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution concerning |
citizenship aud to define certain rights Of
citizens of the United States in foreign
countries and certain duties of diplomatic
and consular officers, and for other pur-
poses, as reported by the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, April %, 1874, being I'M
der consideration, Mr.. Cox said:
Mr.. Speaker: The remarks that make
shall be general, though they may 60 into
the details of the bill itself. This bill has
been very well matured by the Committee
on Foreign Affairs. 1t could have been
committed to nobody more accomplished
than my friend from Massachusetts, Mr..
E. r. Hoar, who has given it the very
strictest attention. His experience as At
torney-General aud his education as a care
full publicist give to his dissertations on
such theme unusual emphasis. do not
detract from word he says.
All the matters connected with the ques-
tons of naturalization and expatriation
have been more or less discussed in doc
ument to which | refer the gentlemen who
have been so anxious to anticipate proper
discussion by asking questions. 1t is Tx
ecutive Document No. l, part first Of the
Forty-frst Congress. first session-papers
relating to expatriation, naturalization, and
change of residence These papers, run
ming over two hundred pages, were pub
lished in response to call by the Presi-
dent on the various Departments for t. cir
opinions with respect to this subject, You
will find in the answers TO the various ques
tons which the President puts to the mem
bers of the Cabinet pertinent information,
indispensable to intelligent and cogent dis
cussiOn.
There has been no more interesting col
lation of facts or array of principles on this
subject than is found in that document
Whether they are colored by peculiar
events or traditional hate Of foreigners !;
whether they mean party bias or individual
interest, it is not for me to determine. But
would suggest to gentlemen who are dis
posed to put questions that they can. per-
haps, answer them more inteligently when
we reach the minor debate arising on the
different sections of the bill, and more es-
pecially after reading that document. The
questions which the President propounded
from the Executive Mansion, under date
Of August 6, 1878; and are as follows:
/. The law-making power having declared that
"the right of repatriation is a natural and inherent
right Of ali people, indispensable to the enjoyment
OF the ri thts of G. liberty, and the pursuit ri hap
ecutive efuse to give effect to act of eXpa ria
ton OF citizen of The United States?
2. May formal remuneration of United Stat IS
citizenship and voluntary submission to the SOW
ereiynty OF another power be regarded otherwise
than as an act uf expatr att ~?
3. Can an election OF repatriation be shown or
presumed by an acquisition of domicie In another
country, with an avowed pIrpose not 10 return?
4. Ought the Government o hold tsen bound to
extend its protection, and consequently exert it.
military and naval power for suca protection, in
favor 81 persons who have left its territories and
who resi- ic abroad, without m apparent intent to
return 10 them, and who do not contribute TO it's
supports
3. VIII 1t sh1uld constitute evidence of the alb
sense OF an intent to return In such cases?
o. Wncn naturalized citizen OF the United
States returns To his native country and resides there
for series OF years, wi h no appirent purpose Of
returning. shan nc be deemed To have cxpatriated
himself. where the case Is not regulated ny reaty:
7. Are the IldTen bonn abroad Of a person woo
has been citizen OF the United States, but VINO
has become a subject or ciIizsn of anO her power,
or who mas cxpatrated hi nscf citizens of the UNI
ted States entitled TO il protection;
$. Can person who has fOrma ly renOunced his
allegiance to the United States and assumed the OBJ
ligati ms OF citizen or subject of another power
become again a citizen OF the United States In any
other way than In the manner provided by general
lawsf
If Mr.. Speaker, should proceed to an
swer these queries in detail, as the Cabinet
did, would only repeat what is in type and
perhaps / can best obtain their best mean
ing, and give an added meaning to them,
by pursuing my own method of discussion
| do not deny that these questions have
been touched with great, though partial
skill by the gentlemen of the Cabinet
One thing is apparent in this discussion
1t is this that the common-law right, the
old teudal idea, that a man who is "racy of
the soil is always a citizen, has become
more or less obsolete This is manifest by
the progress of civilization and interna-
tional law, as well as by the laws of all
countries, including our own. So that now
the question is not between man who
was born here and one who is naturaized
here, for they are exactly in the same con-
ditiOn, and so far as our Government and
Its faith are concerned we are committed
TO the doctrine that naturalized citizen is
in the same troth and plight as one born
here. We must love and comfort him the
same, at home and abroad. His children
are our children his folk and kin are our
folk and kin. Like Ruth, we will follow
him irrespective of previous or other CON
ditions. HIS citizenship is as immutable
rs if he had been born here for all pur-
poses. When, when, when will the people
who remember Columbus, K0sciusko, De
Kalb, Lafayette, the gallant Germans aud
the gallant lrishmen, the McMahons and
the ODonnells, the men who make, fight,
and create peoples; when will they re-
member that they are scions of stock
which emigrates, pOpulates, fights, civilizes
and progresses
There should not, therefore, be made in
this bill any difference between naturalized
and native-born citizens hope my friend
from Massachusetts Mr.. f. Il. Hoar has
eliminated from the bill any such feature
The former and recent immigratiOns-
the movements of men aud women on our
star have no parallel in history Not
one word do l pronounce against the doc
trine of expatriation. 1t is the epic of our
age. This remarkable movement from
foreign couutries-frOm one side of our
planet to another, and especially just now
the immigration from that hiye of nations,
Germany, to this country aud to all other
lands-is the wonder of the world The
Germans are not only overrunning New
Zealand, Australia, and South America,
but they are taking possession of England
itself They are not only doing the bust
ness of England, but by the thrifty and
trustworthy character of their people they
are making New York tributary to the
good sense and industry of the German
people. l speak now OF what see and
know.
This bill concerns them more especially.
I thinE than anv nj her claso ,c 90. -.