The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-12-18

triation and the election of nationality
Formerly, amid conflicting opinions and
decisions, it was difficult to exactly de-
termine how far the doctrine of perpet-
|; ual allegiance was applicable to citizens
of the United States. Congress by the
act of the Doth of July, 1868, asserted
the abstract right of expatriation as
fundamental principle of the govern
ment. Notwithstanding such assertion
and the necessity of frequent applica-
ton of the principle, no legislation has
been had defining what acts or formali-
ties shall work expatriation, or when a
citizen shall be deemed to have renOun-
ced or to have lost his citizenship. The
Importance of such definition isobvioIs.
The representatives of the United States
in foreign countries are continually
called upon to lend their aid and the
protection of the United States to per-
sons concerning the good faith or the
reality of whose citizenship there is at
least great question. In some cases the
provisions of the treaties furnish some
guide. In others, it seems left to the
persons claiming the benefit of citizen
ship while living in foreign country,
contributing in no manner to the per.
formaGce of the obligations and duties
OF a citizen of the United States, simply
as shield from the performance of the
obligations of citizen elsewhere. The
status of children born of Ameri-
can parents residing in for
eign country, of American women who
have married aliens, and of American |
citizens resididg abroad, where such |
question is not regulated by treaty. |
are all sources of frequent, difficult |
discussion. Legislation on these and |
smaller questions, and particularly de-
tiniDg when and under what circum-
stances expatriatiOn can be accomplish
ed or is to be presumed, IS especially |
needed.
FRAUDULENT EATURALIZATIoN.
In this connection earnestly call the atten-
| ton of congress to the difficulties arising from
fraudulent naturalization. The United States
wisely, freely and literally offers its citizens
| help, to all who may come in good faith to re-
| side within its limits on the complying with
| certain prescribed, reasonable and simple
| fOrmalities and conditions Among the high
est duties of the government is that to afford
firm, Efficient aud equal protection to all its
| citizens, whether native born or naturalIzed.
! Care should be taken that right carrying
| with 1t such support from the government,
| should not be fraudulently obtained, and
should be bestowed only upon full proof of a
| compliance with the law, and there are fre-
| quent instances of illegal and fraudulent nat
urallHatlOn, and of the unauthorized use of
| certificates thus improperly obtained. In some
| cases the fraudulent character of naturalza-
| ton has appeared upon the face of the certih-
| cate itself. In others, examination disclOses
| that the holder had not complied with the law,
and in others the certificates have been obtain
ed where the persons holding them not only
were not entitled to be naturaLzed, but had
not been within he United States at the time :
of The pretended naturalization. Instances of ,
each of these classes of fraud are discovered {
at our legislatiOns where the certificates of nat
uraliZatiOn are presented, either for the pur-
pose of obtaining passports, or IN demanding | '
the protection of the legation. When the i
fraud is entirely apparent en- the face of such I
certificates, they are taken up by the repre- | I
sentatives of the government, and forwarded | {
to the department of state. But even the :
record of the court in which the fraudulent !
naturalization occurred, remains, and duplicate s
certificates readily Obtainable. Upon the {
presentation of these for the issue of pass r
ports or demanding the protection Of the gov /
ernment, the fraud sometimes escapes notice, c
and such certificates are not unfrequently c
used in the transaction of business, to the in /
jury of innocent parties. without placing any
additional obstacle in the way of the obtain \
ment of citizenship, by the worthy and well e
intentioned foreigner, who comes in good t
faith, [ nevertheless earnestly recommend F
further legislation to punish fraudulent nat t
uTalzatiOn, and to secure the ready cancella- A
ton of the record of every naturalization
made in fraud. V
ExTRADITIOS. t
Since my last annual message, the exchange Q
.
of extradition with Belgium, Ecquador, Peru a
and San Salvador; also of q treaty of COM I
merce and navigation with Peru, and one of =:
commerce and consular privileges with San J
Salvador, all of which have been duly pro-
claimed. as has also declaration with Russia
with reference to trade marks.
THE FEDERAL TREASURY.
The report of the secretary Of the treasury, r
which, by law, lis made directly to congress, T
and forms part of this message, will show
e fl,n
ment for the last fiscal year, the amount Te- T.
ceiv5 d from each source of revenue and the g
amount paid out for each of the departments Il
of the government. 1t will be observed from p
this report that the amount of receipts over S
expeditures has been but 81, 344 SS2 80 for the V
fiscal year ending June 80, 1874, and that for ?
the current fiscal year the estimated receipts h
over expenditures will not exceed S9,03o,0U0. a
THE SINKING FUND BEHIND.
In view of the large national debt existing q
and the obligation to add one per cent. per q
annum to the sinking fund, sum amounting 4
now to over $34, 600, 900 per annum, submit n
whether the revenues should not be increased RI
or the expenditures diminished to reach this 81
amount of surplus. Not to provide for the N
sinking fund is partial failure to comply with n
the contracts and obligations of the govern n
ment. At the last session of congress a very ii
considerable reduction was made in the rate of @,
taxation and in the number of articles sub 9,
mitted to taxation; the question may we'll be
asked whether or not in some instances I'M II
wisely. o.
In connection with this subject too, the II
opinion is that the means of collecting the n
revenues, especially from imports, have been Il
embarrassed by legislation as to make it ques- Or
tionable whether or not large amounts are not u
lost by failure to collect, to the direct loss of II
the treasury and to the prejudice of the in Fl
terests of honest importers and taxpayers, I
BRIsTows RECOMMENDATIONS. e.
The secretary Of the treasury, in his report, Of
favOrs legislation looking to specie payments, el
thus supporting the views previously eX- u
pressed in this message. He also recommends W
economy in the appropriations, and calls at CT
tention to the loss of revenue from repeating IL
the tax on tea and coffee without benefit to the e
consumer. He recommends an increase of 80 y
cents gallon on whisky; and further, that no u
modification should become necessary by rea- ss
son of the adoption of measures for returning az
to specie payments. In these recommends III
tions l cordially concur. III
THE TARIFF.
would suggest to congress the proprietv of
readjusting the tariff as to increase the ~ ~
revenue and at the same time decrease the 7,
number Of articles upon which duties are "
levied. Those articles which enter into our -
manufactures and are not produceda at home, it % %
seems to me, should be entered free On those - -
articles of manufacture which we produce a g.
constituent part of, but do not produce the ~
whole, that part which we do not produce ~
should enter free also. / will instance fine -
wool dyes, etc. These must be imported to a.
form part of the manufacture of the higher -
grades or wool SOOdS. Cnemlcal5 used as -
dyes compounded in medicines, and used in IN
various WAYS in manufactures, come under -
this class. The Introduction, free of dues of r.
such woods as we do produce should stimulate q, .,
the manufacture of goods requiring the of ~ ~
those we do not produce, and, therefore, could d"
be benefit to home production. There are ~
many articles entering into home manufac- ~
lures which we do not produce ourselves, the y"
tariff on which increases the cost of producing .
the manufactured article. All corrections in ~
this regard are in the direction of bringing 1d
labor and capital in harmony with each other, &C :
and of supplying of the elements much ~ :
needed. ~
ARMY a.
The report of the secretary of war, herewith ia
attached and forming part of this message, | al
gives all the information concerning all the la
operations, wants and necessities, and con- th
tains many suggestions and recommendations W
which l commend to your special attention. st
There Is no class of government employees who w
are harder worked than the army officers and th
men, none who perform their tasks more al
cheerfully and more efficiently, and under cir m
cumstances of greater privation and hardships. al