The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-10-22
Germ h.AmsricaH CitiSsns-The Lila.
- - ~ bllItSsto ConSrriptaon.

important correspondence in reference
to the rights OF nsture!iz:d citizens OF
the United States who were former;
German subjects passed between Sec.
retary Fish and Mr.. Bancroft during
the last few months of the inoumbenoy
of the latter ns American ambassador
to the North German Empire. From
letters received from the United States
consulps in North Germany, the Secre-
tsry Of State learned that ON the aver.
age about $500 Germsn.A American
citizens, with their wives and children,
annually revisit the land of thoir na.
tivity. These citizens were frequent
ly apprehended by the German au.
thorities, who, ignoring the fact hat
they had renounced their allegiauce,
undertook to hold them subject to
military duty. The United States had,
by former treaties with several of the
pc"era comprising The North Gerrlan
Confederation, secured the recognition
from them of the right Of emigration
and of expatriation. The Secretary Of
State. acting under the Instructions of
the President, suggested to Mr.. Ban.
croft the propriety and necessity OF
securing revision Of these several
treatiee, SO as to reduce the rights aud
obligations under them to the sim.
pllcity and detiniteness of single
treaty. which should be coextensl We
with the limits of the new German
Empire. Several Of the provinces
comprising the empire are unaffected
ny auy treaty. This is notably the
case with Aissce aud Lorraine, the
two provinces which were wreeted
from France, and from which there
has long been large and valuable
emigration to the United States. Mr..
Bancroft WAS inclined to think that
the treaties which had been concluded
comprised all the concessions Which
could be then obtained from The North
German Empire. and lie wrote:
'Many causes conspire to make this
moment the most inauspicious one for
bringing before the German Parlia-
ment any document e1empting men OF
German birth from obedience to mill.
tary laws. The land holders thiuk the
covenant exemption is an ever active
persuader to the best young men Of
tho interior to emigrate; rnmor exag.
gerates the number of thnse who cross
tue water in order to escape their du-
ties to their country by ginning for
eign nationality"
The Secretary of State replied again
to Air. Bancroft, expressing his regret
that there was no present probability
OF q new treaty, but giving his OPT
mon that new treaty ON the subject
must inevitably be made. Sincu then
MIR. Fish has not hesitated to press
this matter upon the attention Of
Prince Bismarck, and Mr.. Bancroft
Davis, who has now succeeded his
uncle, Mr. Bancroft. as Minister to
Germany, is fully conversant with the
views of the Secretary of State on the
subject. So far as exemption from
military service of our citizens, who
were former subjects Of that power, is
concerned, the latest advices received
here from Germany indicate thut point
to have been practically settled in
satisfactory manner. Prince Bismarck,
it is understood, has declared his will
linguess to follow. in the case Of the
United States. the practice which has
long been in vogue toward Germans
settling permanently in Russia, who
are exempted from military duty by
medical certificates, which, it is said.
| there is no difficulty in obtaining.
This privilege Bismarck is willing to
allow to the German citizens in the
United States, and it is already under
stood that official arrangem ents have
already been concluded whereby one
OF the leading German practitioners of
New York has been appointed medical
commissioners, with full power to grant
the necessary certificates in coujunc
ton with the German Consul General.
Such an arrangement as this is, how.
ever, subject entirely to the will or
caprice OF Bismarck
In addition to this fact, there are
other important reasons why the Sec.
rctary Of State will not be content
until he has secured the negotiation
and ratification Of IL comprehensive na-
tnralization treaty with Germany.
Under the present treaties, German
can now come to the United Stntes,
obtain his naturalization papers, re-
turn to Germany, and reside there, in
definitely. as en- American citizen, pro.
vlded be does not reside the requisite
time for remuneration in the territories
under the jurisdiction of the particular
power of whom he was formerly IL sub.
ject. "Such a course rs this" the Sec.
retary says, "would be fraud upon
the United States and upon Germany;
we would be deprived of the resources
OF the naturalized citizen toward the