Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-10

OF sucn length as the Rio Grande and so often
fordabe is obvious. 1t is hoped that these
efforts of the Government will be seconded by
those OF Mexico to the elfectual suppression of
T such acts of wrong.
From a report upon the condition of busi
ness before the American and Mexican Joint
Claims Commission, made by the agent on the
part of the United States, and dat,
ed Oct. IS, 1874, it appears that of the LOTT
claims filed on the part of citizens of the U.
s., 4SS dad been finally decided, and Is were
IN the hands OF the umpire, leaving 4e2 to be
4 disposed of; and of the 99S claims fled
Iagainst the United States, 726 had been fnal>
~ decided on, one was before the umpire, and
III remained to be disposed of. Since the
date OF such report other claims had been dis
posed OF, reducing somewhat the number still
pending, and others have been passed upon by
arbltrators. Ii has become apparent in view
OF these figures, and the fact that the wor k
devolving on the umpire is particularly labor
ious, that the Commission would be unable to
dispose OF the entire number of CLAIMS pend
| ing prior to the lst day of February, 1875, the
date fixed for its expiration. Negotiations
are pending looking to the securing of the re
suits OF the decisions which have been reached.
| and to further extension of the Commission
tor hmited time, which it is confidently
hoped will suffice to bring all the business now
/ DeIOSe III 10 maj close.
| The strife in the Argentine Republic is to
be aepiored, both OH account of the parties
thereto, and from the probable effects on the
interests of those engaged in the trade of that
i quarter, of whom the United States are the
principal. As yet, so far az | am aware, no
! vlolotion of our neutrality rights which, as well
as our duties in that respect, it shall be my
| intention to maintain and observe
1t is with regret that l announce that no
| further payment has been received from the
tGoyernment of Venezuela on account of
| awards due the citizens of the United States
| hopes have been entertained that if the Res
| phollc could escape both foreign and civil
war tor few years its great natural resour-
ces would enable it to honor it's obligations
| Though it is now understood to be at peace
with other countries, serious insure elton is
| reported to be in progress in an important
region in that Republic. This may be taken
| advantage of as another reason to delay the
| payment OF the duties of our citizens.
CUBAN AFFAIRS.
The deplorable strife in Cuba continues
| without any marked change in the relative adj
vantages of the contending forces. The in
surrection continues, but Spain has gained no
superiority. Six years Of strife give the in
surrection significance which cannot be &C.
| fined as an insurrection, and the tenacity of
| its adherence, together with the absence of
any manifested power of suppression on the
pant OF Spain, cannot be eontroverted. and
| may make some positive steps on the part of
other powers a matter Of self necessity. /
had confidently hoped at this time to be able
| to announce the arrangement Of some of the
complicated questions between this governs
ment and that of Spain, but the negotiations
have been protracted.
THE unhannv intpstinaI d;ceanc;ano of Gain
command our profound sympathy and must
be accepted as perhaps o cause of some delay
| In the early settlement, in part at least, of
the questions between the governments. In
the mean tlr1ae, awaiting the results of an i'm
mediate opening OF neg otiations, defer a fur
ther and taA3eF communication on the subject
of the relations of this country and Spain
NATURALIZATION LAW
/ have again to call the attention of Congress
to the unsatisfactory condition of the existing
laws with reference to repatriation and the
election of nationality. Formerly, amid con-
ficting opinions and decisions, it was difficult
to exactly determine how far the doctrine of
perpetual allegiance was applicable to the citi-
zens OF the United States. Congress- by the
act of July, 1868, asserted the abstract right
OF expatriatlon as fundamental, principle of
this government. Notwithstanding that as
cation of the principle, no legislation has been
had defining what acts or formalites shall
work expatriatiou, or when citizen shall be
deemed to have removed or lost citizenship
The Importance of such definition is obvious
The representatives of the United States in
foreign countries are continually called upon
to lend their aid, and the protection of the.
United States, persons concerning the good
faith or the reality of whose citizenship there
/ a In he.
provisions of the treaties furnish the sole.
guide; in others it seems left to the persc ms
claiming the benefit of citizenship while liv-
ing in foreign country, and contributing M
no manner to the performance of the duties
of a citizen of the United States, and without
the intention at any time TO return and under
take those duties, to use the claim of citizen
of the United States simply as a shield from
the performance of the obligations of citizen
elsewhere The status of children born Of
American parents residing in foreign coun
try; of American women who have married
aliens; and of American citizens residing
abroad, where such question is not regulated
by treaty. are all sources of frequent difficulty
and discussion and legislation on these and
similar questions, and particularly defining
when and under what circumst ances eypatria,
ton can be accomplished or be preserved, is
especially needed.
In this connection | earnestly call the at
tention of Congress to the difficulties arising
from fraudulent naturalization. The United
States wisely freely and literally offers its
7 citizenship to all who may come in good faith
to reside within its limits on their complying
| with certain prescribed reasonable and simple
| tormalities and conditions. Among the high
| est duties of the government is that to afford
full, efficient and effectaal protection to all it's
| citizens, whether native born or naturazed
| Care should be taken that right carving
with it such support from the government
should not be fraudulently obtained and
should be bestowed only on full proof of a
compliance with the law. There are frequent
| instances of illegal and fraudulent naturaliza>
ton, and of the unauthorized use of certifi
Gates thus unlawfully and improperly obtained
In some cases the fraudulent character of the
! naturalization has appeared upon the face of
the certificate itself. In others the examina-
ton discloses that the holder had not COM
piled with the law. And other certificates
have been obtained where the persons hold
ing them, not only were not entitled to be
naturalIzed but bad not even been within the
United States at the time of the pretended
naturalization Instances of each of these
cases of fraud are discovered at our Legation
where our certificates OF naturalization are
presented for the purpose of obtaining pass
ports or demanding protection OF the legation
When the fraud is plain on the face Of such
certificates, they are taken up by the repre-
| sentatives of the Government and forwarde d
| to the department of State. But then the
record of the court in which the fraudulent
naturalization occurred remains, and duplicate
certificates are readily obtainnbe. Upon the
presentation of these for the issue of passports.
or demanding the protection of the Govern
ment, the fraud sometimes escapes notice,
and such certificates are not unfrequently
used in the transactions ofbusiness to the de-
ception and injury of innocent parties.
Without placing any distractions in The way
of obtaining citizenship by the worthy and
well informed foreigner who comes in good
faith to cast his lot with ours, l earnestly rec
omend further legislations to punish fraudu-
| lent naturalization, and to secure the ready
cancellation OF the certificate of every natural