Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-07-14
SURRENDER or AMERICAN
CITLZEN.SIIP

The American people are proud OF
their citizenship, and keenly sensitive
to any cncroachment on the rights
which il confers. They have been
taught to regard il as the Romans did
their nationality, when CUis RomunuS
sum was passport and protection
wherever the citizen went, Until the
Republicans came INTO power, no party
in this country ever venturcd to make
a concession by which the privileges Of
citizenship would be diminished
On the contrary, the American doc.
tline has been carried to the other OK
trcmc as was illustrated in the case OF
Martin Koszta, who had only declared
his intention TO become citizen. lie
was an Austrian subject by birth, and
after living two years in the United
States went to Smyrna on business,
where he received protection from
the Consul Of the United States
While there he was seized by ruiiians,
throwninto the sea, and carried on board
an Austrian frigate. Our Consul ap.
piled in vain for his release. Then
Capt. lngraham, commanding sloop
of war, demanded that he should be
given up or he would take him by
force. That argument was effective,
and it was not only sustained by public
opinion, but vindicated byW l.. Marcy
in memorable despatch, in which he
asserted this broad and manly prin-
ciplc; I ~
''Thc right to protect persons having a domi-
cle though not HGfire born or rnuraiissd cifi.ens,
rcits on the firm foundation Of justice and the
claim to be protected Il earned by considerations
which the protecting power isnoi at liberty to
disregard.
Twenty-Five years have passed away
since this declaration was made, and
now il is not only abandoned, but the
monstious admission is made, that q
native born citizen, who may become
President of the United States, can be
seized while temporarily residing in a
foreign country, and made to discharge
the duties Of one of its own subjects.
Such q proposition would seem incredi.
bic, il it were not officially proclaimed
in an opinion of the Attorney General,
TO the lasting discredit of himself and
his Office. Here are the simple facts
Mr.. A. Stcinkaulcr, Prussion by
birth, emgrated TO the United States
in 1913, when the revolution Of that
year sent Carl Schurz and so many
thousands Of liberty loving Germans to
seek their fortunes and homes IN this
country. He settled here and was
natunlized in 1854. In 1855 son,
and the subject of the present contro-
versy, was born in st. Louis. In 1859
father and son, one naturallzcd and
tho other native-born citizen, went
to Wicsbadcn and have resided there
sincc that time, Just as thousands of
Americans have done in other parts Of
Europe.
This young man is now twenty years
of age, and the German Government
has called upon him to report for mill
tary duty. The father naturally asked
the protection Of the American Minis
ter at Berlin against this offensive Pre-.
tension, and Bancroft Davis, instead of
insisting on his rights as an American
citizen sought TO extort from him an
assurance that he would fix time TO
return to the United States, which the
father propcly refused TO give.
Then the case was referred to the
Department Of State for Instructions,
and subsequently sent TO Mr.. Pierre
pont for legal opinion, which has
been given to the public. The positions
taken by the Attorncy-G General not
only give up all that has heretofore
been claimed for an American citizen
abroad, but contain anomalies which
are absnrd.
1t is alleged that Stcinkaucr aban-
donod his naturalization in America
and became German subject, by tho
mere fact Of residence At Wicsbaden.-
No act on his part is shown to prove
any such abandonment or change OF
nationality. lie was living there ,loub.
less under an American passport and
protection, in all respects an American
citizen. Yet IL is assumed, without
a particle of truth, that he abandoned
his naturalization" SO much for the
father.