Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-07-14


Now for the son born IN st. Louis.
II is pretended that becalsc Of being a
minor and residing with hia father he
has "by virtue Of law acquired German
nationality" That IL 10 say, this tenn
poraiy residence has extinguished his
American citizenship, and made him q
German subject without nny particip-
alton of his own But Mr.. Pierrepont
is not contcnt with this ridiculous con.
struciion. lie aggravates il, and says
he has "two nationalities--one natural
and the other acquired"
Owing these twoseparate allcgianccs,
the Attorney-Gcnera declares, II am
Of opinion that he cannot rightiully in
woke the aid OF the Government of the
United States TO relieve him from mill.
tary duty during his minority And
thcn, as if to soften that admission, hc
continues:
"young stoinkaulcr Is a native born American
citizen. lie can return to America at the age Of
~, and in due timc, II the people elect, he eau
become President Of the United States"
Let us test this practically. This
young man is now twenty years of
age Under Mr.Pierreponts opinion
he will be enrolled like German sub
jcct for military duty during a term OF
years. Next year he will bo twenty
one, and Mr. Piorropont says he "cNn
return to America Well, how Is he
to return after being surrendered by
his own Government to the German
Empire as food for powdcr2 How IL
he to get out Of the army? Who will
sec to his release, with Bancroft Davis,
the bribe-taker, as Minister ut Berlin,
who has already basely degraded his
trust, and cowardly yielded to Bis
marcks dictation ? 'sf
This is n question which concerns
the safety of American citizens every
where abroad, for if protection is thus
withdrawn in one ease, and without u
show of resistance, there can be no
security in any other. Under this
craven submission England might con
sistently reassert her claims to impress
ment 1t is AN encouragement tocvory
foreign power to harass and wrong our
citizens, and in keeping with the tyran-
ny and outrage imposed on the South
at home.
Mr.. Piorrepont attempts TO Justify
this surrender by a clause in the treaty
with North Germany in 1868, which
Mr.. Bancroft negotiated, and for which
he has since been decorated by Bis
marck with a German order. II pro
vides MS follows:
"If a German nniuraliIed In America renews
his residence In North Gcrmany without the In
tent to return to America he shall be held 60 have
ronounced his naturalization in the United States
The intent not to return may be held 10 osift
when the person naturaliged in the one country
resides more than t'so yeais In the ether country
A Republican Senate ratified this
dishonoring treaty, which lorbids AN
American citizen Of German birth to
reside more than two years in Ger
many under penalty of renouncing
his naturalization. IL discriminates
against the Germans, as no other treaty
does against forcign-born citizens. Bis
marcll found the returning Germans
troublesome, with infections ideas OF
freedom and an encouragement TO emf
grafton. So he concoctcd this scheme
to keep them away, and Mr. Bancroft
was quite willing to adopt it.
While we may not approve the in
clination of Americans to reside abroad,
that is a matter of taste for them alono
TO consider. Many are devoted to the
various branches Of art and science,
with advantages not accessible here.
Others are engaged in banking and
diifercnt pursuits directly connected
with the United States. Mostallofthom
are patriotic and devoted to the honor
and glory Of their native cohntry.-
Hundreds of honored names are lamil-
lar who have lived in London, Paris,
Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Madrid, Dresden,
and other capitals for twenty years
and more, without breaking a tic that
binds them to home.
Are they TO be prescribed because
interest, or duty, or pleasure requires
them TO reside in Europe for time, or
because they chooselt to educate their
children abroad2 The suggestion is
insulting to intelligence, and only
worthy of a dcspicable Administration
like this, which has consigned a native
born citizen to military service in Ger.
many, and sacrificed his rights without
an effort to protect them. When Con.
grcss comes together in December this
subject will be thoroughly ventilated,
and Mr.. Pierepont will be apt to got
a lesson in public law and American
principles which he has not learned
since being made Attorrey-General.-
Mar Yorb Sun aA