National Republican., 1875-08-02

private. would satisfy any honorable man
that, in Mr.. Sargent hands, 1t is safe from
publicity; but different people have differ.
ent ideas about such things. - a.
.f
THE CALIFORNIA cAMPAIGE-A CUES.
- TI0N OF CITIZENSHIP.
John Bidwell, the Independent candidate
for Governor of California, is travelling
over rough road. The campaign has
been intensely and bitterly personal, a
feature provoked by the Independents
themselves, who originated the custom by
assailing the private as well as the public
character Of their opponents. As we have
said before, Senator Sargent and Secretary
Gorham have led off the regular Republican
canvas, and have, especially the latter,
brought their detractors to the book without
hesitation. But they have enjoyed the
rare advantage of q fertile field from which
to gather harvests of incidents, showing
the disreputable character of the Inde.
pendent leaders. For example, in report
of Mr.. Gcrham's speeches we find the
following pointed ailusion:
"My first allusion must be to the so-called
| Independent candidate for Governor, John
| Bidwell. observe in the Chico newspaper
that his friends there serenaded him, and that,
| in response, he made q sighting and insulting
allusion to myself, declaring that it was uu
necessary for the people to have the aid of
| foreign element from Washington, by which
he intended the suggestion that twas not a
| citizen of this State. Now, for the edifcation
| of Mr.. Bidwell and of his friends, repeat the
statement that Imade on . previous occasion
here that am citizen of California; that I
was a citizen In 1S49, and that during more
| than twenty years last past have been con-
tinuously citizen, and / will say further for
| his information that my children are also citi-
| zens, for my blood courses through the veins
| of no hslf-breed In this State" fGreat and
long continued applause and laughter.1
1t viii be seen from this that, in addition
to the charge Of fraud alleged against Bid
well in securing his title to the Arroyo
Chico rancho, some doubts have been as.
serted regarding his citizenship. On this
point the San Francisco Alta California
has the following to say: -. IL ras-. 2
ga communication on the FIRST page of to-
days Alta asks whether John Bidwell is citi-
zen of the United States. We answer that he
is not. Such an assertion may surprise many
persons who know that he was born in our
country, was educated, If report be true at
West Point, has, without question, exercised
the rights Of q citizen for twenty-seven years,
and has been q member Of Congress. But we
repeat that he IL not citizen and cannot
legally hold any Office under the Stars and
Stripes. He came to California when It be-
longed to Mexico, renounced allegiance to the
United States, which had educated him at the
public expense for the public service, thus
committing bis first fraud on our Government.
No man educated for our army or navy can
h1,.l L. 49, .gsE r
and thus assume the obligation Of taking up
arms against US.
"He became citizen Of Mexico. In that ca
pacity he petitioned for two great land grants
and both were given TO him-the Ulpinos
Rancho on the 10th of November, 1874, and the
Colus Rancho on the 4th of 0ctober 1845.
Grants were given only to citizens of Mexico,
as in our country we permit none but citizens to.
obtain homestead patents. We do not know
where the record Of his citizenship in Mexico
can be found; but he cannot deny It without
admitting that he cheated the Mexican Gov
ernment. But perhaps he would consider such
a trick fair set-otf for the fraud he had pre-
viously practiced on the United States. Bid
well was q citizen of Mexico in 1874, and has
remained so ever since. He probably has sup
posed that he was converted into an American
citizen by the treaty of Gaudaloupe Hidalgo,
signed in 1S4S. But when we read that docu-
ment critically we see that 1t did not reach his
case. 1ndL pIOVlQeQ LQaL 'LQe heNcanS re-
siding in California might either retain their
Mexican citizenship or acquire that of Ameri-
can citizenship.
"Bidwel never was "a Mexican in strict
language, and treaties are always construed
strictly. The treaty In question does not Sc
cure any privilege TO the naturallzed Mexi-
cans or the naturalized citizens of Mexico
That class to which he belonged was not
looked upon with favor by Mexico, as 1t was
known they had all given aid and comfort to
the Americans. There was q good reason
why the Mexican Government should not
make any stipulation for their protection. It
may be said that the word Mexicans' was
here used in thssense not of natives of Mexi-
co. but Citizens of Mexico5 but an examine
sion of the language of the treaty shows that
the phrase Mexican citizens was used, but
that there was q distinct purpose to shield
only 'the Mexicans.' Lawyers will appreciate
the point when they examine the phraseology,
part of which Is quoted on our first page. The
treaty did not naturalize Bidwell; he has, we
believe, never been nsturalized by an Ameri-
can court; he therefore continues to be citi-
zen Of Mexico, and for that country, by his
character, habits and career, he Is better
fitted than for ours. He repudiatsd his alle-
glance to the United States, and our nation
can well afford to surrender all claim to him."
The phrsseology of the section of the
treaty referred to by the Altd as on its first
page is embodied In the letter Of its cor.
respondent, which wereproduce as follows;
s5aor, Ann. SAN FRANCISCO, July IS, 1875.
John Bidwell came to California while 1t was
q colony of Mexico, renounced his birth-right
as an American citizen and swore allegiance to
the Mexican Government, At the time of
the conquest of California by the United
States, he was naturalized Mexican citizen.
Article VIII Of the treaty of Guadaloupe
Hidalgo provided that f'Mexicans now estab-
hshed In Territories belonging TO Mexico, and
who remain for the future within the limits of
the United States, shall be free to continue
where they now reside, or TO remove at any
time to the Mexican Republic" ;" = y "Those
who prefer to remain in the said Territories
may either retain the title and rights of Mexican
citizens acquire those of citizens of the United
States" But they shall be under the obliga- |
ton to make their election within one year
from the date of the exchange Of ratifcations |
of this treaty; and those who shall remain in |
the said Territories after the expiration of that
year, without having declared their intentiou |
to retain the character Of Mexicans, shall be |
considered to have elected to become citizens |
of the United States. Article TX provides: |
d" The Mexicans who, in the Territories |
aforesaid, shall not preserve the character |
of citizens Of the Mexican Republic, conform-
ably with what Is stipulated In the preceding |
article, shall be incorporated into the Union Of |
the United States, and be admitted at the |
proper time Ito be judged Of by the Congress |
of the United States) TO the enjoyment Of all /
the rights of citizens of the United States ac- /
eopding TO the principles Of lhe Constitution" /
Under this treaty several questions arise as to i
Bidwelps status. 1t will be observed that the |
easy. privilege of becoming citizens of the /
United States Is reserved only to Mexicans, /
and does not extend to other nationalities, in-I
dividuals Of whom may have become, by Mexi-
can statute, Mexican citizens. Renegade i
Americans were LEFT to regain their American L
II at all, by the above process Of /
naturalization. When and where was John,
Bidwe1l naturalizedi I ~, y, ~ NJ. r4,it..
II BidWen can be considered Mexican under Il
the treaty, he could become citizen only g at Y
the proper time 10 be adjudged OF by the Com Il
gress Of the United States, !" and the Congress
Of the United States has taken no action In