Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-07-11
CAN NATIVE AMERICAN BE CON.
suRIPrED IN PRUSSIA?
u,-l-

New YORK sun
Mr.. A. Steinkauler, a Prussian by
birth. emigrated to the United States
IN 1913, when the revolution of that
year sent Carl Sehurz and 50 many
thousands Of hberty-loving Germans
to seek their fortunes and homes in this
country, He settled here and was nat
uralizsd IN 1854. In 1856 son, and
the subject of the prs ent controversy,
was born In St. Louis. In 1859 father
and son, one a naturaliZed and the other
a native born citizen, went to Wiesba-
den, and have resided there since that
time, iust 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 B Rim 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 properly refused to give.
Then the cass 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 Attorney General not only
give up all that has heretofore been
claimed for an American citizen abroad,
but contain anomalies which are alb.
surd.
1t is alleged that Steinkauler aban-
doned his naturalization IN America,
and became a German subject, by the
mere fact of residence at Weisbaden.
No act on his part is shown to prove
any such abandonment or change Of
nationality. He was living there,
doubtless, under an American passp ort
and protection, in all respects an
American citizen. Yet it Is assumed,
without a particle of truth, that he
abandoned his naturalization" So
much for the father.
Now for the son born Ia st. Louis. 1t
is pretended that because of being a
minor and residing with his father, he
has "by virtue of law acquired German
nationality" That is to say, this tenn
porary residence has extinguished his
American citizenship and made him a
German subject without any participa-
ton of his own But Mr.. PierrepOnt
is not content with this ridiculous con-
struction. He aggravates 1t, and says
he has "two natiOnalities-one natural
and the other acquired. !"
Owing these two separate allegiances,
the Attorney General declares, Il am
of opinion that he can not rightfully
invoke the aid of the government of
the United States to relieve him from
military duty during his minority"
And then, as if to soften that admis-
sion, he continues:
young Steinkauler is q native born
American citizen. He can return to
America at the age of twenty-one, and
in due time, if the people elect, he can
become President of the United States. "
Let US test this practically. This
young man is now twenty years of age.
Under Mr.. PierrepOnt's opinion he viii
be enrolled like a German subject for
military duty during a term OF years.
Next year he will be twenty-One, and
Mr.. Pierrepont says he "can return to
America" Well, how is he to return
after being surrendered by his own
Government to the German Empire as
food for powder? How is he 20 get out
of the army? Who Will see to his re
lease, with Bancroft Davis, the bride
taker, as Minister at Berlin, who has
already basely degraded his trust and
cowardly yielded to Bismarek's dicta-
ton?
This is a question which concerns the
safety of American citizens everywhere
abroad, for if protection is thus with
drawn in one case, and without a show
of resistance, there can be no security
in any other. Under this craven sub
mission England, might consistently
reassert her claims to impressment. 1t
is an encouragement to every foreign
power to harass and wrong our citizens,
and in keeping with the tyranny and
outrage imposed on the South at home.