The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-12-11

| cost of telegraphic communication. Third
All lines should be bound to give precedence
!, in the transmission of the official messages of
the governments Of the two countries be-
tween which they may be laid Fourth. A
mower should be reserved to the two govern.
ments, either conformity or to each rs regards
the messages dispatched from its shores, TO
fix limit to the charges 10 be maintained
for the transmission of messages. | present
&. this subject - the earnest consideration of
congress- In the meantime and unless con
gress shall otherw Use direct, shall not op-
pose the landing of any telegraphic cable
which complies with and assents to the points
above enumerated, but will feel II my duty to
prevent the landing of any which does not
conform TO the first and second points, as
stated, and which will not stipulate TO con-
cede to this government the precedence in
the transmission of It's official messages, and
will not enter into satisfactory arrange
ment in regard to its charges.
FRAUDULENT NATURALIZATION.
:, Among the pressing and important sub
iects to which, in my opinion, the attention
, of congress should be directed, are those re-
lating to fraudulent naturalization and eX-
patriation. The United States with great
iiberality offers its citizenship to all
who in good faith comply with the require
meats of the law. These requirements are
as simple and upon as favorable terms to the
emigrant as the high privilege to which he
+ is admitted can or should permit. do not
propose any additional requirements to those
which the law now demands, but the very
simplicity and want of necessary formality
T in our law have made fraudulent naturallZa-
tion not infrequent, to the discredit and injury
, of all honest citizens, whether native or nat
!, uralized Cases Of this character are con-
tiuuallv being brought to the notice Of the
| want h,. tot; VOC uhr OIL
and also those Of persons resident in other
f countries, most frequently those who have re-
r manned in this country long enough to en-
: title them to become naturallzed, but who
generally have not much Over-passed that
period, and have returned to the country of
their origin, where they reside, avoiding ali
, duties 10 the United States by their absence,
and claiming to be exempt from all duties to
The country OF their nativity and OF their
, residence by reason of their alleged
naturalization. 1t is due TO this government
p and to the great mass of the naturalized citi-
q zens who entirely, both in name and in fact,
become citizens Of the United States, that the
high privilege of citizenship of the United
. States should not be held by fraud or IN de
rOgation of the laws and of the good name
of every honest citizen. On many occasions
+, it has been brought to the knowledge of the
government that certificates of naturalization
= are held and claimed by parties who admit
| that not only were they not within the United
l States at the time Of their pretended natural
izalion, but that they have never resided in
+, the United States. In others the certificate
and record of the court show on their face
> that the person claiming to be naturalized
, had not resided the required time in the
f United States, In others it is admitted upon
I examination that the requirements OF the
law have not been complied with In
a some cases even such certificates have
, been matters of purchase. These are
! not isolated cases, arising at rare intervals,
, but of common occurrence, and which are
, reported from all quarters of the globe. such
, occurrences cannot and do not fail TO reflect
: upon the government atd lnJurc all honest
. citizens Such q fraud being discovered,
however, there is no practicable means with
9 in the control of the government by which
+ the record of naturalization can be vacated,
, and should the certificate be taken up, as 1t
a usually is bv the diplomatic and consular
representatives of the government to whom
|, it NAV have been presented there is nothing
to prevent the person claiming to have been
a naiuralized from obtaining new certificate
from the court in the place of that which has
been taken from him. The evil has become
so great, and of such frequent occurrence,
that / cannot too strongly recommend that
= some effective measure be adopted to provide
, a proper remedy and means for the vacating
! of any record thus fraudulcnuy made, and
of Furnishing the guilty parties to the trans
, action.
EXPATRIATloN
In this connection refer to the question
p. Of rXpaIriatioD and the election OF nationality
The Inited State was foremost in UNFOLDING
the eXpatriatton, and was principally lnstru-
+, mental IN overthrOwing the doctrine OF per-
! petual alliance. Congress has declared the
q right of repatriation to be natural, inner
ent right Of all people. While many other
nations have laws providing what formalities
a shall be necessary to work change OF allie
! glance, the United States has not enacted the
= provision of the law, and has in no respect
a marked out how and when expatrlatlon may
y be accomplished by its citizens. Instances
p are brought TO the attention OF the govern
q ment where citizens o. the United STATES,
naturaliZed or native.born have formally be
come citizens or subjects OF foreign powers,
i but who, nevertheless, in the absence OF any
Q provisions Of legislation on these questions,
= when involved in difficulties, or when it seems
y TO be to their interest, claim to be citizens OF
. the United States and demand the interven-
>. ton of government which they have long
, since abandoned. and to which tor years they
. have rendered no service, nor held themselves
;, IN any way amenable. In other cases, natur'
i alized citizens, Immediately after naturaliza
ton, have returned to their native country,
:. have become engaged in business, have ac
cepted offices or pursuits inconsistent with
:, American citizenship, aud evince no inten,
!. to return TO the United States, until called
g upon to discharge some duty to the country
- where they are residing, when at once they
! assert their citizenship, and call upon the
= representatives of the government to aid them
!. in their pretens:ons. 1t is but justice to all
: bona flde citizens that no doubt should exist
n on such questions anG that congress should
q determine, by enactment of law how eXpatila
q ton shall be accomplished and change OF CIT
,r izenshIp be abolished.
PERTAINING TO MATRIIoNY. E.
- also invite yodr attention to the necessiI
! of regulating by law the status OF American
:, women who may marry foreigners anu "
!, defining more fully that of children porn !, ~
l. foreign country of American parents, VII