New-York tribune., 1876-03-25
Az ABUSE OF CITIZENSHIP.
LETTER FROM ELIHU BURRITT.

ion there has been an energetic and continuous discus
sion I'm this and other countries in regard 20 the duty and
cost Of protecting secia Interests ard occupations
of certain classes Of business Homo manufacturers
farmers and traders have demanded this protection
from the people Of their country as their due and
what tho masses owed TO themselves For as the argi
ment the webeing o; the whole country depended
upon tho prosperity Of these occupations and interests
which, without such protection would dio away and De
lost They created wealth. employed labor and Kept oil
tho wheels of industry going busily and prohtsby They
produced large revenue for the Government bnus Up
town, and villages aud filled them with ehureh0s schools,
and other valuable institutions. Tho mes VINO conducted
these great industries discharged all the duties OF good
citizenship They the leaders In good works for the
public veal. Yet In faco OF all these arguments in their
favor th special protection of thor ntcrets las been
disputed with constantly increasing vsor until 1t threat
TO ba tpudiaod on every ground ON which IL bsS
rested IS claims
But sha. the public mind, both In America and En-
gland hss koen discussing the right OF any hoe CLASSES
or interests to protection, the people Of both countries
overlook tLo almost ncalculabe cost OF tho protection
which Is sw.nded out OF them by numerous sci Of men
who may be justly called ,elfoxpatraed or half natural
ized traders They leave their native adopted country
for their good They withdraw from all tho duties
and responsibilities OF citizenship, from the payment OF
a direct and Indirect ia for the support of tho Gov
ernmen Of local Interests Tley 80 70 hal, civilized or
revolutionary countries and establish there mercantile
houses, manufactures. factOrships, speculative enter
rri.cs IA the labor aud products Of tho country. They
export these products 10 their country but not far
thing cheaper IL bought direct from native dealers
speaking a different language who would sell
them at the price quantity and QuabtJ, II they
spaced by these foreign traders Thus these
setc rpitInte inorchants factors and specaois can
hardly be said 10 create Increase commerce between
the country they leave and tne one theJ adopt ior the
enterprises.
Then thoro Is another class OF mnn who impose great
danger ani tax tho country whose protection they
clnm. They D.ay be called with equal Justice Che half
ratuiszcd set Of spectators. or counterfeit citizens,
WHO purlon the Government stamp at the registration
oico false prctenses of intending 20 be permanent
resident. Of the country when they only uteid to 81
back To tes own land aud aunt in the face OF It's laws
and Customs the protection OF stronger power wLoh
they have dccefuly obtained. What an experience
Enland has had with this class! What wars and r'l-
NOR, OF wars have they cost her! how their protec
ton has oled the poorly paid ndust OF her nome
ssgs and sometimes nearly upset powerful govern
ucnt! There among score, or Ike or wo.sc tho
case pi Don Paciaco How English the name sounds
n. caim,d to be British suboct and demanded rcpa
IA oa r treatment he had provoked III ono o' the Gre
can 7tatos. in speech nine hours long. Palmcrston
defended the protection" he accorded this foreigner
agiin>t tue opposition of Peel Gladstone, Coodcn,
and other able members Of the British Parliament.
And aog have dangerous and costly experience
the CtA5 OF country oI rHthl t4r.ZcS'
Our greatest difficulty with Spain grows out Of their
claim for prot Secretary of State says taat
most OF them are natives OF Cuba. Undoubtedly nine
tecG-tH,nteths OF them were born the1e or In Spain
Ihe. naturalization American citizens was sham y
W.. % de,tpd them in Cuba ia transactions which they
exp, tel would he oppressed to the laws or customs on
their native country. Il 10 put them al sclt ad-
vantage over the natives who had nos traded of their
allestEle Tor this solo gpin. SO hero talking
about aud preparing for with Spain 20 protect this
uatured" squad o. SHAREHOLDERS ana slayedeaici in
Cuba.
Now what l. the protection given 10 manufacturers.
merchants and farmers at home compared with tho pro
lection ol these two casses abroad Why the standing
argument ;0s Tie American navy in time Of peace Is the
protection of these sofcxpatrlted aud f)reignb0rn
traders Tho Cuba contingent OF them 10 costing us at
least u Oo0,0O0 year In wtr talk and war prepare
t!ous Our navy does not pretend TO any other day in
common tunes than 10 protect American commerce,
which inesBs protect these two classes o1 traders
Aud tie vor, result o: The policy the fact that t0ese
men sport their American English protection wherever
th.y ~. They love tempted 10 show the power
back ~ tGcu and go 70 the EXTREMIST limit " that
rover IN their transactions with The people OF tho eoun
,, especiay II il be weak or soui.barbaOus country
These meu erc the traders that get up "oprm vars
that produce the kecucstoyCd ayehuntorS ant trahck
ers aud dealers IN the products OF sin and misery 40"
manv Of these na:uralzed citizens. with as En-
=
slave shin, that unloaded their human froighs az tie
ports u Cuba And here at this moment called /
TO d,cud men OF the race and charaeer on that
!.Iar whose hands are red with system which has |
cost scb OF blood and treasure 10 cleanse away
from uTn country.
Ii may be questioned il oil the nataralzed traders OF
America or England ever did half much to open up
new hciGs of commerce the Christian missionaries,
who have taken their lives IN their hands and gone forth
10 fnce all the peris of their work IN heatsen Lands
They did not 10 traffic with the doa:ars-to puy what
they bad o sell aud u sell what they wished buy They
went % encO,Et and conquer the most inYeter1ie |
pre ,ndcc oi human nature overthrow their religions
"a make them ridiculous and hateful to oppose ana
change their cherished customs and modes OF life
I'm word tu 10 ali that would most calculated to
nut nCr lives in peril And what woGk they nave
accomplished all round the globe for commerce as "ci
a. Cr.ttanity But lid they over laun their American
or English procctorate In the face or their hratheh por
secutors Did they ever send for snip of war OF |
regiment OF soldiers to redress avenge their injuries
or ever invoke the power OF their government to defend
them IN their work! Did this country over expcd, or
think Of cxpendng farthng oar navy for the pro-
lection Of these bravo OF our own flesh and bloodf
Then why not put these traders, native and foreign
born on the footing with our Christian inis'lcha
rrsi Its for no patriotic object that they thdraw
from the duties OF citizenship al home ana 90
4, foreign country to enrich themselves on its resources
am, nor is Il 10 promote rs welfare tha. Of their
own rud Tnen What right or reason have they TO de-
unul c-and business insurance policy from govern
neut h,y have abandoned and country they nave 't
axe care Of IL elf Why not let them understand thAt
tba r, % take their own risk, ike American missonl-
rrs and like then enjoy the cheap SAFETY whcI H non
90. ma nurtght deportnant would them without
III ala of thriF Government M home ~
f. Il not ,ime the Christian public 0t ths country 70
.yo 9ffruye thOught tins lact, that TlOOooOo OF
he nm annually appropriated Ia our navy ere Tor the
protection NJ American conmcrcc-tha H. Tor thS pro
lection Of those two CLASSES or Oosn mat
tbs interest OF this amount at per cent Is %1oooOO or
ore nrobgbly than all the churches IN America give 10
the preaching OF the Gospel IN hea,heh lands. C theS
al with this ratio of appropriation