New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-22
GENERAL WASHINGTON NEWS.
RIGHTS OF GERMAN-AMERICAN CITIZENS.
PROTESTS AGAINST A LETTER SENT OUT by rdE
STATE u PARrAgNr-A COMPREHENSIVE
CONSUL BYFRs EEPRrMANDED.

PROT ISIS AGAINST LETTER SENT OUT by TdE
STATE u .PARrAENr-A MIsAPPREHENsION-
CONSUL BYFRs EEPRrMANDED.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE
WA sHINGTON, Nov. 1-Germau-A American citl-
zens IN Chicago and elsewhere have expressed great
Indignation what they characterlza as " the cir
cuar Of Secretary Evarts respecting American cItI-
gems Of German BIRTH Some very vigorous pro-
tests on this su ,iect have been received at
the State Department The Illinois Stats ZeitSHq,
IN making an earnest attack upon this circular.
says:
Mr. Garfield NAV congratulate himself that the E7ars
etter got inO publIc. only after the election II 0-
70 have the Republican party ~ ANY votes
orgei Chinese letter. add tnat Justly, too Tor II
proves tna under the Presidency OF Mr.. Hayes not
witnsandmg the presence ~ ms laDinet OF Nrth8h-
American tne protection 81 tho right~ Oh " mar
Americans Ia. most miserable one. M EFarJs
has Simply that 10 the gracious pl ure n the Ger
h, r,sa,,t,tI,ns nf a troubed German uerlcau
that trouble ceased--if not no,-
Inquiry 1T the State partment yesterday shows
that there is a misrepresentation on this subject.
Secretary Evlrts was absent yesterday, but an
officer speaklug for him. SAID that che so-caled cir
GUAR Is SIMPLY a stere0typed form OF letter which
had been adopted % time and clerical force ID
| answering hundreds OF commuu cations OF similar
mpoIt. THIS letter never intended for pubilca-
ton AZ a circular. The circumstances under which
L
constantly receives letters FROM German-Amrrcans
about TO visit their native country setting forth the
flcts of their personal history regards military
service in the Old country and asking whether in
/ the opinion of tue Department, the authorities If
! the German province IRON which the inquirer came
/ would be likely % Interfere With him, and II so.
whether the In ted STATES. through its diplomatic
aud consular OFT .ers, would protect him. The state
Department formerly attempted 10 make specific
rerly TO each INQUIRY. but the clerical force was IN
adequate lor sucl purposes, and as IN the main the
/ injuries covered the same general subject, the
-tereotvped form of reply was adopted. Is the
| practice IN many departments Of he Government
! with respect % different classes 0f inquiries.
| Tue United States has no treaties na5uraliza-
ton wish the Mort German Empire. The treaties
now IN fo.ce are the Bancroft, treaties with Prussia
and the other German States These States, under To-
| North-German Confedcr. ION, have retained their
autonomy aud interpret treaties and statutes ac-
/ cor,liug 10 their own precedents their own way
Il haDucns thai these provinces do not interpret the
Bancroft treaties unfairly but that in some of the
/ provinces the construction gwen IS more severe
| against The Americans than in Others. Ihe State
! Department could not undertake. therefore, II each
| individual case. 10 decide whether any oarticu
/ German American citizen had performed his mill
tarv duty or whether he couid technically be consd
7
what construction any particular province Of which
! he might be ? native might place upon the treaties
! Accordingly tHe State Department sent out in re-
Spouse to private inquiries the printed letter which
! has caused the present discussion.
| HE Department authorities say that, while they
/ cannot prevent the occasional arrests OF German
| American citizen, by some Of che local German Gov
eruueuts IA soon a. sucn arrest is made known to
our diplomatic officers the latter, acting under the
strictest Instructions take immediate steps to Sc
cure the release Of the citizen if possible These ef
forts seldom fail and the records show in fact that
| owing to the persistence of diplomatic repre-
sentatives the treaties are uniformly construed IN
favor of American citizens, the German Govern
r,ents acnuiescing The State Department has
! within a wee succeeded securing the release OF
one VIele who arrested IN Al$ace. CHARGED with
| owing military duty. Alsace was not part OF any
German province the time of the Negotiation or
the Bancroft treaties ana 1t was maintained that
for this reason ctIZenshp In Aisace should not De
considered as embraced within the jurisdiction o.
these treaties but alter the earnest t5lVehtloh Vi
| the state Department the German Government
| Welded the point, and the man was released.
| German citizens and others IN the West have also
recently protested 10 the State Department against
the letter OF Consul Byers, Of Zurich, SUTHERLAND
| rpcentlv published III The TRIBUNE, IN which he
has sought to discourage lmm graron to rms coun-
try and II SAID at the state Depart ment yesIer
| day that the sentiments OF Mr Byerss letter were
| not approved but met with the seVerest dlsap-
proval OF Secretary EvaFts that Mr. Byers had been
sharply reprimanded for The letter ana teat was
| only due Lo ;he fact that he pad an excellent
record q soldier and as COuSul thdJ nc WIS hot
| summary removed . 90
lie policy OF the Byers letter" said State
Department official. " 10 antagonlstic To our Gov
| eminent. and OF course 1t il not approved by the
Department. Mr.. Byers violated consular regula-
| ton writing letter OF that sort To the news
papers,