New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-25
family rule among the voters of Pennsylvania
it would receive two Republican votes Tor every
one cast for the Cameron ticket.


it would receive two Republican votes Tor every
one cast for the Cameron ticket.
TECHNICAL RIGHTS OF THE SUSPECTS
The inherent right of every man to rcnpance
his allegiance 10 his native or to his adopted
country has been recognized in the naturallza-
tion treaties which the principal nations OF the
world have made with one another. The
original theories were at variance with modern
practice. Great Britain denied for many years
that its subjects could diyest themselves OF
citizenship. and after voluntarily expatriating
thenselye become the adopted citizens OF an
other country In like manner haturaized
citizen of the United States was required " to
renounce forever" allegiance to his native
State. and according to the extreme American
theory he could not divest himself of his newly
acquired privileges. These views have been
practically abandoned. The right to rcnouncc
and the corresponding right to renew citizen
shin are recognized by the United States ana
nearly all the European Powers. In the con-
yention with Great Britain concluded in 1870,
the principle is conceded by our Government
that naturalization may be renowned and tie
original nationality be resumed. if the natural
lied citizen rcncws his residence i'll his native
land. The conditions of that residence are not
defined. He is readmittcd to citizenship "on
@his own application and on such conditions as
u either Government may see Iii 10 llhposc'
and when readmitted his adopted country can
not claim him as a citizen on account OF his
former naturalization.
In the convention between our Government
and the North German Union, made in 1868,
it was declared that a naturalized citizen OF
either State would be presumed to have re-
nounced his citizenship i'll the adopted State, II
he returned to his native land and renamed
there two years, without having any intention
of avaing himself of his naturalization. ms
presumption is not authorized by the treaty with
Great Britain. If an application be made Tor
renewal of original citizenship, it can be
granted by each Government on Its own terms.
The effect of continuous residence without
formal application for a restoration OF prlvl-
leges is not determined.
The cases of the Irish-American suspects
have caused Mr.. Lowell extreme embaTrass-
ment because there has been evidence OF a
practical remuneration of acquired citizenship
without official proofs of the renewal OF
original citizenship OMahOny, for example,
was naturalIzed Oh the strength OF year SER
vice in the army rendered thirteen years be-
fore he applied for citizenship The applica-
ton was evidently made in bad faith. lie ala
net sell his property nor give up his business III
Ireland. He came to this country, obtained ms
certificate, and returned forthwith to the island (;
and since his naturalization he has lived,
sold liquor, paid taxes, voted and held elective
Office in Ireland. insolvency was naturalzed
in California many years ago, but during the
last six years lie has lived, paid taxes and voted
in Ireland, and when he was arrested lie held
the Office of poor guardian. Mccormick, the
validity of whose naturalization III Troy IS
still questioned, Notwithstanding the positive
assertion Of a newspaper of that city that
he was naturalzed there, returned to
the island thirteen years ago and has lived
and voted there ever since. Now the question
arises: How far can these men avail them
selves of rights which they have practically, if
not formally, renowned!
Under strict construction OF the treaty the
question Of continuous domicc must we sup
pose. be barred out If these men have not
formally applied for readmissiOn to British citi-
zensnip, the fact that they have lived, voted
and held Office in Ireland may not have de-
DrlVed them OF their technical IIBhIS dS
natllrallzed citizens OF the United States. But
on moral grounds they are entitled to very
slight consideration. One of them became an
American citizen without having any intention
of remaining i'll the United States, and the
others have produced their certificates OF
naturalization after deliberately reassuminS
residence and political rights in Ireland and
practically renOuncing the country OF their
adoption. When American citizenship is
made makeshift and a convenience by pOiti-
cal agitators and organized lawbreakels, as it Is
in these cases, it is not strange that the SYM
pathies of an American Minister are esranged.
Naturally he appeals to the State Department
TO tell him how far "resdence may be pro-
@longed without an extinction of the acquired
:" and a revival of the original allegiance"
Technically We suppose the text of the treaty
protracts that period until the date of an ap-
plicatiOn for a renewal of British citizenship.
| Morally, these men do not deserve any SYM
pathy whatever, albeit they may be entitled to
their technical rights; and the greatest care
should be taken by our Government not to ex-
aggerate those rights.
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| TIE GENETA AWARD BILL.
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