National Republican., 1884-06-14


States.
In 1880 an American civil engineer was
employed in Mexico by n railroad company
in the preparation of plans. Tho work was
being conducted in the Office Of tho company
and was nearly finished, when the engineer
became satisfied that tho plans were being
clandostinoly copied. Ho thereupon rented
room in another building and transferred
his work to IT, He was Immediately arrested
on n charge of larceny of the plans and put
in Jail. On tho United States minister's
applying for his release, the only answer that
tho Mexican government made was that as the
man had not been matrieulated as an
American citizen no intervention in his
behalf by the United States would be admit
ted. Ho was, however soon afterward
released through efforts Of personal friends.
Two years ago u naturali2ed American
citizen was living in Mexico and engaged in
milling business in which ho owned and
used number Of teams. One day squad of
military police visited his millseat and de-
manded the delivery to them for the use of
the troops all Of his teams, offering to receipt
for them. Upon his refusal to comply with
the demand they took all of tho teams by
force and carried them oil. Some of the
mules were returned to the owner four or
FIVE months afterward but tho rest of the
property was never restored, nor was any
compensation made either for tho use of that
which was restored or for the conversion of
the rest.
The Mexican government refusing TO pay
him. he, as a United States citizen, applied
through our minister for redress To that
appeal Mexico, as usual, replied that 1t could
not recognize claim presented by him as q
citizen of tho United States because he had
not matriculatedias such, and to this day he
has not received u cent for tho injury ho
suffered, and has contributed an unwilling
pittance as citizen of Mexico.
fow years ago an advertisement appeared
in Pittsburg paper calling for skilled work
men to go TO q Mexican town to work in q
furnace to be established there Tempted by
tho promise of pay for time oven when the
furnace might suspend operations, party of
mechanics were engaged by an agent of the
furnace company and won't to tho town in
question. After remaining there some weeks
aud getting little assurance of the engage
ment being kopt with them, and unable to
get a settlement, they determined to return
| to their homes.
Just rs they were starting they were ar.
rested on charge of swindling and put in
| Jail. Through the influence of friends they
were released but only to be arrested again.
They wero subjected to this treatment sew
oral times, until finally the United States
minister came to their aid but for awhile
| with the usual result-that, as they had
not matrculated as Americans the right of
the representative of the United States to
intervene in their behalf would be denied.
Finally upon pressure they were released,
the United States insisting that they should
be allowed to matriculate.
A more serious case was that of q gentleman
and his wife from Ell Paso, Tex. In July,
1881 they arrived at chihuahua for the
purpose of travel in Mexico. They purchased
saddle horses and pack mules and employed
a servant to accompany them. They visited
various places and were last heard of alive in
Durango, which city they left in September
of that year for MaZatlan.
After this nothing moro was heard of them
until in October, when their bodies were
found short distance from Durango. They
had evidently been murdered for the purpose
of robbery, as they were known to have had
| considerable money on their persons. Sus-
| piciOn fell on the servant as the murderer, as
he had disappeared about that time, and was
with them when last seen alive. This case
was brought to the attention of tho United
States government, and its minister in
Mexico was instructed to request of the
Mexican government the detection and
punishment of the murderer.
The minister promptly complied with his
| instructions. He received no reply for six
months, and whom that reply came it said in
substance that if the object of the request oi
the United States was to secure the punish
ment of the guilty, 1t afforded the Mexican
government pleasure to comply with the
request but If the intention was to raise
any question of damages, it declared that the
| intervention by the United States must be
declined, because it did not appear on the
register of the foreign Office that the mur
| dered man and his wife were citizens of the
| United States, and SO far as known there the
| case ended.
To escape the compliance with these regu
lations two courses are open to foreigners
| either to leave tho country or become natu
rallied citizens OF Mexico. But, no matter
how eager one may be in the pursuit o.
wealth. not many are willing to exchange fol
| it their nationality.
The naturalization laws of Mexico present
some unusual provisions, by the operation o
which foreigners may be transformed int
Mexican citizens without having had any
intention to transfer their allegiance from
their native to foreign government.
BY the Mexican constitution foreigner
who purchases real estate, or has u son borr
to him of q Mexican woman, in Mexico, be
comes thereby a Mexican citizen, unless q
| the time of such act or event he declares hi
intention to retain his nationality. Similarly
it is provided that if the son of foreigner
| has been emancipated during his minority
and allows year to elapse without declaring
his intention to retain tho nationality of hi
father he thereby becomes Mexican citizen
| AS such naturalized citizens they are subject
/ W All tuo uutl6s, ClVll anu military, lnuU tnt
nativo-born citizens are liable to.
Early in her history Mexico recognized
that an increase of population was her great
need aud legislated to supply that want.
This is manifested in her immigration
laws, and especially in later years in hei
elaborate system Of colonization. While the
provisions for naturalization above referred
to seem to have been especially designed to
the same end.
| Naturalization ia not eflected in Mexico
as in the United States, solely through d
deliberate act Of the applicant expressing an
intention to become citizen of Mexico based
on Il prescribed residence, and all consum.
mated in the Judgment of II court. All thil
| Involves the voluntary consent of the citizen
and probationary term TO qualify him for his
changed relations under his new allegiance
In Mexico a foreigner may be naturalizeG
througha q petition TO the president no pre-,
| Vious residence being required for any specific
term, and in the modes described, through
| the purchase of real estate or tho birth Of "A
son, accompanied by failure of deolara-
tion Of his intention to retain his native
citizonship--the one involving no intention
to transfer his allegiance aud the other in
| volving no intention at all, IL being the mere
occurrence of condition that may attach Il
TO any man in the ordinary course of nature
1t may be Thought that such unusual laws
and regulations are never enforced. On the
contrary, while there has never been "
decision by any judicial tribunal of the
republic Of the principles involved in thesC
laws, there are opinions, professional and
| official, affirming thoir validity and effect
| The opinion Of tho governor of Durango il
entitled to great consideration, as 10 WA,