The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1885-06-04
WASHINGTON NOTES.
Gleanings from the Capital, Political. So
clal and General

Glean1ngS from the Capital, tOllt1cal, Sc
clal and General
WASHINGTON. Nav 2S.-The history of the
recent decision of the state department. in
the matter of American citizenship has been
but partly written. The circumstances show
that the administration has made a depart
ure from the decisions of the department in
1881 and 1884, and has returned in effect to
the decisions taken in the noted case Of
koszta, which was in substance that dec
laration of an intention to become an Amer
ican citizen entities the person making the
declaration to protection from the govern
ment as a citizen. The present decision is
made as the result of an argument to reopen
the case Of one Walsh. Walsh mad resided
Ill Texas. He declared his intention to be-
come an American citizen. He then went to
Mexico and was impressed into the army,
had his estate confscated, and brought a
claim for damages against the Mexican gov
ernment for loss Of property and imprison-
men, of sS1 200. Senator Maxey presented his
case. Walsh retained his residence in the
United States, although he took up a COM
mercial domicile in Mexico. This latter fact
Senator Maxey did not bring out very clear
ly to the state department. 1t is said that
Walsh was not entitled to protection on the
citizen, and paragraph 15S of Consular regu-
lations, issued by the state department from
1851 to this date, contained this clause:
A declaration of an intention to become q citi-
zen of the United States does net constitute per-
son a citizen within the meaning of the law
A decision upon a similar point was made
under Secretary Frelinghuysen, when the
same doctrine was declared. Judge Mackay,
of South Carolina, counsel for Walsh, re-
Gently moved for a rehearsing, made the
point which Maxey did not strongly make,
namely, that Walsh retained his legal resi-
dence in the United States, although he had
a commercial domicile in Mexico, and in
sisted that the doctrine OF our government is
that declared in the Koszta case which was
approved by Congress. Secretary Bayard
was of this opinion, hence the recent decision
making the new definition as to American
citizenship. In consequence of this decision,
the secretary of state has ordered
stricken from the consular instruction the
clause in paragraph 15S above quoted.
Although no formal action was taken at
the cabinet meeting on the question Of con-
Gnuing the New Orleans exposition beyond
the S1st Of May, it is generally understood
that most of the cabinet opposed the PROPOSE
tion, and that the exposition must close at
noon next Sunday. Third Assistant Post
master General Hazen. representing the
postoffice department. on the government
exposition board, has left for New Orleans.
Other members of the government board
will leave Washington in day or two for
New Orleans to be present at the winding up
OF the exposition.
The president has issued an executive order,
closing the executive departments, the gov.
ernment printing Office, and the agricultural
bureau or Decoration day. The president
is urged to go to New York Saturday and
participate in tho Decoration day ceremonies
there.
There are now 204 applications on file a.
the state department for the position of con-
sui general ut Paris The list includes many
names that have been mentioned in connsc-
ton with other and h;sler missions.