Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-05-25

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondence of The Standard.
WASHINGTON. Nav IL 1888

WASHINGTON, Nav IL, 1888.
Secretary Bayard has indeared him
sell to every patriotic American citi-
zen by his manly and courageous in
structions to Mr.. McLane, our minis
ter to France, in the cases Of several
naturalized American citizens who
have been arrested and compelled
to do military duty in France. When
their release WAS demanded by our
minister, the French munster replied
In each Case that the question OF
allegiance WAS one over which the
|, administration had no jurisdiction
and must be settled by the courts. 1t
was fully set forth that under French
principles citizenship is conferred by
parentage and not by the place of
birth, and that expatriation of the
French citizen requires the consent of
the French Government. Upon
these points Mr.. Bayard has instruct
ed minister McLane to inform the
French Government that the Govern
mcEt Of the United States holds that
the certificate of naturalization
granted by it to IA French citizen is
not open to Impeachment by the
French Government, either in its
executive or judicial branch. In
plain English, we propose to sec that
American citizens are allowed to travel
unmOlested wherever they may de-
sire to 60. But to return to Mr.. Bay
ards instructions. He says in con-
clusion: "You will further say that
if subsection to forced military SER
vice of the citizens whose cases you
report is based upon an assumption
that they are not citizens OF the
United States, this department asks
for their immediate release and for
a proper compensation for the losses
which they have received from such
| uCtChtiou. ~ CluuOt Dc duIilltteu
that American citizens not charged
with any crime should be detained un-
der arrest for even single day after
their proofs of citizenship have been
presented. In cases like this, the
United States can never admit the
propriety of submitting to the ordi-
nary delays of judicial action"
That's the kind of talk to make the
United States flag respected the world
over.
| Senators Edmunds and Evarts, the
two leading Republican members of
the Senate Judiciary Committee. to
which the nomination of Mr. Fuller
for Chief Justice has been referred,
are charged with having conspired
together for the purpose of delaying a
report upon the nomination until
after the Presidential election, and
should Republican by accident be
elected, to delay it until after his
Inauguration, that he may nominate
a Republican for Chief Justice.
l don't believe this charge, not that
the Senators named would object to
carrying out such plan were if FEAST
bic, but because they are entirely too
shrewd to attempt anything which
they know it is impossible to accom-
plish, and this would certainly be
impossible. If l were disposed to wa
ger on this subject, l should have
no hesitation whatever in laying
odds that Mr.. Fuller would lie con-
frmed inside of three weeks, and un-
less something more serious than
anything yet brought against him
should be unearthed, his confirma-
ton is likely to be unanimous.
Another good Republican Office
holder has gone wrong. His accounts
are short something like $4,000.
His name is Gen. JAS. w. Ewing,
and he was Appointment and Dis
bursting Clerk of the Department of
Justice. He WAS appointed as q
Republican some six or eight years |
ago, from West Virginia. 1t is said
that the defalcations began in 1882 |
and have continued right along until |
they amounted to the above sum.
The Government will loose nothing
as he was under bond. He has been
dismissed, and Frank Branigan, of |
Steubensville, Ohio, u good Democrat.
appointed in his place.
The Senate has passed the bill for
feiting all unearned railroad land
grants.
The House Committee on Appro-
priations has reported bill appro- |
priating $3,5OO,OOO to meet def
ciencies in the appropriation for the
payment of Army Pensions during
the remainder of the fiscal year.
Senator Voorhees,, who was confined
| to his room with u carbuncle on his
leg for nearly a week after his recent
speech, on Tuesday apologized to the
Senate for the language he used in re-
plying to ingalls, charges.
The River and Harbor bill has been
passed by the House by more than
two-thirds majority. 1t appropriates
$2O,OOO.OO0.
The caucus of the Democra MEM
bers of the House held on Wednesday
evening did not discuss the proposed
amendments to the Mills tariff bill, as
it was generally supposed it would,
but passed resolution that all amend
ments proposed to be offered by Dem
ocrats should be first submitted to
the Committee on Ways and Means,
to be considered and reported upon
to another caucus to be held next
week. This resolution was unani-
mously agreed to, but Mr.. Randall
gave notice that he did not propose to
be bound by any caucus action. A