New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-06
NATIONALITY IN FRANCE.
EFFECTS OF THE NEW LAW ON AMERICAN
CITIZENS
WHAT Constitutes A FRENcHMAN-How uT
zENsHIP MAY BE ACQUIRED, LOST
AND RESUMED.


received at the Department OF State from Minister
po,d incIosin.r a copy of tho new law on French
nationality recently passed BY the Chamber ana ga
zotted under date Of June 90. This law, which had
been I'm preparation over year, makes quite "a chahge
I'm the legal status Of the large class OF foreigners
residing I'm France or born there, and VIII ahcct many
American citizens The law deals with two points
French citizenship and the right OF domcilc In france
II SIN maintains as the old law did, that the son of
Frencbman is French, wherever he may be born, but
# makes nearly all those born in France French, the
only practcal exception 10 the rule being In the case
Of those whose fathers were not born, nke thenl-
so,ros IN France and who were not living in France
at the time OF their coming TO aye concerning the
second point the law is more esticuve than the old
ono and tends 10 force French citizenship on the
foreigners residing in France. The following synopsis
% tho law will show its scope and how 1t Is intended
to operate;
WHO ARE NATURALBoRN FRENCHf
Those whose fathers French at the time Of
their birth whether born in France or abroad
. Those born in Franco whose fathers were also
born in France although not French Formerly they could
claim French citizenship they have option but are
made French citizens
2 Those born in France whose fathers were not
French aud not in France, II they reside In Franc"
at the time their becoming OF age, unless they then
sclaim French nationality. and prove by certificate Of
the Government their father that they have retained his
nationality Formerly they retained the nationality Of
the father unless they claimed French cluehsp no"
they French nationality unless theJ Chilli 1ho elt
zenship OF the father.
II thus appears: That the son Of naturaized French
American who happens be born In France Is French
that the son OF native American, established in France
for business purposes is also French II he falls to claim
his American citizenship at the ag' OF twenty-one and
IL he is not supported in this claim by the United States
Government; the son of Frenchman born IN the
United States Is Brnch and as the law Is silent as 70 any
limitation in this respect be, according to this
do,trine MANY generations Of Frenchmen born in the
United sates-a doctrine which, # were enforced by the
other European nations, would make every hauNe-bofh
American the subject Of another country.
HOW FRENCH CITIZENSHIP - ACVOlfshD'
French citizenship can be acquired by foreigners in the
following manner: ,, ~.
Nv obtaining the right OF being domiclcd In France,
and after four years of such authorized domeile'
o by ten years Of uninterrupted residence In France
,,hort having applied FOR the right OF domce.
g. By marrying a French woman, and after one year
OF authorized domicii".
A. BY rendering any important service 10 FRANCE ana
after one year OF authorized domicile.
: II horn i'm France from alien and not domiced
there by claiming up TO the Of twenty-five French
citizenship and by residing in France or by submitting
TO the French military laws.
g. II a woman by marrying Frcnchman, or through
naturalization OF her husband, IL she 80 desires
r ia minor by the naturalization Of the father unless
he dsclams French nationality when coming Of In
the old It the reverse. and the minor child OF
paturallzcd Frcnchman hal claim French citizenship
tut by decree OF the Executive power The law makes
no difference between native and naturalized citizen
except that the latter be elected to the Chamber Of
Deputies only ten years after his naturalization
HOW FRENCH CITIZENSHIP Is LOST
A Frenchman loses his national character:
/ By obtaining upon his application foreign natura
zation II he is released from all military obligation
in France II not released, by securing first the
authorization Of the French Government
o BY accepting Office from foreign government
sfpn his
own Government
3. BY taking military service abroad without the
authorization Of his Government
1 II. woman, by marrying taeegA r, ahieA~ her
n,r,iss- Aus. hpt sy lave her huaoshas country
Give her hi. nationality IN which cse she ans FtsasA
Two important conseque follow fromithe provisions
u this section.
/ THE naturalization abroad fencnman who ha'
not complied with the military laws Is Nol' unless he
sas beforehand secured the authorization Of his Go'e
ment Formerly the French Government admitted al
tbnugh reluctantly, that FrsnchnaA nN4alfea aDioad
was disqualified serving in The French army Now
this door is An American citizen OF French origin
called to perform military service in France can no longer
bo released by appyng the courts, which VIII have 10
be governed by the new statute
. No Frenchman can be considered as having
lost his original national character simply by the eneet
Of the laws OF another counry. The new Ia" requires
that he shall he partv to the act apply for his
naturalization or do something Of his own free VIII 10
obtain IT, Native Americans Of French parehtase are
not therefore Americans in the eye OF the now statute
and are liable to military service in France For the
same reason minor children Of Frenchman who acquires
American citizenship held to be not Ameneans Du
French
HOW FRENCH CITIZENSHIP IS RESUMED
1 By residing permanently in France and by applying
for decree rensating him In his original cluzehsmp
No time is specified The decree can DO lssueu d. inc WI"
Of the Government.
. In the case OF French who married a for
egner whose marriage dissolved either through the
death of the husband through divorce, simply by es
abshing her domicile in France with the permission OF
the Government.
In OF minor children born abroad Of an alien
who was originally French, and who ie restored to his
rights by act making the restoration OF the parent
but when coming OF age they have the right to dscaim
French citizenship.
5 In the case minor children Of French woman
alien who to resume her original national
character by applying for French citizenship through their
mother or legal guardian
Gin the Of children OF father mother originally
French simply by claiming French citizenship, whether
born in France abroad and at age
A foreigner Of French parentage who RECEIVERS his
original nationality enjoys ipso acto all the political
rights Of other Frcnchmen.
RIGHT OF DOMICILE.
with reference the right OF being domced in France
the new makes direct change; but II
all the permlssons given heretofore that effect will
expire in ave years the date Of the present law and
will be renewed in favor Of those who within that
period have applied for naturalization. This stipula
ton affects seriously all the Americans doing business
OF any kind in France. regards foreigners the right
OF domicle IN France differs widely from residence
foreigner may possess real In France and reside
twenty years his house without being legally DON'T
ciled there. To be domeied. he must secure per-
mission. which Is considered the first step toward
naturalization This permission gives political rights
and perhaps not one Of twenty Of those who apply for
n have any intention OF being naturaliyed. But legal
domcilc carries with two important privileges. without
which foreigner has security in France and can hardly
carry business, viz: IL him from being
PEELED at the viii caprice Of any project without
explanation and 1t dspcnses him from giving security
each time he has action before court OF justice
whether as plaintiff defendant Many OF the Americans
engaged I'm In France have acquired legal DON'T
Gle FIVE years from June 20 they will either have
apply for formal naturalization, be liable to immediate
expulsion
SLAVES SOLD TO SATISFY A JUDGMENT.