The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-06-08
CITIZENSHIP.
Some Observations on the Last Nord-
hoff Letter to the Herald

EDITOR STAR: In Mr.. Nord
hoh' S letter to the New York Herald,
bearing date of May 9th, and reprinted
in the STAR of June sd, occurs the fol-
lowing, referring to a conversation with
a gentleman who has served this the
land of his birth faithfully and well,
first as a clergyman, then as an hon"red
teacher, then as Government en-
pIoyee, and, Of late, as a journalist of
ability; and who has, only within the
past two years or whereabouts, come to
believe that annexation was the best
thing for this country:
VOTED IN TWO COUNTRIES.
lie told me he always voted in the United
States when he happened to be there at cleo
ton time.
"But, said l. 81 thought you were Ha-
waiian citizen"
$50 I am, he replied, "and always vote
here, but | regard myself as an American
citizen also. | claim right to vote in both
countries, and do 50. "
remarked to him that if | caught him vot-
| ing in the United States | should challenge his
vote, because he would be violating our laws,
but he replied that this was only ''techni-
| cality.'
have learned since that he is by no means
the only one who has this vagary.
An American by birth, but full Hawaiian
citizen, who was caught trying to vote at the
last election in San Francisco came very near
passing some years in the San Quentin State
prison. He got off only by the interc' sSiun OF
influential friends who persuaded the American
authorities that he knew no better.
NV both Of thu, Sc gentlemen first
mentioned knew v,ry well that local
residence in any American state for a
prescribed length of time is necessary
preliminary to the voting of any Amer
lean citizen in the state. And as the
pers n conversed with has continuously
resided here for the past forty years, II
is not at al likely that the present re-
mark about voting when he "happened
to be there" took just that form. Let
us hope that what was said was mis-.
understood.
As to the American citizenship, how
ever, | will, in the first place, On, tG
from the Revised Statutes of the
United States, rS73-7A Forty-third
Congress, section 1903:
"AI children heretofore born OF
hereafter born out of the limits and
, jurisdiction of the United States, whose
, fathers were, or May be at the time Of
their birth, citizens thereof, are declared
to be citiz MS OF the United States, but
the rights of citizenship shall not
descend to chi dren whose fathers never
resided in the United States
In accordance with the above, Haw-
allan born Americans have, after due
residence in that country, voted as
Americans, with the full knowledge #
those concerned, and the State Depart
ment at Washington has deemed it
| right to issue passports for travel to
such as Americans.
In the second place it has always
been understood that in taking the oath
of allegiance here, aliens did MT for.
swear their own previous allegiance,
Hawaiian citizenship continuing only
during residence in this couptry Sec
tons 43o and 43z Of the Civil Code
only confirm this understanding which
has been purposely continued, nc
! doubt, 70 secure the best service for the
I Government itself 1t is doubtful
whether the Government would have
consolidated as it did or continued a
long as it did without such arrange
ment.
1t would seem too that those persons
who have most sacredIy cher shed thei
t own American birthright have beer
: those who have m st faithfully anC
y conscientiously served the interests o
: others here. The allusion to San
Quentin is certainly MT courteous, tt
say the least l regret that Mr., Nord
E hof should SO appear, as he certainl
t has Of late, to have buried lis Owl
f patriotism and genuine Sympathle
under the cold marble of politica
philosophy.
Tune 6, 1893. CURTIS ]. LYONS.