The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1895-05-03
THE BOWLER CASE.
Secretary Gresham Decides that He
is Not an Amer lean Citizen.

At the request OF several sub
scribers the BULLETIN publishes the
full text OF the decision OF Secretary
Gresham in the case of John +.
Bowler, who took the oath OF ale
glance to the Hawaiian Government
in 1885, has resided in the islands
ever since, but after being convicted
OF misprisiou OF treason Two mouths
ago has claimed the protection OF
the United States as a citizen there.
OF. The decision is short, sh srp and
to tho point. 1t settles not only the
particular case of Mr.. Bowler but
lays down the law for all similar
cases now and hereafter.
Tue following is the full text:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
WASHINGTON, April D, 1891
ALBERT S. WILLIS, Esq, Honolulu,
II. /.
SIR: 1t appears from your NJ. IS
of February Is that on the 22d of
that month, j. Il. Bowler was con.
yicted before military commission
sitting at Honolulu for participa-
ton or completely in the disturbance
or uprising in Hawaii early in Janu-
airy and sentenced to imprisonment
at hard labor for Eve years and to
pay a fue Of $1,000; that he now
claims protection as an American
citizen; and that the Hawaiian
authorities assert he is not entitled
to such protection because he is a
naturalized citizen OF that Govern
ment.
When Mr.. Bowler left this couu.
try aud went to Hawaii does not ap-
pear, but on March 1S 1885, he
voluntarily took an oath to support
the constitution and laws of the
Hawaiian Islands and bear true ale.
glance to the king, without ex pressly
renouncing or reserving his ale
glance to the United States. Sec
ton 432 OF the statute prescribing
this oath Compiled Laws of Ha.
waii, 1884, provides that every for
eigner so naturalized shall be deem
cd for all purposes native OF the
islands and subject only to their
laws and entitled to their protec.
ton, and no longer amenable to his
native sovereign while residing in
the kingdom, nor entitled to resort
to his native country for protection
or intervention; that for every such
resort he shall be subjec ed to the
penalties annexed to rebellion, and
that having been thus naturalized
he shall be entitled to all the rights
aud immuuities OF a Hawaiian sub
ject. / am informed that the SUI
preme Court OF Hawaii has held that
the taking OF this oath operates to
naturalize the alien and admit him
to full citizenship. 1t is not claim,
ed that since 1885 Mr.. Bowler ever
returned to the United States or re,
sided elsewhere than on the islands
This Government has never held
to the doctrine Of perpetual allegi
ance, on the contrary from its or
ganizstion, it has maintained that
the rights to throw off ones natura
allegiance and assume another is in
alienable. Repatriation" said At
torney, General Black in 1859, "in
cludes not only emigration out o
ones native country, but natursliza
ton in the country adopted as
future residence" The effect O
naturalization is to place the adopt
cd citizen in the same relation t
the government as native citizens o
subjects. The right Of the Hawaii
an Government with his consent I,
adopt Mr.. Bowler as fully as if h
had been born upon its soil is a
clear as his right to expatriate him
self. He manifested his intention
OF abandoning his American citizen
ship by taking the oath to supper
the constitution and laws OF Hs
waii and bear true allegiance to tn