The record-union., 1896-07-19
AUSTRIANS OR HUNGARIANS.
Interesting State Papers Transmitted to
Superior Judges.
Reason for Making Changes in the
Oath Of Allegiance Taken by
Austro-Hungarians.

Copies of the following memorandum
and Enclosures, which fully explain
themselves, have been received by Gov
ernor Budd from the Department of
State at Washington, and by his orders
will be transmitted to each of the Supe-
rior Judges in the State:
Department of State, Washington. D.
c., June 2, 1896.
The Secretary of State deems it proper
to make public, for the information of
the Federal State and Territorial Courts
concerned the fact that owing to the pc
culiar political constitution of the Aus
Hungarian monarchy, question has
arisen in diplomatic correspondence be-
tween the United States and Austria
Hungary as to the proper form of the
declaration which should be used under
Section 216o of the Revised Statutes of
the United States for the naturalization
of subjects of the empire of Austria or
Of the kingdom of Hungary, respectively.
For convenience of reference, a copy of
Section 2l6o is made a part hereof.
The copy in translation of note of
the Sth inst, hereto appended, from the
Austro- Hungarian Charge d'Affaires ad
interim at this Capital, is intended to
indicate how the form of the declaration
under oath Of Austrian or Hungarian
subjects, respectively, should be varied
50 as to meet the original allegiance of
each particular applicant from Austria
Hungary for naturalization.
Imperial and Royal Austro- Hungarian
Legation, Washington, June s, 1896.
Mr.. Secretary of State: Referring to
the matter which arose in connection
with the case of NJ. Braun, relative to
the form of the oath to be taken by Aus
trian or Hungarian subjects who desire
to become citizens of the United States,
and referring, furthermore to the state
ments which your excellency had the
kindness TO make to Mr.. Won Hengel-
muller, the Imperial and Royal Envoy,
I now have the honor. in pursuance of
instructions received, to submit the fol-
lowing remarks concerning the adoption
of a form for the oath to be taken by
Austrians or Hungarians who seek to
become American citizens, which shall
fully meet the requirements of the polit-
cal relations of the AuStro- Hungarian
monarchy.
The object desired can be attained
only by such a wording of the oath as
shall mention the fact of the existence
Of separate Austrian and Hungarian
citizenship and shall also, in referring
to the sovereign, allegiance to whom is
reDounced by the person relinquishing
his Austrian or Hungarian citizenship,
make express mention of the joint char
acter of the ruler who unites the two
constituent parts of the monarchy un-
der his scepter.
ConformabIy to these considerations,
the oath in question should be so worded
as to state according as the person
seeking to become an American citizen
is a citizen of Austria or of Hungary
that such person renounces his Aus
trian" or Hungarian" citizenship. To
this statement (whether the applicant
for American naturalization is an Aus
trian or Hungarian the following
words might be appended, as they APP
pear, in substance, in the oaths now
used in the United States: And to re-
nounce forever all allegiance and fidel-
ity to any foreign prince, potentate,
State or sovereignty, and particularly to
his majesty the Emperor of Austria and
Apostolic King Of Hungary.
Trusting that this suggestion will
meet your excellency's approval, and
that due notice to that effect will kindly
be communicated to the District Courts
of the United States, 1 avail myself of
this additional occasion to renew to
you the assurance of my most distin-
guished consideration. r. WREDE.
By a footnote the Judges are referred
to Section 2165 of the Revised Statutes
OF the United States.