The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-28

patches that 80 out from Washington
In the one depreciating General Lee 10
which We referred yesterday. there was
an intlma,ion that. although Or. RUIZ han
hocn properlv natura.ized as an American
citizen he had lost al claim to 1t by
continued residence in Cuba. and. IN the
dispatch we published yesterday from
Havana. stating that Secretary Olney
had cablod sanruilly. advising him to
withdraw his appeal and accept a pardon
from the Spanish Government 1t was
added that Oney had inumated to San
gully that Il he did not do this his
American citizenship would be can
celod."
The proposition contained I'm these two
statements is so monstrous that VIC should
believe the dispatches to be canards, we're
10 not for the fact thalin case that
was before the state Department year
or two ago. Secretary Olney actually
made a ruling that naturalized Amer-
can citizen might forfeit his American
citizenship by disuse Of its rights and
privileges.
This is. to us. one OF the most monstrous
propositions that we have ever heard.
The fourteenth AIT ndment to the Con-
stitution Of the United States provides
that al persons born oh~naturalized
in the United States. and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof. are citizens Of the
United states and or the State In which
they reside" The Constitution, therefore,
places a naturanzod citizen upon the same
footing exactly as born citizen. When
the foreigner is naturalizod. he loses
every characteristic OF foreigner, and be-
comes as absolutely an American as II he
had been born here. and his ancestors had
come with the settlers al jamestown or
Plymouth Rock. Now nothing is more ele-
mentary law than that once citizen, al
ways citizen until the land of the dOmi-
Gle consents to the abandonment OF
that character and some other land &C
cepts the subject. No man by willing TO
throw off his citizenship can do 1t. A
man may expatrlate himself and i've
abroad as long as he chooses but nnu'
the land OF his own nationally consents
that he may throw q MS allegiance TO
IT. and the ianG % the new nationality
consents &c accep. him as It's subject he
remains q citizen of the first country. Ia
BE TO all the obligations Of such citizen
shin. and entitled 10 all the rights OF IT,
When. therefore Mr. Olney talked OF
DR.. Ruiz having forfeited his American
citizenship. he put this country
into most dsgraceul and hui
initiating position SanguillY ought
not to have lived I'm Cuba amongst
the Spaniards as Cuban with
Cuban sympathies. holding a ra.ur Via
ton certificate in his pocket to claim
American citizenship on, when the Span
iards locked him up for his conduct. But.
as the law stands. he had right to
do il. and this country is not 10 sneak
out Of its duties because Sanguilly's con-
duct has not been what the highest Npe
Of American citizen would scorn TO adopt
as his own. The record Of his naturaliza-
ton closes all discussion as TO his status,
and. If that show that he was properly
naturaized as an American citizen, he
must receive the protection Of the whole
power Of this Government until he loses
his character Of American citizen by
some proceeding wnlcn our laws have
consented TO.