The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-22
Protect American Citizenship.

L
state department the Washington Post
saws: Recent experiences of this
government with persons claiming to
be citizens of the United States, but
born and residing abroad, and par
ticipating in military operations
against foreign governments. will prob
ablv lead to a number of new treaties
which shall define the status of citi-
zenghip and the rights of persons who
use naturalization under American law
as a cover for hostile acts against other
| mowers. Such acts are not justified
| hv international law, even by citizens
of lie United States, and it is felt that
| the dignity of American citizenship is
| rrostiluted by men who have no inten-
| tton of remaining" within the United
States, subject to their laws, but avail
themselves o. tho prestige of the flag
for protection AGAINST their own unlaw-
full acts. 4 treaty with Spain is among
| those under consideration upon this
subject, but the negotiations will not
be seriously undertalen until the pres
eut troubles i'm Cuba are at an end
The article quotes Daniel Webster's
rcn,arll that "the naturalization laws
of tho I,nitad states contemplate the
,asidarCa in This co1In,,y of naturalized
citizens. un,res they shall go abroad in
. tha r,,h1io service or for Temporary
n,,rrosae" aud also reprOduces the
comment of Serretarv Freliughuvsen
in 1880 that "should we protect those
who have hy fraud obtained an appar-
emf r,obt or citizenship. the high dig
nitv of that nriyilege would be de-
graded. and the position in foreign
countries of those who have rightfully
and honestly obtained it would be i'm
ueriled 8, Attention is also called to the
declaration or Secretary Fish. i'm 1870,
that "a residence for a long series of
years i'm q foreign land. coupled with q
non-pavment of taxes to the sovereign
of birth on naturalization, may with
out formal change of allegiance forfeit
a claim to protection from such SOW
ereign." and to that of Secretary Ev-
arts i'm 1881, that "a citizen of the
United States who accepts and enters
on an intended permanent domicie in
J a foreign state, loses the right to
claim the diplomatic interpostion of
the government of the United States
= against such foreign state" These ex-
e. pressions. which nearly conform tC
the international law of civilized states
f will, we are told. be made the basis OF
new treaty agreements designed tC
e more fully protect the rights of legiti
t mate citizens in the future, by dehnins
e their character and shutting out from
their privileges those who have sough
the protection of the flag merely Il
@ abuse and disgrace it.
: In the present regulations of the con
sular service il is declared that tn
intervention of our diplomatic repre
sentatiyes in foreign lands may be so
= licited by any person claiming to hay
V been once naturalized as an American
= citizen. but it is also stimulated tha
$ "should nassports or other protection
:. he asked for such persons, if will he TN
V duty of the officer to satisfy himsel
d that they have done nothing to forfeit
.e their acquired rights. For n natural
t. lied citizen may. nv returning to hi
= native country. and residing ther
n with an evident intention to renal,
N or NV occepting offices there inconsist
: with bis oI,rtal al /,
II concealing for a length of time the fac
/ of his naturalization. and nassine him
e. self as a citizen or subject of his ma