The herald., 1897-03-12
urn refused to fulflll the laws and duties

turn refused to fulfil the laws and duties
of citizenship to any country. Their
residence here was to achieve their po-
sition. The generous offer of our citi-
zenship, originally meant for liberty
loving men who were desirous of cast.
ing in their lot with the destiny of the
Great Republic. was never intended as
a shield for malingerers nor as device
to enable citizens of other countries to
avoid their duty to their governments
and defy their laws while still residing
where they were born. The American
flag is not intended for such base uses.
The number of cases coming under this
head are astonishingly great. Nearly
all the trouble that America has had
over indignities or injuries to her citi-
zens has been due to the return of nat
uralized citizens to their native land.
Many such persons have come to this
country because of political agitation
against the powers that be; often they
have fed because of connection with
bloody and unsuccessful revolutions.
Whatever our sympathies may be-and
they ought to be and will be with the
oppressed everywhere-but however
deep this sympathy. 1t is clear that we
should not lend the cover of our flag by
any underhand or dishonest means to
political agitation in the domestic af-
fairs of other countries. If it is deemed
proper for America to regulate the af-
fairs of other countries, interfere with
the Siberian exiles, free Poland, avenge
the murdered Armenians, join Crete to
Greece. end the tyranny of Spain, recti-
fly Portuguese misgovernment and out
rage In Africa, set up an Irish republic
or do any one of a thousand things to
set the world to rights our country
should have the courage and manhood
to do the deed in open day. We cannot
as men and as true Americans allow our
generous grant of citizenship to be used
by foreign agitators to ensure safety in
political revolts stirred up in their ma
tive lands.
When foreigner accepts our citizen
ship he ought to give up all further po-
litical action in his native land. Every
sensible and observing man who has
had opportunity to know lands of un-
settled political condition knows that
our citizenship is used by natives of
those countries and in those countries
as a cover for political work against
their government.
One result of these abuses of our citi-
is that it weakens our repre-
;entatives in foreign countries in their |
protection of all American citizens. Our
,onsuls and ministers frequently pro-
ect foreign political agitators holding
American papers. while they know and |
eel that it is not fair. We can perhaps |
better understand the situation by an |
Imagine Messrs Slidell |
md Mason, agents of the Southern Con- |
cQcIdCy III Jul ClNll Wal, idhlA6 Odt
English or French papers of naturaliza-
ton and thereupon returning to this
and engaging in political in
trigue in New York or Washington to
overthrow the government and destroy
he nation, always using their pretend
ID and fraudulent foreign citizenship |
is a protection to their treason. The |
Union people can feel just how foreign |
people feel under similar conditions.
An American citizen should have the
ull power of the nation behind him
wherever he goes. He should obey the
aw wherever he goes and be safe so
ong as he remains an honest man, true
TO his country. No foreign politician
should be allowed to use an American |
to forward domestic disor-
Ter in his native land. |