The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-21
TITLED tMERIG ans.
Questioa mat Csst . FeasraIisi . Term
IN Coagres. Back On lgOg.

N NOogrcss bAch N utv8.
/ An Inconsistency In American law liei
/ In the fact that while native citizens ma,
accept titles ~ nobility nom foreign
potentatss. foreigners must renouncs
their hereditary titles before becoming
naturallZed citizens Of the United States
That provision of the Federal nAturalizsi.
ton laws goes back MS years. and the
subject led tn a curious parliamentary
fight Ia Congress II also resulted in the
temporary retirement Of a conspicuous
Massachusetts, Pederalist from public
life aud stirred up a lively discussion on
the slavery question
Immigration was exciting a good deal
81 talk in 1874. when French mobiles were
still fleeing from the reign ~ terror which
ceased ia the summer 81 that very year
and when other French refugees had re-
Gently fed from the black terror OF Hayti
~ 40 IN the year Congress began - re-
vise the naturalization laws
The residence period necessary for
naturalization was raised from two
years. AZ which II had been fixed in iTP'.
to Ave. where II has since remained. eS-
cept for "a short time in John Adams :
administration. whom II was made four
teen years While the matter was under
debate Giles Of Virginia proposed that
foreigners seeking naturalization should
he required tn give uD any title Of nobility
that they mi ght hold
" was at this point that Samuel Dexter
Of Massachusetts,. y Feoeralist, brou ght
the slavery question into the matter
He made a speech ridiculing lilies amend
ment a. childish He proposed an amend
nient requiring foreigners wishing to to
natu ralized to give NJ, anv slaves Of which
they might re Possessed
Dexter's amendment stirred the south
ern members. for they were a bit uneasy
IN view of rec-nt massacres Of whites
10y the insurRent slaves ~ Hayti. and
they protested that the Mass achusstts
Federalist was melting Southern slaves
Ia insurrpction and endangerin the social
system of the South. Dexter. nev erthe-
lees. stuck nv his amendment. though
some ~ his fellow Federalis,s were a
trite uneasy at the storm he had raised.
especially a. they we'll knew that Giles =
amendment would he popular in New
England
Giles on January I. I5a5. did a thing that
scared DeSters friends even more. for
he called for the yeas and nays on both
motions Under tins call Dexter's amend
ment was defeated. and that Of Giles was
carried. Dexter. although he knew he
Was doing what would be unpopular NJ
home. voted against the amendment re-
curing naturalized foreigners tn give up
their titles Of nobility. and he failed to
return to the next Congress. though he
lived to enter the Cabinet ~ John Adams.
The requirement was popular that
u was not repealed, when in i7Ds the
naturalization laws were materially
amended. and IL was left undisturtDsd
when in Jerersons first administration
the residence period required II foreign
ers seeking naturalization was reduced
from fourteen years to five wears. The
FIVE year period had prevailed in Nir-
ginia in late colon nl days Oddly enough
the first man known Ia have been natur-
allied in this country. Augustine Herr
man. once Of New York ard later " Mary
land. received from Lord Baltimore about
1919 the title Of Lord OF Bohemia Manor
Some nAturalized foreigners have been
known socially in this country by the
Titles which they abjured on giving notice
Of their intention TO seek naturalization.
though in all public relations they have
figured under simple surname and Chris
tian name or the few native Americans
who wear titles ~ nobility most perhaps
owe them Ia the Pope
4 good many wears ago the Common
Council Of Philadelphia was scandaliz,d
to receive = request for permission Ia
make Use Of the streets in the Courr. of
some building improvements from
native resident ~ the city Who attached
a title Of nobility tn his name The Coun-
Cilmen were for DENYING the privilege
until the citizen would apply for IL without
appending his title. hut when the explans-
tion was made that the patent Of nobility
had h~en granted by the Pope a sovereign
81 -.
was withdrawn. though the noble Phils-
delphian came IN for good deal of rid
iCule
American hankering after titles. which
fell into general disrepute during the
French Revolution. revived early in the
nineteenth century. and II il said that one
thing 20 attract sone men to Burr's eN-
pedition Was the hope held out that his
Spanis h- American state would have or
ders Of nobility Young men making
ready To join him hantered one another
a. 20 the titles that they should hear and
a clever woman in the confidence Of Burr
was said to have gone 80 far a. TO draw
uIl rules for court ceremony and make
ketches for ceremonial costumes
within a few wears young Nirglnian
shocked som. Of his kinsfolk nv eXpatriat-
ing himself in order TO claim an English
tile hong IN abayance IA his family II
il said. on the Other hand that although
he DE ourseys II Maryland have an EN-
.ir"iE clear ana legitimate claim To an
English title. the ri.yhtful heir declines
IN give up his American citizenship for
The title
Tn" son and heir of an Irish haronet
long lived in Ohio but never used his
'ather's title and his descendants plain
ok. some Of them doing business in New
' ork. have almost forgotten that their
,nc--tor was entitled To write Sir before
his nam.
now kINGS TRiIELIED.