The Independent Press

THE NATURALIZATION QUESTION

A recent despatch of the State Department, to the Minister of the United States at Berlin dated July 8th, 1859, recognizes the right of expatriation as fully, and places the doctrine upon as high ground, as Gov. Wise himself could desire. It states that the right of expatriation has always been held in the United States, and recognized generally by the most eminent writers on public law. The Constitution recognizes the right, by conferring upon Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and Congress has uniformly acted upon the principle ever since the commencement of the federal government. They established a uniform rule of naturalization, near seventy years ago, and these laws continue up to the present time, though various changes have been made in their provisions. The Alien, in order to become a citizen, is required to make oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States, and must entirely renounce all allegiance to any foreign State or Sovereignty whatever. Such is the requirement of our law, and there exists, it is believed, scarcely a State in Europe, in which the law does not in some form or other, authorize the naturalization of foreigners. The effect of naturalization is to confer upon the foreigner all the rights, privileges and immunities, which belong to a native born citizen, in their full extent, with the single qualification, that no person except a native born citizen is eligible to the office of President. With this exception, the naturalized citizen, after the date of his naturalization is placed upon the same footing with the native citizen. Naturalization confers a new political birth, and exempts the naturalized citizen who returns to his native land, from any liability for Military service except that due at the time of his leaving. A future liability to serve in the army will not be sufficient to charge the party,—since before the time has arrived for the performance of the duty, he has changed his allegiance and become a citizen of the United States. Hence, the naturalized citizen is entitled to protection in all cases, except that of actual desertion, or a refusal to enter the army after being regularly drafted into it by the Government to which he then owed his allegiance.