Speech #470056708

SEC. 2. And be it farrther enacted. That all naturalized citizens of the United States. while in foroigh states. shall be entitled to. anti shall receive from this Govornment. the same protection of persons and property that is accorded to nativeborn citizens in like situations and circumstances. SEc. 3. And be itfurlher enated. That whenever it shall be made known to the. resident that any citizen of the United States has been unjustly deprived of his liberty by or under the authority of ay foreign government. it shall be tie duty of the Presidont forthwiih to demand of that government the reasons forsuch inirisoment. and if it appears to bewrongful and in violation of the rights of American citizenship the Priesident shall forthwith demand the aelese ofsuch citizen. and if the release so demanded is unreasonably delayed or refused. it shall be the daty of the President to use such means. not amounting to acts of war. as lie may think necessary and proper to obtain or effectuate such release. and all the facts sod proceediugs relative thereto shall as soon as practicable be communicated by the President to Congress. These rights are secured to our naturalized and native citizens both alike by that law and by the treaty of 1870. made with England in pursuance thereof. both of which she is now persistently violating by imprisoning both native and adopted citizens. I think I may be pardoned for a few words on the history of this disputed qupestion of the rights of naturalized citizens. When the patriots of the Revolution wrung flom the grasp of England the independence of their country she yielded with a bad grace. She looked upon the people of the young Republic as inferior beings. The officers of our Army and Navy were frequently insulted by British officers of similar rank and inferior manhood. which led to several duels. in which. among others. that grand model of a naval hero. the son of an Irish mother. Commodore Decatur. taught them manners. Our flag was insulted on every sea by the claims which England set up to our naturalized citizens whoin she frequently impressed into her service. taking them by force from the protection of our flag. For this we wagedwith her the second war. During that war she threatened to hang as traitors the naturalized citisens whom she had taken in battles fighting for the United States. President Madison and General Scott gave notice that they would hang two of her officers or men for every one of ours that was thns punished. and she had to abandon her brutal designs. After the conclusion ofthe war two attempts were made to enact laws defining the rights ofnaturalized citizens and declaring the right of expatriation. but they failed . and so England. after all the waste of war. clung to her feudal doetrine of perpetual allegiance and denied the validity of our naturalization laws. If any one will turn to the Senate Journal of the second session of the TNFentyseventh Congress for February 18. 1842. he will find on page 176 tle following statement: Mr. Clay presented the memorial of WILLIAM 1. IRooINSos. praying that the rights secured to native citizens may be extended to naturalized immigrants from foreign countries. which was referred to the Committe on Foreign Relations. It will be soon from this that it is now over forty years ago since I commeneed urging. as I am doing today. the importance of this subject upon Congress. and my prayer was presented by Henry Clay. of Kentucky. to the Senate. I have proved faithful to this cause. and great things have been achieved. About a month afterward I foiwarded to Mr. Clay a petition signed by others similar to my own. and his remarks on piesenting it will be found in the Congressional Globe. second session Twentyseventh Congress. 18411842. page 365. Those who like to turn to his remarks wIN find that his remedy was about the same as my recent "on to London." He then declared that if England treated our naturalized citizens in any way different from their treatment of native citizens. their protection would be by our cannon. But notwithstanding this declaration of Mr. Clay.