Speech #530164183

I should like to read a part of the statute. still in the Revised Statutes of the United States. passed in 186. when this country was all aglow with the Burlingame treaty: Wherfas the right of expatriation is a natural and inherent right of rll people. indispensable to the enjoyment of the rights of life. liberty. and the pursuit of happiness. and whereas in the recognition of this principle this Government has freely received emigrants from all nations. and invested them with the rights of citizenship. And so on. When that language was enacted into law. it was substantially the universal belief of the American people not merely that a wellmeaning citizen had a right to sever his connection with his old government. but that he had a right to go wherever on the face of the earth he chose. behaving himself properly and decently. and attach himself to the new government at his choice. and that the right of any government to reject him was a right toreject him for cause and for unfitness.