Speech #630065503

And again. section 5: Resolved. That the Democratic Party will expect of the next administration that every proper effort be made to insure our ascendance in the Gulf of Mexico. and to maintain a permanent protection to the great outlets through and emptied Into Its waters the products raised out of the soil and the commodities created by tile industry of the people of our western valleys and the Union at large. In 1860 we find in the platform upon which Breckinridge was nominated a broader policy governing American territory. together with the following declaration: The Democratic Party of time United States recognizes It as the imperative duty of this Government to protect the naturalized citizen In all of his rights. whether at home or in foreign lands. to the same extent as its nativeborn citizens. Then came the Republican convention of 1860. which nominated the imimlortal Abraham Lincoln. and which was the first party platform in opposition to the Democratic Party that announced. in unmistakable language. its policy to protect American citizens at home and abroad. It used this language: The Republican Party is opposed to any change in our naturalization laws * * * and is in favor of giving a safe and efficient protection to the rights of. all classes of citizens. whether native or natural born. at home and abroad. In the same year the Constitutional Union Party. which nonlinated for President John Bell. of Tennessee. announced the same doctrine in these words: We hereby oblige ourselves to maintain. protect. and defend. separately and unitedly. that great principle of lublic liberty and national safety. against all enemies. at home and abroad. After this the Democratic Party. until after the nomination of Tilden and Cleveland. had but meager expressions touching the Monroe doctrine and the policy of protecting American citizenls abroad. and the obligations of the Government having fallen upon the Republican Party. they with great energy asserted some doctrines adhered to for the first 60 years of the Republic under Democratic rule. In the midst of agreat civil war. when it taxed its resources to maintain itself. in the face of the Mason and Slidell controversy with Great Britain and the fear that Great Britain would recognize the Southern States as an independent government. with the election of a President In 1864. nominated Abraham Lincoln again for the Presidency. and. following the example of the President in contesting the claims of the Holy Alliance of Europe. seeking by subterfuge to place Maximilian on the throne of Mexico. tile Republican Party fearlessly and boldly. in section 11 of their platform. announced this doctrine: Resolved. That we approve the position taken by the Government that the people of the United States can never regard with indifference the attempt of any European power to overthrow by force or to supplant by fraud the institutions of any republican goiternment on the Western Continent. and that they will view with extreme jealousy. as menacing to the peace and independence of their own country. the efforts of any such power to obtain new footholds for monarchial governments. sustained by foreign military force. in near proximity to the United States. Students of history will recall that from the beginning of this Government there had been an issue between us and European Governments. particularly with Great Britain. upon the question of the right to impressment of American seamen. that this was the first cause of the War of 1812. and that although this war terminated satisfactorily to the United States. it left this question unsettledthe question of "expatriation." the British doctrine that " Once a citizen. always a citizen "-and it was not settled until Grant was made President of the United States. and its settlement was largely due to the firing on a foreign war vessel by the United States Navy and the prevention of the taking away of an American citizen who had become naturalized from one of the European monarchies. In the Republican platform of IS68. when Gen. U. S. Grant was nominated for the Presidency. we find this broad principle enunciated: The doctrine of Great Britain and other European powers. that because a man is once a subject he is always so. must be resisted at every hazard by the United States as a relic of feudal times not authorized by the laws of nations and at war with our national honor and independence. Naturalized citizens are entitled to protection in all their rights of citizenship as though they were native boxn. and no citizen of the United Statesnative or naturalizedmust be liable to arrest and imprisonment by any foreign power for acts done or words spoken in this country. and. if so arrested and imprisoned. it is the duty of the Government to interfere In his behalf. We find in the platform of 1872. when Grant was nominated for the second time for the Presidency. a repetition of this doctrine: The doctrine of Great Britain and other European powers concerning allegiance-" Once a subject always a subject "-having at last. through the efforts of the Republican Party. been abandoned. and theAmerican Idea of the individuals right to transfer allegiance having been accepted by European nations. it Is the duty of our Government to guard with jealous care the rights of adopted citizens against the assumption of unauthorized claims by their former Governments. The settlement of this doctrine of the right of "expatriation"-the right to change citizenshipfinally won by the United States Government. was due to the vigorous. broad. and comprehensive foreign policy and administration of President Grant.