Speech #640095021

In pursuance of my duty as a Representative I desire to call the attention of this House to the following provisions of the Revised. Statutes of the United States: SEc. 1999. Whereas the right of expatriation is a natural and inlerent right of all people. lndispensible to the enjoyment of the rights of life. liberty. and the pursult of happiness. and whereas in the recognition of this principle this Governmeut has freely received emigrants from all nations and Invested them with the rights of citizenship . and whereas it is claimed that such American citizens. with their descendants. are subjects of foreign States. owing allegiance to the Governments thereof. and whereas it Is necessary to the maintenance of public peace that this claih of foreign allegiance should be promptly and finally disavowed: Therefore any declaration. instruction. opinion. order. or decision of any officer of the United States which denies. restricts. Impairs. or questions the right of expatriatmon. is declared inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the Republic. Sac. 2000. All naturalized citizens of the United States. while in foreign countries. ate entitled to and shall receive from this Government the same protection of persons ani property which Is accorded to nativeborn citizens. SEc. 2001. Whenever it is made known to the President that any citizen of the United States has been unjustly deprived of his liberty by or under the authority of any foreign Government. it shall be the duty of the President forthwith to demand of that Government the reasons of such Imprisonment. and if tt appears to be wrongful and in violation of the rights of American citizenship. the President shall forthwlth demand the release ot such citizen. and if the release so demanded is unreasonably delayed or refused. the President shall use such means. not amounting to acts of war. as he may think necessary and proper to obtain or effectuate the release. and all the facts and proceedings relative thereto shall as soon as practicable be communicated by the President to Congress. With those provisions on the statute books of the United States this American citizen has been permitted to remain in that foreign jail for a year. and I know of no remaining way open to me as a Representative of the district in which this mans people live except to lay these facts before the American Congress. I shall take such action as I may deem best to effectuate the purpose of securing his release. but before doing that It seemed to me only just and proper to lay before my fairminded colleagues. equally insistent with me. I am sure. in protecting the rights of American citizens everywhere. the fact that this one lone American citizen. without friends. without influence. it is true. foreign born. it is true. without means. it is true. has been allowed to languish that length of time in that jail.