No. 11.
Department of
State,
Washington,
May 25, 1872.
[Circular No. 22.]
To the Consul of the United States at-, Mexico.
Sir: I inclose a translation of a note of the 20th
instant, addressed to this Department by M. de Bellonnet, the charge
d’affaires of France, and the original and translation of the instruction to
him by M. de Rémusat, the minister for foreign’ affairs of that country, to
which it refers, upon the subject of the steps to be taken by French
citizens who were born in the territories ceded to the German Empire, in
order to preserve their nationality.
If there should be any Frenchmen of the description referred to within your
consular district, you will communicate to them such information upon this
subject as may enable them to avail themselves of the choice offered to
them.
The form accompanying Mr. Rémusat’s instruction seems to be explicit, and if
the blank be filled up accordingly, it would require for its authentication
merely a certificate in the usual form under your official seal. You will
forward hither any declarations which may be made before you, in order that
they may be communicated to the French government through the proper
channel.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
W. HIJNTER,
Second Assistant
Secretary.,
Mr. Bellonnet to
Mr. Fish.
[Translation.]
Legation of
France, Washington,
May 20, 1872.
Mr. Secretary of State:
I have the honor herewith to transmit to you ten copies of the
instructions of M. de Rémusat relative to the steps to be taken by
French citizens who were born in the territories ceded to the German
Empire, in order to preserve their nationality.
As it is desirable that natives of Alsace and Lorraine residing in Mexico
may be enabled to comply with these instructions, I shall be obliged to
you if you will be pleased to send the inclosed copies to the diplomatic
and consular agents of the United States in Mexico, who have been
pleased to undertake to protect French interests there. My government
hopes that you will also have the kindness to recommend to them the
execution of these formalities.
Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurance of my very
high consideration.
Hon. Hamilton Fish,
Secretary of State.
[Translation.]
Choice of nationality by natives of Alsace-Lorraine
residing abroad.
time allowed for making this choice.
Natives of the territory ceded to Germany, who do not reside in said
territory, are divided into two classes as regards the time which will
be allowed them to choose French nationality.
- 1st.
- Those who reside in continental France, or in any European
country.
- 2d.
- Those who do not reside in Europe.
The time allowed to persons of the former class will expire October 1,
1872.
The time allowed to persons of the second class will not expire until
October 1, 1873.
[Page 12]
persons entitled to choose.
By natives are meant persons born in the ceded territory, without
distinction of age or sex. If such persons shall have made no
declaration of their choice within the time allowed them for that
purpose, they will be considered as Germans.
Those who were not born in the territory aforesaid have no declaration to
make, and are French citizens by right.
minors.
As to minors, it has been agreed that their declaration of choice may be
validly made with the assistance of their legal representatives, i. e., the guardians of non-emancipated minors,
and the curators of emancipated minors.
married women and widows.
Married women born in Alsace-Lorraine, who wish to have their nationality
established beyond dispute., must, with the assistance of their
husbands, make a declaration of their choice.
Widows have a still more evident interest in declaring their choice.
forms of declaration.
By the terms of the article of the additional agreement concluded at
Frankfort, December 11, 1871, choice of French nationality may be made
by persons residing abroad, by means of a declaration before a French
diplomatic or consular officer, or by the enrollment of their names at
the office of such a functionary.
Parties interested may, therefore, make their choice either by means of a
declaration corresponding to the inclosed blank form, or by the
enrollment or re-enrollment q£ their names in the usual form.
If it be preferred to make a declaration, three copies of this document
must be prepared; this will be done on free paper, and without any
expense to the party making the declaration.
One copy will be delivered to the party interested, another filed in the
office of the diplomatic or consular functionary before whom the
declaration shall have been made, and the third will be transmitted to
the ministry of foreign affairs, under the stamp of the “contentieux” of
political affairs.
As to enrollments at the offices of diplomatic or consular functionaries,
an extract from the register in proof thereof must likewise be sent to
the minister of foreign affairs.
[Translation.]
Treaties of May 10 and
December 11, 1871.
choice of french nationality.
(1) Date, day of month. On the
(1) 1872, before me, appeared (3)(3) Full name of party
making declaration.
(4) Place of birth. born at
(4) on the (5)(5) Date of birth, or at least statement
of the age of the party.
(6)(6)
Add, in case of minors, when their declaration is made separately, “Assisted by his (or her) father
or guardian.”
who, according to article 2 of the treaty of May 10, and
article 1 of the additional agreement of December 11, 1871, has declared
that he makes choice of French nationality, and that he intends to
remain a French citizen.
(7)(7)
Add, when the declaration is made collectively by a father and his
minor children, “This declaration is made in the name of Mr. —both
personally, and as the legal representative of his minor
children.”
Note.—Here give the
name, birthplace, and date of birth of each one of the
children.
Signature of the party making the declaration, (8)(8) Or certificate of
the mayor that he is unable to write.
Signature of the mayor.
