No. 601.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Berne, February 11, 1880.
(Received March 1.)
No. 247.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of
a correspondence with this government respecting George Retschel, a native
of Baden, who is ill at Boujean, canton of Berne, and who has a certificate
of naturalization, issued by the district court for the city and county of
Philadelphia, on the 22d day of April, 1856.
The Federal Government communicate to me the request of the cantonal
government of Berne, that I furnish means of subsistence to the said
Retschel and to his family. I have declined to comply with their request,
and in framing my answer I have been guided by my experience in the case of
Jean Lerch, and by Mr. Seward’s instruction, No. 54, to Mr. Fogg of July 28,
1864.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
247.—Translation.]
Swiss Federal Council to
Mr. Fish
A certain George Retschel or Ritschel, a native of the Grand Duchy of
Baden, hut naturalized as an American citizen at Philadelphia the 22d of
April, 1856, as appears from the document herewith inclosed, has fallen
ill at Boujean near Bienne, canton of Berne, and his wife is not in a
position to provide subsistence for the family, consequently the
government; of the canton of Berne requests that the chargé d’affaires
of the United States should furnish assistance sufficient to enable this
unfortunate family to subsist.
In transmitting this request to Mr. Fish, and in asking him kindly to
return the certificate of Retschel’s naturalization, the Federal Council
seizes this occasion, &c.,
In the name of the Federal Council.
The President of the
Confederation:
WELTI.
The chancellor of the
Confederation:
SCHIESS.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 247.]
Mr. Fish to Mr.
Welti
Legation of the United States,
Berlin, February 11,
1880.
The undersigned, chargé d’affaires of the United States of America, has
the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the highly esteemed note of his
Excellency Mr. Welti, President of the Swiss Confederation, of the 12th
ultimo, respecting the request of the government of the canton of Berne,
that the undersigned should furnish the means of subsistence to one
George Retschel, a native of Germany, who claims to have been
naturalized in the United States in 1856, and also to his family.
The undersigned regrets his inability to comply with the request without
entering upon a discussion of the merits of Retschel’s claim to
naturalization. The undersigned notes that he is not provided with the
documents prescribed by Article IV of the treaty between the United
States and the Swiss Confederation. Moreover the United States has no
law which entitles a citizen, whether native or naturalized, who
voluntarily abandons its territory and seeks asylum in a foreign land,
to be supported there at the expense of the Government of the United
States.
In the United States the destitute Swiss emigrant, able and willing to
work, is placed at once upon the broad foundation of the public charity,
and in case of illness,
[Page 956]
or of
his there succumbing to poverty after his arrival, he is treated on a
footing of equality with citizens of the United States, and the question
is not even asked whether or not he has been naturalized or domiciled in
the United States. It should be borne in mind that the United States
annually receives thousands of Swiss emigrants to whom its hospitality
is thus extended.
The undersigned while returning the document inclosed in the highly
esteemed note above mentioned, renews to his Excellency Mr. Welti,
President of the Swiss Confederation, and to the high Federal Council,
the assurances, &c.,
