Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part I

No. 344.
Count Sponneck to Mr. Bayard.

[Translation.]

Legation of Denmark,
Washington, March 26, 1888. (Received March 27.)

Mr. Secretary of State: In laying before you the inclosed petition of C. A. B. Johnson, which has been forwarded to me for this purpose by the ministry of foreign affairs, I have the honor to add the following remarks:

From the certificate of baptism, which is appended to the petition, and which I beg you to be pleased to return to me, it appears that Johnson, who was born September 27, 1855, was baptized by the Rev. Charles R. Fisher, on the 28th day of September, 1856, in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Hartford, Conn. His parents, however, were Danes, and although he is by birth a citizen of the United States, he has lived uninterruptedly ever since he was two years old in Denmark, in which country he intends to remain, and in which, by a special law, he was admitted on the 10th of February last to the enjoyment of the rights of a native of Denmark. Such a law is necessary to enable any foreigner to enjoy the rights of a citizen among us, but before it can take effect the interested party is invariably required to furnish evidence before the expiration of one year that he has been released from his foreign citizenship.

With a view to obtaining for Johnson an official document, showing that he has ceased to be an American citizen, I take the liberty, Mr. Secretary of State, of asking your kind mediation with the competent authorities. Nevertheless, in case such a formal declaration should be incompatible with the laws of the United States, the petitioner might arrange matters by furnishing a declaration from the competent American authorities of a less categorical nature, merely stating that the United States Government has no objection to Johnson’s becoming a Danish citizen, in which case I should be glad if you would, if possible, send me such a document.

Be pleased to accept, etc.,

F. W. Sponneck.

[Inclosure 1.]

petition of c. a. b. johnson to be released from his american citizenship.

Copenhagen, February 22, 1888.

I undersigned Charly A. B. Johnson, borned in Hartford, Conn., U. S. A., year 1855, solicits the Government of the United States of America to release me from my duties as American subject, as the Royal Danish Government has granted me protection as a Dane.

Charly A. B. Johnson.

The Government of the United States of America,
Washington.

[Inclosure 2.]

certificate of birth of c. a. b. johnson.

Charly Adolph B. Johnson, son of Fred. Julius Johnson and Sophie Louise, his wife, born the 27th day of September, 1855, was, according to the parish register of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Hartford, Conn., America, baptized by the Rev. Charles R. Fisher on the 28th day of September, 1856.

V. A. M. Mortensen,
Pastor of the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at Hartford, Conn., United States of America.

Hartford, Conn., November 1, 1886.