No. 45.
Mr. de Bounder de
Melsbroeck to Mr. Bayard.
Washington, March 27, 1888. (Received March 30.)
Mr. Secretary of State: My Government, being engaged in an examination and revision of its laws respecting naturalization, asks me for the text of a circular issued as far back as the year 1856 or 1857, whereby one of the honorable predecessors of your excellency in the Department of State announces to foreign Governments that “every child born upon the soil of the United States of America of alien parents, whether they be naturalized or not, is by the fact of his birth to be deemed naturalized, and can therefore claim the quality of a citizen of the United States.”
My Government desires also to know if the legal decision embraced in such circular is still in force.
I should be very grateful if your excellency would have the great kindness to furnish me with this document and give me the information desired.
Thanking your excellency in advance, I embrace, etc.,