Mr. Uhl to Mr.
Sherman.
Embassy
of the United States,
Berlin, March 29, 1897.
(Received April 16.)
No. 307.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a
copy of certain correspondence, more particularly mentioned below,
recently had with the German foreign office, in regard to the treatment
of naturalized American citizens of German origin upon their return to
their native country on business or pleasure. A copy of the circulars
mentioned in my note of today’s date was sent to the Department in the
embassy’s dispatch No. 316, of July 27, 1895, and the decision of the
supreme court at Leipzig was referred to in the embassy’s dispatches
Nos. 502, of March 13, and 46, of May 19, 1896.
I have the honor, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
307.]
Mr. Uhl to
Baron Marschall.
Embassy of the United States,
Berlin, March 17, 1897.
F. O. 198.]
The undersigned, ambassador, etc., of the United States of America,
has the honor to inform His Excellency Baron Marschall von
Bilberstein, Imperial secretary of state for foreign affairs, that
it has been
[Page 209]
brought to his
attention that a statement has been made (in No. 119 of the Berliner
Neueste Nochvichteu, of the 12th instant) that on February 6 last a
circular regulation was made by the Prussian minister of justice,
war, and the interior in regard to the action to be taken in the
case of persons formerly Germans who had been sentenced for evasion
of military duty and who had returned to Germany after having lost
their German nationality, it being noted in the article above
referred to that this applied to the cases of the so-called
German-Americans, and to request that, if it should be found
convenient and proper, his excellency would kindly cause him to be
furnished with a copy of this regulation for transmission to his
Government.
The undersigned avails, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
307.—Translation.]
Baron Marschall
to Mr. Uhl.
Foreign Office,
Berlin, March 27,
1897.
The undersigned has the honor to inform his excellency the ambassador
extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the United States of America,
Mr. Edwin F. Uhl, in reply to his note No. 198, of the 17th instant,
that the circular regulations issued on the 6th instant by the Royal
Prussian ministers of justice, the interior, and war deal with the
formal treatment of the petitions for pardon sent in by persons who
have been sentenced on account of their having evaded military
service. These regulations direct the local officials to see that
these petitions contain, at first instance, all that is worth
knowing about the case in point, and everything in regard to it of a
nature to influence the decision of the highest authority, in order
that the delays which would result, if additional information had to
be sought, may be avoided. No change is made by these regulations in
the principles heretofore observed by the Royal Prussian Government
in regard to the action of the police toward the persons in
question, in particular to the treatment of former German subjects
who have returned to Germany after naturalization in the United
States of America.
The undersigned avails, etc.,
[Inclosure 3 in No.
307.]
Mr. Uhl to
Baron Marschall.
March 22,
1897.
F. O No. 203.]
Referring to the esteemed note from His Excellency Baron von
Marschall, Imperial secretary of state for foreign affairs, of the
27th instant, the undersigned, ambassador, etc., of the United
States of America, has the honor to request that his excellency, if
it be found convenient and proper, will kindly use his good offices
to the end that the Royal Prussian Government may bring to the
attention of the minor executive officials, Landräthe,
Amtsvorsteher, etc., as suggested by Mr. Jackson in a conversation
with His Excellency Baron von Rotenhan in July, 1895, the circular
instructions of the Royal Prussian ministers of justice and of the
interior—printed copies of which are inclosed herewith—which
[Page 210]
were issued in 1868,
immediately after the conclusion of the treaty on the subject of
naturalization between the United States and the North German
Confederation, as well as the decision of the Imperial supreme court
at Leipzig of January 20, 1896 (Entsch. d. R. G. in Strafs., Bd. 28,
S. 127), in order that naturalized American citizens of German
origin may not be subjected to unnecessary annoyance and molestation
by local authorities, on account of their having emigrated without
permission or before performing military service in Germany, while
sojourning in Germany upon their legitimate business, or while
temporarily visiting their parents or relatives at their former
homes.
The undersigned avails himself, etc.
