Prince Wrede to Mr. Olney.
Washington , June 8, 1896 .
Mr. Secretary of State: Referring to the matter which arose in connection with the case of Mr. Braun, relative to the form of the oath to be taken by Austrian or Hungarian subjects who desire to become citizens of the United States, and referring furthermore to the statements which your excellency had the kindness to make to Mr. von Hengelmüller, the Imperial and Royal envoy, I now have the honor, in [Page 24] pursuance of instructions received, to submit the following remarks concerning the adoption of a form for the oath to be taken by Austrians or Hungarians who seek to become American citizens, which shall fully meet the requirements of the political relations of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
The object desired can be attained only by such a wording of the oath as shall mention the fact of the existence of separate Austrian and Hungarian citizenship, and shall also, in referring to the sovereign allegiance to whom is renounced by the person relinquishing his Austrian or Hungarian citizenship, make express mention of the joint character of the ruler, who unites the two constituent parts of the monarchy under his scepter.
Conformably to these considerations the oath in question should be so worded as to state (according as the person seeking to become an American citizen is a citizen of Austria or of Hungary) that such person renounces his “Austrian” or “Hungarian” citizenship. To this statement (whether the applicant for American naturalization is an Austrian or a Hungarian) the following words might be appended, as they appear in substance, in the oaths now used in the United States: “and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to His Majesty the Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary.”
Trusting that this suggestion will meet your excellency’s approval, and that due notice to that effect will kindly be communicated to the district courts of the United States, I avail myself, etc.,