Mr. Leishman to Mr.
Sherman.
United
States Legation,
Berne, September 6,
1897. (Received Sept. 20.)
No. 8.]
Sir: Replying further to your dispatch No. 97,
addressed to my predecessor, Mr. Peak, I beg leave to inclose copy of
letter from Mr. Eugene Germain, United States consul at Zurich, in
regard to Fred. Arnold Schneider; also copy of letter from the father of
said Schneider, Arnold Schneider, sr., addressed to Mr. Germain.
While the acceptance by the Swiss Government (through the department of
justice of the canton of Zurich) of Mr. Schneider’s formal application
to be released from Swiss citizenship settles the Schneider matter and
avoids any further trouble or complication at present, it is to be
regretted that it still leaves the vital point at issue in an unsettled
condition, and I can only hope that a similar case will not arise
again.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 8.]
Mr. Germain to
Mr. Leishman.
United States Consulate,
Zurich, August 30,
1897.
Sir: In reply to your favor of August 26, I
have the honor to inclose herein a letter just received from Mr.
Arnold Schneider, sr., the father of Frederick Arnold Schneider,
explaining the status of his son’s case, now closed.
I advised young Schneider when he first applied for protection at
this consulate, and all along during the pendency of his case, to
allow himself to be arrested or impressed into military service in
order to establish a precedent and a case to work on through the
good offices of
[Page 569]
our
minister at Berne. This, however, he declined to do, and left the
country in preference, applying for a release from exile. His
request was granted, but only after his father paid the military
tax, due up to date of his release.
Yours, obediently,
Eugene Germain,
United States Consul.
[Subinclosure in No. 8.]
Mr. Schneider
to Mr. Germain.
Sir: In answer to your favor of yesterday,
inquiring about the status of my son’s case concerning his rights as
a free-born American citizen while residing in Switzerland, I must
report, as you know already, that our former United States minister
at Berne had left my son so completely at the mercy of the Swiss
authorities that he could do nothing else, if he would preserve
untarnished his American citizenship, but to flee from the “Land of
Tell,” and then demand his discharge from Swiss claims according to
the formalities which the guardians of ancient. Swiss views would
dictate.
He got his release now, and I suppose should he return to this
country he would not be placed in chains or prison for adhering
faithfully to his native land and refusing to be pressed into a
foreign army, unless another flaw could be discovered whereby some
bloated busybody could have his fun with American citizenship.
Very respectfully, yours,
