Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1859 — A Case in Point. [ARTICLE]

A Case in Point.

It is singular that the doctrines advanced in the letter of Gen. Cass to Mr. Le Clerc should have been practically shown to be an anti-Americ.-.n and unsoi nd one during the Administration of Fillmore, in the very country (France) to which the letter ot Gen. Cass particularly referred. Notwithstanding the professions of the Administration of regard i for adopted citizens, it seems to be wiling now to ignore an important precedent for ■ their protection established during the Ad- ' ministration of the recognized chief of-the ' American party. Tire New York Express says: “Francis Albert, a native of the Department de Var, in the South of France, left there during the drawing of the conscription in 1839, and was actually drawn as a conscript, and was therefore an echape de la conscription. He arrived at New Orleans, made the usual application for citizenship, and was duly naturalized in 1845. He was successful in business in Louisiana, and in July, 1852, after an absence of nearly fourteen years, he returned to visit his family in his native village, and, under the vigilant police in France, he was arrested in twentyfour hours alter his return. He immediately wrote to Mr. Hodge, the nearest American Consul. The latter, that he might the better attend to the case, immediately requested that Mr. Allibert might be brought to Marseilles, which request was promptly acceeded to by the General in-Chief commanding the military division. He was then brought before the Tribunal de Guerre as an Insoumis,and condemned. Mr. Allibert was willing to p iy four thousand francs for a substitute, but Mr. Hodge would not allow him even to m ke the offer, but obtained a rehearing ol his case, appeared in person before the Tribunal de Guerre, and pleaded ’he case, and after two trials and a detention of six months, he was acknowledged an American citizen, and orders came from the Minister of War at Paris, directing his release. Mr. Hodge gave him a passport, which was vised by the police, and with which he remained some weeks with his family, traveled through France, and embarked at Havre on his return to the United States.” The correspondence on file in the Department of State gives the lull details of the case, and Mr. Everett, the Secretary of State under Mr. Fillmore, on the 3d of March, 1853, (the last day he was in office,) wrote a complimentary letter to Mr. Hodge, in which he says: _ “The Department was gratified to learn that M- Allibert whose arrest and imprisonment as an 1 isoumis, although a natualized citizen of the United States, as mentioned in your communications, has been released. This is undoubtedly due to the firm and decided stand maintained throe . the long controversy to your official <pi . .pondence with the authorities on the subject. ‘lt is much to be desired that thi a case

may be considered as a precedent, as you intimate, and that naturalized citizens of the United States may visit France without danger of arrest for military service. In this event, a hurtful source of irritation and unfriendly feeling tyi 11 be avoided.”