Important correspondence — the duty of Foreigners to Defend the States in which they Reside.
An interesting correspondence has taken place between A. Fullerton, "Acting British Consul" at Savannah, and Gov. Brown, of Georgia, relative to the liability of foreign subjects to bear arms in defence of the State when invaded or in case of insurrection. The "Acting Consul" writes to protest against British subjects being included in the 8,000 draft made by Gov. Brown under the call of the President, and thus explains his right to protest:On a former occasion Mr. Molyneux advised you that the Consulate was placed under my charge during his absence. I recently submitted my authority to act as Her Majesty's Consul to Mr. Benjamin, who duly accorded to me his approval and recognition.
He says:
‘ The dispatches which I have received from the British Government, relative to compulsory service are strong. I am instructed to remonstrate in the strongest terms against all attempts to force British subjects to take up arms. Should these remonstrances fail, "the Governments in Europe, interested in this question, will unite in making such representations as will secure to aliens this desired exemption."
’ After several columns of correspondence, Gov. Brown, in reply to a request from the "acting Consul" that two British subjects named Keily be allowed to leave the State, says:
By an ordinance of the Convention of this State, representing her people and her sovereignty, passed on the 16th day of March, 1861, it is declared:
"That all white persons resident in this State at the time of the secession of the State from the United States with the bond fide intention of making it the place of their permanent abode, shall be considered as citizens of this State without reference to their place of birth: Provided, that any person not born in this State can except him or herself from the operation of this ordinance by a unclaration in any Court of Record in the State within three months from this date, that he or she does not wish to be considered a citizen of this State.".
The Ordinance of Secession referred to in the above quotation was passed on the 19th day of January, 1861.
If the Messrs. Keily were resident in this State on the 19th day of January, 1861, and did not tile their declaration in a Court of Record in this State within three months from the 16th day of March, 1861, that they did not wish to become citizens of this State, they accepted the privileges and obligations of citizenship offered them by the State and ceased to be British subjects, and are consequently not entitled to the leave to quit the State, for which you ask under my letter of 26th ult. If, however, they became residents of this State at any time since the 19th day of January, 1861, or if they were then residents, and filled their declaration, as required by the ordinance, within three months after the 16th day of March, 1861, they will be allowed the thirty days to arrange their affairs, as you request, and permitted to depart from the State at the expiration of that term.
