Brulatour to Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, August 1, 1883

No. 138. Mr. Brulatour to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

Sir: I have the honor to submit to your consideration a request made by Mr. Eugene Albert Verdelet, a native of France, who claims to be an American citizen. The circumstances of the case are as follows:

Mr. Verdelet was born in 1862 at Bordeaux, France, where he has always resided with his family. His father, a Frenchman by birth, resided in the United States some thirty-five years; was married there, and became in 1853 an American citizen; some years later, in 1859, he returned to France, and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1874.

Now, according to the French law of December 16, 1874, a translation of which I inclose, any one born in France, from a foreigner who himself was born in France, is French, unless he claims his foreign nationality in the year he becomes of age, and produces a written certificate or attestation from his Government that he has maintained his original nationality.

Mr. Verdelet, who has taken the oath of allegiance before the American consul at Bordeaux, asks to be furnished with this certificate or attestation. He states that he has never been in America, but that he has property interests in the States which will sooner or later call him there. If the certificate required of him is not produced before March, 1884, he will be considered as French, and liable to military service.

This is not the first time that this request is brought before the legation. In 1880, Mr. George W. Verdelet applied to General Noyes to obtain that the certificate of citizenship above mentioned be issued to his two brothers, John Henry Verdelet and Eugene Albert Verdelet, the present applicant. The matter was referred by General Noyes to Mr. Vignaud, who informed Mr. G. W. Verdelet that, for reasons which he stated in a letter, copy and translation of which are also herewith inclosed, his request could not be granted, but that it would be submitted to the State Department if he so desired.

Mr. G. W. Verdelet did not then avail himself of this offer, but he now accepts it in behalf of his brother Eugene, who called in person at the legation, where he stated his case, and furnished satisfactory evidence of the facts above stated.

With reference to this subject, I beg leave to mention a dispatch from Mr. Evarts to Mr. Hitt, dated February 13, 1880 (No. 209), concerning the case of John Letorey, which is somewhat similar to the present one.

I have, &c.,

French law of December 16, 1874.

Article I. Article I of the law of February 7, 1859, is amended as follows:

Any individual born in France of a foreigner, who himself was born there, is French, unless, in the year following the time of his majority, as fixed by French rule, he claims his foreign nationality by a declaration made either before the municipal authorities of the place of his birth or before the diplomatic or consular agent of France abroad, and establishes that he has maintained his original nationality, by an attestation in due form, of his Government, which will remain affixed to the declaration.