Hohenlohe to Julius White, August 5, 1880

Prince von Hohenlohe to Mr. White.

The esteemed note of the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, Mr. And. D. White, of October 13 last, concerning the case of John Schehr, a native of Alsace-Lorraine, naturalized in the United States, and several analogous cases, and particularly the inquiry contained in the said esteemed note as to whether the decrees of the royal Prussian ministers of the interior and of justice, in execution of the North German and North American treaty of February 22, 1868, regulating nationality, were applicable to Alsace-Lorraine, have led to a close consideration among all the authorities concerned of the empire and of the imperial lands (Alsace-Lorraine) as to whether the provisions of that treaty or of one of the treaties regulating nationality, concluded in 1868 between the South German State and the United States of America, were to be regarded as having validity and legal force for Alsace-Lorraine.

This consideration has led to the result, that as Alsace-Lorraine at no time constituted a part of the North German Confederation, or belonged to one of the South German States (Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden, South Hesse), none of these treaties, agreed upon in 1868, appear to apply to Alsace-Lorraine.

The laws concerning nationality existing in Alsace-Lorraine, therefore, govern there without any treaty limitations in favor of people emigrating thence to the United States. These people, therefore, unless formally discharged from Alsace-Lorraine allegiance, do not lose such allegiance until they have resided abroad uninterruptedly for the period of ten years, and are during this period required to perform the duties devolving upon them in consequence of their allegiance to Alsace-Lorraine.

As John Schehr, who returned in September last to Alsace, and whose certificate of naturalization is herewith respectfully returned, therefore still owes allegiance to Alsace-Lorraine, and is in duty bound to perform military service, having withdrawn himself from the performance of this duty, he has been legally adjudged by the imperial land court at Strasburg, under date of December 31, 1878, to a pecuniary fine of 600 marks.

While the undersigned regrets that under these circumstances it has not proved feasible to obtain a cancellation (aufhebung) of this penal judgment, and while expressing the purpose of hereafter making reply to the other cases hereinbefore mentioned, he also avails himself, &c.,