Julius White to R. A. Harrison, March 18, 1884

Mr. White to Mr. Harrison.

Sir: Herewith I send you the affidavit of John G. Foichat, of our county, which will fully explain itself.

Mr. Foichat feels deeply aggrieved over his treatment and wishes such redress as is proper in such cases.

He knew of no better way than setting forth the facts by way of affidavit, and also having several citizens who knew him to unite in a request to the Secretary of State to take action in the matter, and then forwarding the papers to yourself and respectfully ask you to lay the matter before the Secretary. He is aware that your time is absorbed by your duties in the Senate, but he fully believes you will be interested in a matter of this character so much as to excuse a trespass upon your time, and will place the case with the proper authorities.

Yours, &c.,

State of Indiana, County of Parke, ss:

John B. Foichat, being duly sworn, on oath says: That he is a resident of said county and State since the — day of —, 1875; that he was born in Bordeaux, department of Savoi, in France, on the 4th day of January, 1853; that he emigrated to the United States of America when he was the age of 17 years, since which time he has been a resident of said United States, and of said State of Indiana the time above mentioned; that afterwards, to wit, on the 1st day of May, 1883, with intent of making said United States his future home and of becoming a bona fide citizen thereof, he did, at the April term of the circuit court of said county, make proof and take the oath of allegiance required by law, and at said time made oath to support the Constitution of said United States, all in due form of law; that thereupon there was issued to affiant, under the hand of the clerk of said court and the seal thereof, a proper certificate of said facts and of his becoming a naturalized citizen of said United States as aforesaid; that afterwards, to wit, on the 20th day of August, 1883, affiant desiring to visit his birth-place and his parents, who still reside there, and other relations who also resided there, there was issued to him in due form of law, from the office of Secretary of State of said United States, a “passport” which recited, among other matters, that affiant was a citizen of said United States, and requested all whom it might concern to freely pass affiant, and in case of need to give him all lawful aid and protection; that thereupon affiant, upon the 27th day of September, 1883, visited said town of Bordeaux and his said relatives; that being there for such purpose and none other and conducting himself lawfully and peacefully, he was, without cause, on the 22d day of November, 1883, at said town, arrested, by certain officers in the service of said Government of France, for the alleged reason of his failing to respond, when he came 21 years of age, to a demand of said Government to do military duty as required by said Government of her subjects. Affiant says that at said time, to wit, on the said 22d day of December, 1883, he made exhibit to said officers of his said passport and naturalization papers, and demanded to be passed, respected, and protected as a citizen of the United States, but that said officers did not respect his rights as such citizen, but, upon the contrary, and notwithstanding such demand and papers and passport, maintained said arrest and retained said passport and papers and thrust him in the military prison at Chamberry, in said department; that he was required to remain in said prison for a period of two days and three nights; that thereupon certain other officers of said Government put hand-cuffs upon affiant and took him to the military prison at Grenoble, in France, for the purpose of being court-martialed upon said charge of failing to respond for military duty as aforesaid; that thereupon they took from affiant all articles of value and then incarcerated him in a cell in said prison and kept him there for a period of four days upon coarse prison fare, and was not allowed to purchase any article of food such as he desired, but such request was denied; that thereupon he was released through the interposition of the consul of said United States at Lyons, to wit, Hon. B. F. Peixotto, consul at said place, upon the ground and for the reason that affiant was at the time of said arrest and imprisonment a citizen of said United States, as aforesaid; that during said imprisonment last mentioned he was allowed no reasonable time to communicate with said consul as to his release, but such privilege was delayed as long as possible; that no proper effort was made by said officers or other proper authorities of said Government of France to investigate said facts touching his said citizenship, and that they utterly failed to respect said papers and passport as they of right should have done.

Wherefore affiant says that his rights and dignity as an American citizen was disregarded and insulted by said Government of France by Reason of the acts in the premises, and he humbly appeals to his Government and prays that such steps may be taken in the premises as will best cause due reparation be made by said Government of France for her acts above stated, to the end that the citizenship of affiant be respected and upheld, and for the dignity and protection of American citizenship in the future.