ed naturalization, but that they have never resided in the United
States; in others the certificate and record of the court show on their
face that the person claiming to be naturalized had not resided the
required time in the United States; in others it is admitted upon
examination that the requirements of law have not been complied with;
in some cases, even, such certificates have been matter of purchase.
These are not isolated cases, arising at rare intervals, but of common
occurrence, and which are reported from all quarters of the globe. Such
occurrences can not, and do not, fail to reflect upon the Government
and injure all honest citizens. Such a fraud being discovered, however,
there is no practicable means within the control of the Government
by which the record of naturalization can be vacated; and should the
certificate be taken up, as it usually is, by the diplomatic and
consular representatives of the Government to whom it may have been
presented, there is nothing to prevent the person claiming to have been
naturalized from obtaining a new certificate from the court in place of
that which has been taken from him.

The evil has become so great and of such frequent occurrence that I can
not too earnestly recommend that some effective measures be adopted to
provide a proper remedy and means for the vacating of any record thus
fraudulently made, and of punishing the guilty parties to the
transaction.

In this connection I refer also to the question of expatriation and the
election of nationality.

The United States was foremost in upholding the right of expatriation,
and was principally instrumental in overthrowing the doctrine of
perpetual allegiance. Congress has declared the right of expatriation
to be a natural and inherent right of all people; but while many other
nations have enacted laws providing what formalities shall be necessary
to work a change of allegiance, the United States has enacted no
provisions of law and has in no respect marked out how and when
expatriation may be accomplished by its citizens. Instances are brought
to the attention of the Government where citizens of the United States,
either naturalized or native born, have formally become citizens or
subjects of foreign powers, but who, nevertheless, in the absence
of any provisions of legislation on this question, when involved in
difficulties or when it seems to be their interest, claim to be citizens
of the United States and demand