Expatriation
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States · John Bouvier · 1839
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
the voluntary another. Citizens of the United States have the right to expatriate themselves until restrained by congress, but it seems that a citizen cannot renounce his allegiance to the United States without the permission of government, to be declared by law. To be legal the expatridtion must be for a purpose which is not unlawful, nor a fraud of the duties at home of the emigrant. A citizen may acquire in a foreign country the commercial ' privileges attached to his domicil, and be exempted from the operation of commercial acts embracing only persons resident in the United States or under its protection.
2 Cranch, 120; vide Serg. Const. Law, 318, 2d ed.; 2 Kent, Com. 36; Grotius, B. 2,c. 5, s. 24; Puftend. B. 8, c. 11, s. 2,3; Vattel, B. 1, c. 19, 8. 278, 223, 224, 225; Wyckf. tom. 1. 117, 119; 3 Dall. 133; 7 Wheat. 342; 1 Pet. C. C. R. 161; 4 Hall’s Law Journ. 461; Brackets Law Misc. 409; 9 Mass. R. 461.