But it is complained that the order further provides that they must have received that "protection" sixty days previous to the date of the order, so as to have the "protection" avail them.

The reason of this limitation was that as some of the consuls had gone into the rebel army, and some of the consuls had been aiding the rebellion here, and as "protections" had been given by some of the consuls to those who were not entitled to them, for the purpose of enabling the holders to evade the blockade, it was necessary to make some limitations to secure good faith.

Indeed, gentlemen, you will remember that all rules and regulations are made to restrain bad men and not the good. For instance, if I allowed the "protections" given not to avail for this purpose, that Prussian consul might give them to the whole of his militia company that live to get back; and they might come, claiming to be neutrals, as did that British Guard who sent their arms and equipments to Beauregard.

The naturalization laws of the United States were in abeyance for want of U. S. courts here. These provisions permitted all foreigners who had resided here five years and not claimed the protection of their Government who felt disposed to avail themselves of them, and thus become entitled to the high privileges of an American citizen, which so many foreigners value so greatly that they leave their own prosperous, peaceful, and happy countries to come and live here, even although allowed to enjoy those privileges in a limited degree only.

Supon our laws that they prefer to and insist upon stopping here, even at the risk of being exposed to the chances of our intestine war, which chances they seem willing to take in preference to living in peace at home under laws enacted by their own sovereigns; but it is said that unless foreigners take the oath of allegiance they will not be allowed a "passport." This is an entire mistake,and probably comes from confounding a "pass" through my lines, which I grant or withold for military reasons, with a "passport," which must be given a foreigner by his own Government.

The order refuses all "passports" to American citizens who do not take the oath of allegiance, but it nowhere meddles with the "passports" of foreigners, with which I have nothing to do. There is nothing compulsory about this order.

If a foreigner desires the privileges which the military government of this department accords to American citizens, let him take the oath of allegiance; but that does not neutralize him. If he does not wish to do so, but chooses to be an honest neutral, then let him not take that oath of allegiance, but the other oath set forth in the order.

If he chooses to do neither, but simply to remain here with protection from personal violence, a privilege he has not enjoyed in this city for several years until now,let him be quiet, live on, keep away from his consul,and be happy. For honest alien neutrals another oath was provided, which, in my judgment, contains nothing but what an honest and Honorable neutral will do and maintain, and, of course, only that which he will promise to do.

But it is said that this oath compels "every foreigner to descend to the level of spies and enunciators for the benefit of the United States."

There is no possible just construction of language which will give any such interpretation to the order. This mistake arises from a misconception of the meaning of the word "conceal," so false, so gross,