ing rights: (1) The right to become a minister of state, a minister of the imperial household, or keeper of the privy seal; (2) the right to become president, vice-president, or a member of the privy council; (3) the right to hold the position of a general or admiral; (4) the right to become president of the supreme court, of the board of accounts, or of the administrative litigation court; (5) the right to hold the position of court councillor; (6) the right to be elected as or to vote for a member of the imperial diet.

17. The minister of the home department, with the sanction of the Emperor, may except from the restrictions of the preceding article a person who has been naturalized under the provisions of article 11, after five years from the time when he acquired Japanese nationality, or any other person after ten years.

18. A Japanese woman who marries an alien loses thereby her nationality.

19. A person who by marriage or adoption has acquired Japanese nationality loses it on divorce or the dissolution of the adoption only in case he thereby acquires a foreign nationality.

20. A person who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses thereby his Japanese nationality.

21. The wife or child of a person who loses his Japanese nationality loses the Japanese nationality on acquiring the nationality of

such person.

22. The provisions of the preceding article do not apply to the wife or child of a person who loses his Japanese nationality by divorce or the dissolution of adoption, unless the wife in case of dissolution of adoption of her husband does not procure a divorce or the child quits the house, following his father.

23. If a child who is a Japanese subject acquires by acknowledgment of a foreign nationality, he loses his Japanese nationality, but this does not apply to a person who has become the wife of a Japanese subject, the husband of a Japanese woman being the head of the house, or the adopted child of a Japanese subject.

24. Nothwithstanding the provisions of the preceding five articles, a male person of the age of seventeen years or upwards loses his Japanese nationality only if he has already performed his service in the army or navy or is not bound to perform such service.

25. A person who holds a civil or military position can lose his Japanese nationality only on obtaining the permission of his official

chief.

A person who has lost Japanese nationality by marriage, but after the dissolution of such marriage has domiciled in Japan may, by the permission of the minister of the home department, recover Japanese nationality.

26. If a person who has lost Japanese nationality according to the provisions of articles 20 or 21 has a domicile in Japan, he may, with the permission of the minister of the home department, recover Japanese nationality, but this does not apply to a person mentioned in article 16 who has lost the Japanese nationality.

27. The provisions of articles 13 to 15 apply correspondingly to the cases mentioned in the preceding two articles.

LIBERIA.

Mr. Lyon, minister resident at Monrovia, to Mr. Bacon, Acting Secretary of State, September 10, 1906.

THE AMERICAN LEGATION, Monrovia, Liberia, September 10, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to transmit forthwith a report, pursuant to instructions in your circular July 9, 1906, on the subject of citizenship.

1. The laws relating to citizenship in the Republic of Liberia are contained in Article V of the constitution of the commonwealth, and are as follows:

SECTION 12. No person shall be entitled to hold real estate in this Republic unless he be a citizen of the same. Nevertheless this article shall not be construed to apply to colonization, missionary, educational, or other benevolent institutions so long as the property or estate is applied to its legitimate purpose.

SECTION 13. The great object in forming these colonies being to provide a home for the dispersed and oppressed children of Africa, and to regenerate and enlighten this benighted continent, none but persons of color shall be admitted to citizenship in this Republic.

2. Laws relating to the loss of citizenship are embodied in two statutory enactments in the general statutes, and are as herein transcribed.

(a) Under infamous and heinous crimes, to wit:

Any person or persons who shall be convicted of committing the following crimes are hereby disfranchised, viz, murder, treason, burglary, arson, rape, administering poison with intent to destroy life, slave trading, forgery, housebreaking, assault with intent to kill, perjury, larceny, receiving stolen goods, robbery, child stealing, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretence.

(b) Article I, an act relating to expatriation:

It is enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia in legislature assembled:

SECTION 1. Any person or persons, citizens of this Republic, who shall remove to another government and take the oath of allegiance, shall not be entitled to the privileges of citizenship in this-and should such persons again return, they shall not be entitled to the elective franchise until they have again taken the oath of allegiance to this Government and remained in the Republic at least twelve months thereafter.

2. Should any person or persons who had left the Republic again return and refuse to take the oath of allegiance, declaring that he or they had not become citizens of any other government and there should be any doubt respecting the fact, said person or persons shall be questioned as to the truth of the same before some justice of the peace and his or their answer in the negative shall be recorded by the registrar; and should it be afterwards found that he or they had taken an oath of allegiance to any foreign government, all his or their real property in the Republic shall be confiscated and he or they debarred forever from citizenship therein.

3. There are no laws in Liberia on the subject of the renunciation of citizenship therein.

4. There are no statutory enactments in Liberia touching the effect on citizenship therein of residence in foreign countries. According to the attorney-general, Liberia follows the precedents of England and the United States where applicable and is guided by the principles laid down by Wharton and other writers on international law.

5. As to the practice of Liberia in protecting her citizens abroad, she has no laws on the subject, and upon the authority of the attor

ney-general no occasions have arisen in which the Republic has acted, and therefore has practice.

6. Concerning naturalization and the acquisition of citizenship in Liberia, there are three statutory enactments, as follows:

(a) General statutes, Article IV, under the head "Pertaining to the apportionment and improvement of lands," reads as follows:

SECTION 3. That women not having husbands immigrating to this Republic with permission and attached to no family besides their own shall receive each a town lot or two acres of farm lands on their own account, and one acre on account of each of their children-and unmarried men of the age of twenty-one years arriving in the Republic from aboard, or attaining their majority while resident in the same, and having taken the oath of allegiance, shall be admitted to draw and hold a building lot or five acres of farm land on the same conditions as married men. In case of marriage afterwards, such a person is to draw on account of his family no additional lands, but shall be entitled to hold whatever his wife may have previously drawn in her own rights or inherited from a former husband or other person, provided she shall not have alienated such lands at the time of her marriage.

(b) General statutes, joint resolution regulating immigrants' expenses:

It is resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia in legislature assembled:

SECTION 1. That from and immediately after the passage of this joint resolution, any immigrant or immigrants coming into the Republic of Liberia must first take oath of allegiance to the Republic and abjuration of the sovereign or state whence he comes, after which he may receive aid from the Government as such. The immigrant agent or agents shall keep a true and correct account of all expenses incurred for the benefit of said immigrant or immigrants. He shall make a quarterly report in duplicate of all money or moneys, goods, wares, and merchandise received for and on account of said immigrant or immigrants, stating specifically what he received and paid out. The original report shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Treasury, and duplicate to the superintendent of the county, territory, or district where said immigrant or immigrants reside, which report shall be entered in a book provided for that purpose.

SECTION 2. It is further resolved that any immigrant or immigrants remaining in the Republic of Liberia for a period of five years from the time of his, her, or their arrival into said Republic, the benefit received from the Government by said immigrant or immigrants so remaining shall be gratis; but should any of them declare their intention to permanently leave the Republic before the expiration of five years after arriving into said Republic, the value of the benefits received from the Government from said immigrant or immigrants shall be estimated and considered a debt due the Government by said immigrant or immigrants, which shall be recoverable before any tribunal having competent jurisdiction.

Any law to the contrary not withstanding.
Approved, January 25, 1906.

(c) General statutes, an act of naturalization admitting aliens to become citizens of the Republic of Liberia:

Whereas it is apparent and absolutely necessary from past experience in the political history of Liberia that some uniform system should be inaugurated which will facilitate the growth of our infant country; and whereas the necessity for the twelfth and thirteenth sections of article 5 of the constitution of Liberia.

It is enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia in legislature assembled:

SEC. 1. That after the first day of January, A. D. 1878, aliens may be admitted to become citizens of the Republic of Liberia in the following manner, and not otherwise. The applicant for citizenship shall declare on oath before any one of the clerks of the court of quarter sessions and common pleas of the respective counties of this Republic one year at least prior to his admission that it is bona

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fide his intention to become a citizen of the Republic of Liberia, and to renounce forever his allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, State, or sovereignty of which the alien may be at the time a citizen or subject, and for which service the applicant shall pay the clerk 50 cents.

SEC. 2. The alien shall at the time of his application to be admitted declare on oath before one of the clerks of court, as specified above, that he will support the constitution of the Republic of Liberia, and that he absolutely and entirely renounces and abjures all fealty to every foreign prince, potentate, State, or sovereignty of which he was citizen or subject, which proceedings shall be recorded by the clerk of the court (in a suitable book provided by Government for said purpose), and it shall be the duty of the clerk before said alien shall have taken the oath of allegiance and abjuration to be fully satisfied that every such alien has resided in the Republic of Liberia at least three years prior to his application for citizenship; that during said time the applicant has behaved as a man of good moral character; that he is attached to the principles of the Republic of Liberia and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same. Provided, nevertheless, the oath of the applicant shall in no case be allowed to prove his time of residence in the Republic.

SEC. 3. It is further enacted that the secretary of state shall furnish each clerk of court with a proper form of application and oath, and the applicant shall be required to sign a copy of said form of application, and said copy shall be transmitted to the secretary of state to be duly filed in his office. And it shall be the duty of the clerk of court to strictly conform to the forms of application and oath as shall be furnished them by the secretary of state.

SEC. 4. It is further enacted, that it shall be the duty of the clerks of courts to transmit forthwith to the secretary of state an authenticated copy from the records of his office of the nature of the oath and abjuration of the applicant for citizenship.

SEC. 5. It is further enacted, that the provisions of this act shall not take effect until after the first Monday in January, A. D. 1878.

Approved January 27, 1876.

It being impossible to secure a copy of the statutes, it has been necessary to make these transcripts for the Department.

I have the honor, etc.,

ERNEST LYON,
Minister Resident.

MEXICO.

[Enclosures in despatch from Mr. Thompson, ambassador to Mexico, November 24, 1906.]

CONSTITUTION.

[Translation.]

TITLE I. SECTION II.-Mexicans.

ART. 30. The following are Mexicans:

I. All those born, within or without the Republic, of Mexican parents.

II. Foreigners who are naturalized in conformity with the laws of the federation.

III. Foreigners who acquire real estate in the Republic, or have Mexican children, provided they do not declare their intention to retain their nationality.

ART. 31. It is the duty of every Mexican

I. To defend the independence, the territory, the honor, the rights, and the interests of his country.

II. To contribute, in the proportional and equitable manner provided by law, toward the public expenses of the federation, and of the State, and the municipality in which he resides.

ART. 32. Mexicans shall, under equal circumstances, be preferred to foreigners for all public positions, offices, or commissions, in which citizenship is not an essential prerequisite. Laws shall be enacted to improve the condition of industrious Mexicans by rewarding those who distinguish themselves in any science or art, encouraging labor, and founding colleges and practical schools of arts and trades.

SECTION III.-Foreigners.

ART. 33. Those who do not possess the qualifications set forth in article 30 are foreigners. They are entitled to the guaranties established by Section I, title 1, of the present constitution, except that in all cases the Government has the right to expel pernicious foreigners. They are under obligation to contribute to the public expenses in the manner which the laws may provide, and to obey and respect the institutions, laws, and authorities of the country, submitting to the decisions of the courts, and being allowed no other remedy than such as are granted by the laws to Mexican citizens.

SECTION IV.-Mexican citizens.

ART. 34. All persons are citizens of the Republic who are Mexicans, and

I. Have completed the age of eighteen years if they are married, or of twenty-one if not married.

II. Have an honest means of livelihood.

ART. 35. The following are prerogatives of the citizen:

I. To vote at popular elections.

II. To be eligible for any office or position of popular election, and for appointment to any other position or commission when possessing the qualifications required by law.

III. To associate with others to discuss the political affairs of the country.

IV. To enlist in the army or in the national guard for the defense of the Republic and its institutions.

V. To exercise the right of petition in matters of all kinds.

ART. 36. It shall be the duty of every citizen of the Republic:

I. To register in the list of the inhabitants of the municipality in which he lives, stating the property which he owns, if any, or the industry, profession, or labor by which he subsists.

II. To enlist in the national guard.

III. To vote at popular elections in the district to which he belongs. IV. To fill the federal offices to which he may be elected, and which in no case shall be gratuitous.

ART. 37. The character of citizen is lost:

I. By naturalization in a foreign country.

II. By officially serving the government of another country or accepting its decorations, titles, or employment without previous permission from the Federal Congress, excepting literary, scientific, and humanitarian titles, which may be accepted freely.

ART. 38. The law shall determine the cases and the form in which the rights of citizenship may be lost or suspended, and the manner in which they may be regained.