The Right of Expatriation Primarily as Enunciated by the United States in Its Relations with Other States and by United States Doctrines and Practices

This thesis does not attempt in any way to give a complete and detailed account of the right of expatriation as applied by the United States. However, it is an attempt to give the outstanding facts of the right of expatriation in the United States and how this right has been affected by the practice of other nations, the position and character of the citizens of the United States, and the opinions of the Courts.The composition of the United States is a strong argument in favor of the liberal rules governing immigration and naturalization. In the beginning, having vast regions of unoccupied territory, and rich in natural resources, the United States has needed and readily accommodated a great number of people of other nationalities. Not possessing a nationality unto itself it was necessary for the United States to formulate one. This thesis gives the background and formulation of this right of expatriation and how it applies today.a great many phases of nationality were necessarily studied so as to secure the most logical interpretation of the right of expatriation, which have not been used in this paper but which were necessary to an understanding of the subject. The question of nationality is of such wide scope and intricate weaving that this right of expatriation can not be placed entirely by itself but must be dealt with in connection with the other phases of nationality which effect it.