EXPATRIATION. The voluntary act of abandoning one's country and becoming the 
citizen or subject of another. 
     2. 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 expatriation must be for 
a purpose which is not unlawful, nor in fraud of the duties of the emigrant 
at home.  
     3. A citizen may acquire in a foreign country 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; Puffend. B. 8, c. 11, s. 2, 3 Vattel, B. 1, 
c. 19, s. 218, 223, 224, 225 Wyckf. tom. i. 117, 119; 3 Dall. 133; 7 Wheat. 
342; 1 Pet. C. C. R. 161; 4 Hall's Law Journ. 461; Bracken. Law Misc. 409; 9 
Mass. R. 461. For the doctrine of the English courts on this subject, see 1 
Barton's Elem. Conveyancing, 31, note; Vaugh, Rep. 227, 281, 282, 291; 7 Co. 
Rep. 16 Dyer, 2, 224, 298 b, 300 b; 2 P. Wms. 124; 1 Hale, P. C. 68; 1 Wood. 
382.