Can a U.S. Citizen accept a foreign title of nobility?

Question

I've heard anecdotes about U.S. Citizens being offered knighthoods and declining because we're not... supposed to accept such titles. Also, here in the United States Code: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode08/usc_sec_08_00001448----000-.html it states that a foreign national must renounce any such titles when becoming a citizen, but what does the law say about accepting such a title when you're already a citizen?

Answer 1

It has been argued that all lawyers (Esquires) have done so.


The Constitution for the united States, in Article, I Section
9, clause 8 states: "No Title of nobility shall be granted by the
united States; and no Person holding any Office or Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
Also, Section 10, clause 1 states, "No State shall enter into
any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque or Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but Gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto of Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of nobility."


Of note there is an "original" 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution called the "Title of Nobility" Amendment that reads:

"If any citizen of the United States shall accept, claim, receive or retain any title of nobility or honor, or shall, without the consent of congress, accept and retain any present, pension, office or emolument of any kind whatever, from any emperor, king, prince or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of trust or profit under them, or either of them."

It is been argued that this Amendment was actually ratified and published by several states as being part of the Constitution.

And supposedly "...on December 2, 1817 John Quincy Adams, then Secretary of State, wrote to Buck (an attorney) regarding the position Buck had been assigned. The letter reads:

"...if it should be the opinion of this Government that the
acceptance on your part of the Commission under which it was
granted did not interfere with your citizenship.
It is the opinion of the Executive that under the 13th
amendment to the constitution by the acceptance of such an
appointment from any foreign Government, a citizen of the United States ceases to enjoy that character, and becomes incapable of holding any office of trust or profit under the United States or either of them... J.Q.A. "

Answer 2

NO!