The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-09

1t not only suspends the habeas corpus act--a measun
| which our own Congress possess the power under th
constitution to adopt, when, in of rebellion
INVASION the pubic safely may require If y but deprive
the unfortunate objects OF government suspicion
the small protection against unjust imprisonment which
previous pdrte accusation, under oath or affirmation
would afford. II the individual be merely suspected
high treason or reasonable practices" by any Of the
agents OF The Irish government signed by six
members OF the prvy council or by the lord lieutenant OF
chief secretary, is OF itself sufficient commit him tc
prison, without bail or manprize" He is thus doomed
TO dreary Imprisonment, without even The melancholy
satisfaction Of knowing The specific nature of the crime
with which he is charged
If this law, arbitrary and despoc as it is, had been
carried INTO execution, IN the same impartial manner
against the citizens and subjects of all foreign nations
this government, especially after the release of Messrs
Bergen and Ryan, might have submitted in silence Bul
Il appears that an nvdious and offensive distinction has
been made against American citizens in executing lis
provisions. They have been placed in a and ore
degrading condition than those of any other nation They
have been singled ont from the rest of the world and
''all persons coming from America" from this fact
alone and without any other evidence, have been sub
jected by the government of Ireland acting of course
under the authority of that of Great Britain in the Ian
guage OF the law, to the suspicion of high treason or
reasonable practices" The exercise of wise discre
ton Is more necessary in the execution of despotic law
than with regard to any other enactment yet The Irish
government has entirely relieved itself from this duty
by declaring IN advance that call persons coming from
America" without exception, shall be imprisoned under
this law To have come from America to Ireland is
elusive evidence to doom the traveller for pleasure the
man OF business and all Others to It's penalties and this
TOO, without having received any previous warning
Such is the character OF the printed order of the 81
August is lS, to which you refer your 10 Lord
Parferston, OF the 10Th November. secretly issued
and circulated in Ireland, directing the arrest of oil per-
coming from Ameried the examination of their bag
gage, papers and persons and their detention in mpris
onment. No authority was G to set free Americans
thus arrested, where it admitted by the officer
making the arrest that no ground whatever of sus-
picon, existed"
1t does appear, from the letter OF your Irish CORE
spondent OF September 7, ls49, that, Oh the 18th Au
gust lsi this order was modified, 10 limit the
and incarceration, seizure and search to returned
emgrants, and to those Americans against whom there
exist susplcion If nothing should be found to war
rant such suspicion, these latter 10 be liberated but
watched"
The distinction thus in effect drawn between natural
lzed and native American clsens is nvidious and UNI
Just Our Obligation to protect both these classes is in
all respects equal. We can recognise difference be-
tween the one and the other; nor permit this
be done by any foreign government without protesting
and demonstrating against il in the strongest terms The
subjects OF other countries who from choice have aban-
doned their native land, and accepting the invitation
which laws present, have graed TO the United
States and become American citizens, entitled to the
very same rights and privileges if they had been born
IN the country. 10 treat them in different manner
would be violation Of plghted faith as well as of
our solemn duty.
The President has therefore, directed me to instruct
you TO protest IN the most solemn and
which ofhcia propety will warrant against the orders
OF the Irish government issued the I'd and 18th of
August last and against the arbitrary and offensive dis
tincton which they make between citizens and the
Citizens and subjects OF other nations and also between
our native and naturaiZed citizens The liberation of
Messrs Bergen and Ryan, without trial. the only Amer
can citizens known by the department have been inn
psoned under this act affords evidence almost equal TO
demonstration that no reasonable existed for these
orders. The form and language of this protest. with the
present despatch as general guide, is submitted alto
gether to your own discretion,
1 am, dear sir, &c.
JAMES BUCHANAN
n u