North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-12-12

vince OF Canada, Judgment and sentence
of death have been pronounced against
Some, while others have been acqIittted.-
Fully believing the maxim of government,
that sincerity of civil punishment for mis-
guided persons who have engaged in revo-
lutionary attempt which have dlsaftrusly
failed is unsound and unwise, such repre-
srntations have been made to the British
Government, in behalf of the convicted per-
sons, as, being sustained by an enighten-
ed and humane judgment, will, it is hoped.
induce in their cases an exercise of clemen-
:y, and a judicious amnesty to all who
were engaged in the movement Counsel.
has been employed by the Government to
defend citizens of the United States on tri-
al for capital offences in Canada; and
discontnuauce of the prosec tions which
were instituted in the courts of the United
States against those who took part in the
expedition, has been directed
Ihave regarded the expedition as not
only political in IFS nature, bat as also in a
great measure foreign from the United
States in its causes, characters and objects.
The attempt Was understood to be made in
sympathy with an insurgent party in Ire
land, and, by striking at British Province
on this Continent, was designed to aid in
obtaining redress for political grievances
which, it was assumed the people of Ire
land had suffered at the hands of the Brit
ish Government during period of severa
centuries. The persons engaged in it were
chiefly natives of that country, some of
whom had, while others had not, become
citizens of the United States under our
general laws naturalization, Complaints
of misgovernment. Ireland continually
engage the attention of the British nation,
and so great an attention is now prevailing
in Ireland, that the British Government
Lave deemed it necessary to suspend the
writ of habeos corpus in that country
These circumstances must nee ssarilv mod
ify the opinion which We might otherwise
have entertained in regard to an expecta
tion expressly prohibited by our neutrality
laws. So long as those laws remain upon
our statute books. they should be faithfully
executed, and if they operate harshlv, un-
justly, or oppressively, Congress alone Can
apply the remedy, by their modific alton or
repeal
TWNtical and commercial interests of the
United States are not unlikely to be afftc-
ted in some degree by events which are
transpiring in the eastern regions of Eu
rope, and there seems to have come whea
our Government ought to have proper
diplomatic representation in Greece.
The Government has claimed for all per.
sons not convicted, or accused, or susprc-
led of crime, an absolute political right Of
self-expariation, and choice Of new ma
tional allegiance. MIST Of the European
States have disspnted from this principle.
AID have claim d right to hold snch of
their SUI jects as have immigrated to and
been uaturalizrd in the United States, and
afterwards returned on transient visits to
their na'ive countries, to the performance
of military service in like manner as resi-
dent subjects. Complaints arising from
the claim in this respect made by foreign
States, have heretofore been matters of
controversy between the United States and
some of the European Powers, and the ir-
ritation consequ mt upon the failure to
settle this question increased during the
war in which Prussia, Italy and Austria
were recently engaged While Great
Britain has never acknowledged the right
of expatriation, she has not practically in
sisted upon it. France has been equally
forbeaing, and Prussia has proposed a
compromise, which, evincing increased lib
eralitv, has hot been accepted by the Uni
ted States. Peace is now prevailing every
where in Europe, and the present seems
to be a favorable time for an assertion by
Congress of the principle, so long main
tanned by the Executive Department, that
naturalization by our State fully excmpts
The native-hnrn subject of any other State
from the performance of military service
under any foreign Government, so long as
he does not voluntarily renouncc its rights
and benefits.
In the performance OF a duty imposed
upon me by the Constitution, | have thus
submitted to the Representatives of the
Statestand of the People, such information
of our domestic and foreign affairs as the
public interests seem to require. Our Gov
ernment is now undergoing its most irving
ordeal, and my earnest PRAYER is that the
peril NAV be successfully and finally passed,
without impairiug its original strength and
symmetry The interests of the nation are
best to be promoted by the revival of fra
ternal relations, the complete obliteration
of our past differences, and the reinaugu-
ration ofall the pursuits of peace. Direct.
ing our efforts to the erriy accomplishment
of these great ends, let us endeavor to pre-
serve harmony between the cooperate De-
partments Of the Governmeet, that each in
its proper sphere may cordially Cooperate
with the other in securing the maintain
nance of the Constitution, the preservation
of the Union, aud the perpetuity of our
free institutions.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, Dec. 3, 1866.
A Il 80 c.ll