The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-12-14

trespasses committed during our civil
war by British subjects, in violation OF
| international law and treaty ODllga-
tions. The delay, however, may De pc
| Iieved to have resulted in no small de-
| gree from thedOmesticsituat ofGreat
| Britain. An entire change OF ministry
occurred in that country during thei
session Of Parliament. The attention OF
| the new ministry was called to thesub-
| ject at an early day, and there IS some
reason to expect that it will now be con-
sidcred in becoming and friendly splr-
it. TheimpOrtance Of an early dlspo9l-
ton Of the question cannot be eXagger-
ated. Whatever might be the wishes OF
the two Governments, IT IS manifest
that good will and friendship between
the tWOcOuntries cannot be established
until a reciprocity, in the practice OF
good faith and neutrality, shall be res
tored between the respective nations.
THe Fenian affair Of last Jtaae.
On the 9th of June last, in violation
of our Neutrality laws, amliltary eXpe-
ditiOn and enterprise against British
North American Colonies was projected
and attempted to be carried on within
the territory ard jurisdiction of the Uni
ted States. In obedience to the Obliga-
ton imposed upon the Executive by the
Constitution, to see that the laws are
faithfully executed, all citizens were
warned, by proclamation, against tax
ING part in or aiding such unlawful
proceedings, and the proper civil, mill
tary. and naval officers were directed TO
take all necessary measures for the en-
forcement of the laws. The expedition
failed, but it has not been without its
painful consequences. Some OF our cltl-
Zens. who, it was alleged, were engaged
in the expedition, We're captured, ana
have been brought to trial a. for cap
ital Offense, in the province of Canada.
Judgment and sentence ofdeath have
been pronounced against some, While
Others have been acquitted. Fully be-
lieving in the maxim Of government,
that severity of civil punishment for
misguided persons who have engaged
in revolutionary attempts which have
disastrously failed, is unsOund and un-
wise, such representations have been
made to the British Government in be-
half Of the convicted persons, as being
sustained by an enlightened and hu-
name Judgment. will, tits hoped, induce
in their cases an exercise OF clemency,
and a iudiciOus amnesty to all who were
engaged in the movement. Counsel
has been employed by the Government
to defend citizens of the United States
on trial for capital offonses in Caqada;
and a adiscOntinuanceO the prosecutions
which were instituted in the courts OF
the United States against those who
took part in theeXpeditiOn has been dl-
rected.
Hon. the President Tjetcs the Subject.
| have regarded the expedition
only political in its nature, but as also
in a great measure foreign from the Uni
ted States in its causes, character and
objects. The attempt was understood
to be made in sympathy with an lnSHr-
gent party in Ireland, and. by striking
at a British province on this Continent,
was designed to aid in obtaining redress
for political grievances which, it was
assumed, the people of Ireland had sutt-
cred at the hands 0fthe British Govern
ment during period of several centu-
ries. The persons engaged in it were
chiefly natives of that country, some of
whom had, while Others had not be
come citizens of the United States un-
der our general laws of naturalization.
Complaints of misgovernment in Ire
land continually engage the attention
of the British nation, and so great an
agitation is now prevailing in Ireland
that the British GOvernmenthaved deem
ed it necessary to suspend the writ OF
habeas corpus in that country. These
circumstances must necessarily modify
the opinion which we might otherwise
h., or, in ri IN a
ditiOn expressly prohibited by our Neu-
traIity laws. So long as those laws re-
main upon our statue books, they should
be faithfully executed, and if they Ope-
rate harshly, unjustly or oppresslvely,
Congress alone can apply the remedy,
by their modification or repeal.
4 Representation Wanted for Greece.
Political and commercial interests of
the United States are not unlikely to
be affected in some degree by events
which are transporting in the Eastern
regions of Europe, and the time seems
to have come when our Government
ought to have proper diplomatic rep
reSentatiOn in Greece.
The Right Of Self Repatriation.
This Government has claimed for all
persons not convicted. or accused, or
suspected Of crime, an absolute pOliti-
cal right Of Self-eXpatriation, and
choice of new national allegiance.
Most of the European States have dis
sented from this principle, and have
claimed a right to hold such of their
subjects as have emigrated to and been
naturaliZed in the United States, and
afterwards returned on transient visits
to their native countries, to the per-
formance of military service in like
manner as resident subjects.
Complaints arising from the claim in
this respect made by foreign States,
have heretofore been matters of contrO-
versy between the United States and
some of the European powers, and the
irritation consequent 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 insisted upon it. France
has been equally forbearing; and Prus-
sia has proposed a compromise, which,
although evincing increased liberality,
has not been accepted by the United
States. Peace is now prevailing every
where in Europe, and the present seems
to be favorable time for an assertion
by Congress of the principle, so long
maintained by the Executive Depart
ment, that naturalization by one State
fully eXempts the native born subject