Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-12-08

tanning necessary and proper Intercourse
with the Republic Of Mexico.
Such was the condition of affairs in 70.
gard to Mexico, when, on the a9d of No.
vember last official attenuation was re.
ceived from Paris thst tho Emperor of
France had some time before decided not
to Withdraw q detsohment Of his forces in
the month Of November past, sccort!ing to
engagement, but that this decision was
made with the purpose Of Withdrawing the
whole of those forces in the ensuing eping.
OF this determination, however, the United
States had not received any notice or init
nation aud, so soon az the information was I
received by the Government, care was taken !
to make known its dissent to the Emperor |
of France. y /
1t Is master Of great regret that no CON
siderable advance has been made towards an
adjustment Of the differences between the
United States aud Great Britain, arising out
of the depredations upon our national CON-
merce and other trespasses committed du
ring our civil war by British subjects, in
violation of international law and treaty
obligations. The delay, however, may be
believed to have resulted in no small degree
from the domestic situation of Great Bri-
tain. An entire change of ministry oc-
Cured in that country during the last session
of Parliament. The attention of the new
ministry was called to the subject at on
early dag, and there is some reason to ex-
pect that 1t will now be considered in be.
coming and friendly spirit. The importance
of an early disposition of the question can
, not be exaggerated. Whatever might be
the wishes of the two Governments, it is
!, manifest that good will and friendship be.
, tween the two countries cannot be establish
cd until reciprocity, in the practice of good
faith and neutrality, shall be restored be-
I, tween the respective nations.
;. On the 6.h of June last in violation Of our
Neutrality laws, military expedition and
q enterprise against British North American
: Colonies was projected and attempted to be
;. carried on within the territory, and jurisdic-
tiou of the United States. In obedience to
!. the obligation imposed upon the Executive
!. by the Constitution, to see that the laws are
;. faithfully executed, all citizens were warned
., 10y proclamation, against taking part in or
: aiding such unlawful proceedings, and the
:. proper civil, military, and naval Officers
:, were directed to take all necessary measures
rs for the enforcement of the laws. The expe
,a dition failed, but it has not been without
Il its painful consequences. Some of our citi
NJ zens, who, it was alleged, were engaged il
the expedition, we're captured, and have
u, been brought to trial, as for q capital of
,n e fense in tie province of Canada.
ur Judgement and sentence of death hav,
d. been pronounced against some, while other
ne have been acquitted. Fully believing il
e. the maxim of Government, that severity o
ne civil punishment for misguided persons wht
r. have engaged in revolutionary attempt
of which have disastrously failed, is unsount
~ and unwise, such representations have beel
n made to the British Government, in behal
IS. of the convicted persons, as, oeiDg sustained
al by an enlightened and humane judgmen!
,r- will, it is hoped, induce in their cases a
Id exercise of cemency, and judicious ain
of nesty to all who were engaged in the move
%. men. Counsel has been employed by til
to Government to defend citizens of the Unite
nd States on trial for capital offences in Cant
on da; and discontinuance of the prosecr
nd tions which were instituted in the Courts c
YRS the United States against those who too
el part in the expedition, has been directed.
nj / have regarded the expedition as nc
ri only political in its nature, but as also in
lid great measure foreign frsm the United State
are in its causes, character, and objects. TIL
rts attempt was understood to be made
he sympathy with an insurgent party in Ir
ill land, and, by striking at a British provint
ra on this continent, was designated to aid
obtaining redress for political grievance
ri which, it was assumed, the people Of Ir
rt- land had suffered at the hands of :he Br
nd fish Government during period of sever
ose centuries. The persons engaged in it we
ow chiefly natives of tha. country, some
of whom had, while others had not, becon
citizens of .he United States under our ge
no era laws of naturalization.
,tic Complaints of mispeyernmcnt in IreIar
Ill. sl,a %Ee
or British nation, aud so great an agitation
liza NOW nrevailino in Ireland that the Rriti
seq Government have deemed it necessary
our suspend the writ of ha6eas corpus in th
nn- country. These circumstances must nee,
sarily modify the opinion which we mig
eie- otherwise have entertained in regard to
the expedition expressly prohibited by our ne
We trality laws. So long as those laws rema
in upon our statute books, they should
era faithfully executed, and it they opers
rea- harshly, unjustly, or oppressively, Congr'
md alone can apply the remedy by their mod
rise cation or repeal.
utr Political and commercial interests Of I
United States are not unlikely to be affect
''' in some degree by events which are transE
=. ing in the eastern regions of Europe, a
'ihg the time seems 10 have como when our Gt
$ oi ernment ought to have proper diploma
T, on representation in Greece.
I'M ;ns This Government has claimed for all p
~ ~ sons not convicted, or accused, or suspect
80 of crime, an absolute political right of 81
"'"' cxpatriaton, and a choice of new nation
allegiance. Most of the European Sta
the have dssented from this principle, a
rom have claimed right to hold such of th
nted subjects as have immigrated to and b,
ara naturalized in the United States, and aft
Ielui wards returned on transient visits to th
native countries to the performance of m
t by tary service in like manner as resident 8
; the Jects. Complaints arising from the clr
ates in this respect made by foreign States, h'
the heretofore been matters of controversy
ould tween the United States and some of
pres European Powers, and the irritation cor
just quent upon the failure to settle this ql
lived lion increased during the war in VIII
hich Prussia, Italy and Austria we're recently
ding gagged While Great Britain has never
r ap- knowledged the right of expatriation
yonr has not been equally forbearing, and Pru
this has proposed compromise. which, altho'
N I sal l;baraI,fy ho.