Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-12-06

law anu treaty oblSauons, Inc delay, howev-
er may be believed TO have resulted In no small
degree from the domestic situation Of Great
Britain. An entire change Of ministry occurred
in that country daring the last session OF Par
Lament, The attention of the new ministry
was called TO the subject at an early day, and
there is some reason 10 expect that IL will now
be considered In becoming and friendly spirit
The importance of an early disposition OF the
question cannot be exaggerated Whatever might
be the wishes OF the two governments, II is
manifested that good will and friendship be
tween the two countries cannot be established
until reciprocity, in the practice of good faith
and neutrality, shall be restored between the
representative nations.
FENIAN MATTERS,
On the 9th of June last in violation of our
neutrality laws, a military expedition and en-
terprise against the British North American
Colonies, was projected and attempted To be
carried on within the territory and Jurisdiction
of the United States, In obedience to the OBJ
legation imposed upon the Executive by the
Constitution, 10 see that he laws are faithfully
executed, all citizens were warned, by proCl8-
nation, against taking part in or aiding such
unlawful proceedings, and the proper civil,
military and naval officers were directed To take
all necessary measures for the enforcement Of
the laws. The expedition failed, but II has not
been without its painful consequences some
of our citizens who, il was alleged, were en-
gagged in the expedition, were captured and
have been brought To trial, as for capital Of
Tense, in the Province of Canada. Judgment
and sentence of death have been pronounced
against some while others have been acquitted.
Fully believing in the maxim of government,
that severity of civil punishment for misguided
persons who have engaged In revolutionary az
tempts which have disastrously miled,i is unsouud
and unwise, such representations have beer
made to the British government, in behalf q
the convicted persons, as, being sustained by an
enlightened and humane Judgment, Will, IL Is
hoped induce in their cases an exercise of elem
ency and iudiCiOus amnesty To all who Wert
engaged in the movement. Counsel has beer
employed by the government To defend citizens
Of the United States ON trial for capital Otienses
ia Canada; and discuntinuanCo of the prose
CATIONS which were instituted in the courts of
the United States against those who took part
In the expedition, has been directed.
have regarded the expedition as not only pO-
Ntical in its nature, hut as also in great meas
ure foreign from the United States Units causes,
character and objects. The attempt was under
stood to he made in sympathy with an !nsuTgent
party in Ireland, and, by striking AT a British
Province on this continent, was designed to aid
in obtaining redress for political grievances
which, il was assumed, thep people Of Ireland had
suffered at the hands Of the British Government
during a period of several centuries. The per
sons engaged in il were chiefly natives OF that
| country. some of whom had, while others had
| not. become citizens Ui the United States under
| our general law of naturalization, complaints
| of misrOvernment In ireland continually engage
| the attention of the British nation, andso great
| an agitation Is now prevailing in Ireland that the
| British Government have deemcdI neCessaryto
| suspend the writ of hahCas corpus IN thAt couE-
/ try. These circumstances must necessarily MOD
| ify the opinion which we might otherwise have
| entertained in regard tOan expedition expressly
| prohibited by our neutrality laws. 80 long As
| those laws remain upon our statute books, they
| should be faithfully executed, and IL they ope
| rate harshly, uniusuy or Oppressiyely, Congress
alone can apply the remedy, by their modlsta
ton or repeal.
GREECE.
Political and Commercial interests ofthe 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 a proper diplomatic representation IN
Greece.
NATURALIZED CITIZENS.
This Government has claimed for all persons
not convicted, or accused, or suspected of crime,
an absolute political right of self-expatriation,
and choice of new national allegiance. Most
| of the European States have disSented from tins
| principle, and have claimed right to hold such
| Oftheir subjects have immigrated to and been
naturalized in the United States, and afterwards
returned on trancicnt visits to their native coun-
| tries, to the performance of military service IN
| like manner as resident subjects. Complaints
arising from the claim i'll this respect made by
| foreign States, have heretofore been matters oil
| controversy between the United States ana
| some of the European powers, and the irritation
| consequent upon the failure to settle this ques-
tiOn increased during the war in which Prussia,
| Italy and Austria were recently engaged. Nhue
| Great Britain has never acknowledged the flghl
| ofexpatriatiOn, she has not particularly INSISTED
, | upon il. France has been equally iorbearlnE
, | and Prussia has proposed compromise, Whlch
, although evincing increased lberaIity, mas no
I been accepted by the United States. Peace IL
: now prevailing everywhere in Europe, and tn,
! present seems to be a favorable time for an az
seTtiou by Congress Of the principles so Ion!
T. maintained by the Executive Department, tina
l. naturalization by one State fully cXCmpt- fn
: native-born subject OF any other State from tn
n | performance of military service under any for