The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-04
becoming and friendly spirit.

the QueSt1On cannot Oe exaggerated.
Whatever might be the wishes of the
two Governments. it is manifest that
good will and friendship between the
two countries cannot be established
until a reciprocity in the practice of
good faith and neutrality shall be
restored between the respective ma
tions. On the 9th of June last, in
violation of our neutrality laws,
military expedition aud enterprise
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 obligation i'm
posed 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, mil
ltary and naval officers were directed
to take all necessary measures for the
enforcement Of the laws. The expe-
dition failed; but it has not been
without its painful consequences.
Some of our citizens who, it was al
legged, were engaged in the expedi-
ton, were captured, and have been
brought to trial as for capital offence,
in the Province of Canada. Judg-
ment and sentence of death have
been pronounced against some, while
others have been acquitted. Fully
believing In the maxim of Govern
ment, that severity of civil punish
ment for misguided persons, who
have engaged in revolutionary at
tempts, which have disastrously
failed, is unsound and unwise, such
representations have been made to
the British Government in behalf Of
the convicted persons, as being sus-
tanned by an enlightened and humane
Judgment, will, it is to be hoped, in
duce IN their cases an exercise of
clemency, and judicious amnesty to
all who were engaged in the move
ment. Counsel has been employed
by the Government to defend citi-
zens OF the United States on trial for
capital offences in Canada; and dis
continuance Of the prosecutions
which were instituted in the courts
of the Unitod States, against those
who took part in the expedition has
been directed. [ have regarded the
expedition as not only political in its
nature, but as, also, in a great meas
ure, foreign from the United States
IN its causes, character and objects.
The attempt was understood to be
made in sympathy with an insurgent
party IN Ireland, and by striking at
q British Province on this continent,
was designed toad in obtaining re-
dress for political grievances which.
it was assumed, the people of Ireland
had suffered at the hands of the Bri-
tish Government, during a period of
several centuries. The perso.:4 en-
gagged in it were chiefly natives
of that country, some OF whom
had, while othets had not, become
citizens OF the United States.
Under our general laws of naturaliza-
tlon complaints OF misgovernment
III Ireland, continually engage the
attention Of the British nation, and
SO great an agitation is now prevail
ing in Ireland, that the British Gov
ernment have deemed it necessary to
suspend the writ of ha5eas corpus in
that country These circumstances
must necessarily modify the opinion
which we might otherwise have
entertained in regard to an expedi-
ton expressly prohibited by our
neutrality laws. So long as those
laws remain upon our statute books
they should be faithfully exc
cuted; and if they operate harshly,
unjustly or oppressively, Congress
alone can apply the remedy, by their
modification or repeal.
The political and commercial inte-
rests of the United States is not un-
likely to be affected in some degree
by events which are transpiring in
the Eastern regions Of Europe, and
the time seems to have come when
our Government ought to have pro-
per diplomatic representation in
Greece
This Government has claimed for
all persons not convicted, oraccused,
or suspected, of crime, an absolute
political right Of self-expatriation,
and a choice Of new national allie
glance. Most of the European States
have dissentea from this principle,
and have claimed a right to hold such
of their subjects as have immigrated
to and been naturalized in the United
States, and afterwards returned on
transient visits to their native coun-
tries, to the performance of military
service in like manner as resident
c11hinntc Gon,,>1o;o+c5