Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1866-12-13

gagged III revolutionary attempts which
have disastrously failed is uiisound and I'M
wise, such representations have been made
to the British Government, i'll behalf of
the convicted persons, as, being sustained
by all enlightened and humane judgment,
will, it is hoped, iuIuce i'll their cases an
exercise OF clemency, and a malicious am
nesty to all who were engagedin the move
ment Counsel has been employed by the
Government to defend citizens of the Uni
ted States on trial for capital offences in
Canada, and a discontinuance of the prose-
1cutions which were Instituted in the courts
of the United States against those who
took part in the expedition has been di-
! rected
| have regarded the expedition as not
only political in lis nature, but as also in
great measure foreign from the United
States in it's causes, character, and objects
The attempt was understood to be made
il sympathy with an insurgel4t party in
Ireland, and, by striking at a British PROV
nce on this continent, was designed to
aid In obtaining redress for political griay-
ances which it was assumed, the people
of Ireland had suffered at the hands of the
British Government during IA period of
several 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 un-
der .ur general laws Of naturalization. =
| Complaints OF mlsgovernmont III Ireland
continually engage the attention Of the
British nation. and so great an agitation is
now prevailing in Ireland that the British
Government have deemed it necessary to
suspend the writ Of }aoGsas corpus in that
country These circumstances must nee
essarily modify the opinion which might
otherwise have been entertained in regard
to an expedition expressly prohibited by our
neutrality laws. So long as those laws
remain upon our statnte books they should
be faithfully executed, and if they operate
harshly, unidstlv, or oppressiveiy, Con
gress alone can apply the remedy by their
modification or appeal.
Political and commercial interests Of the
United States are not unlikely to be affect
ed 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 di plo-
matte representation IN Greece.
This Government has claimed for all
persons not convicted, or accused, Or sus-
pected Of crime, an absolute political right
of self-expatriatiol, and choice Of new
national allegiance. Most of the European
States have dissented from this principle,
and have claimed right to hold such OF
their subjects as have imnigrated to and
been naturaliZed in the United States, and
afterwards returned on transient visits to
their native countries, to the performance
Of military service IN like manner as resi-
dent subjects. Complaints arising from the
claim i'll this respect made by foreign
States, have heretofore been matters OF
controversy between the United States and
some of the European Powers, and the r.
ritation consequent upon the failure to set
tie this question increased during the war
i'll which Prussia, Italy, and Austria were
recently engaged : While Great Britain
has never acknowledged the right OF ex-
patriation she has not for soue years past
practically insisted upon the opposite doc
trine France has been equally forbear-
ing and Prussia has proposed a compro-
mise, which, although evincing Increased
liberality, has not been accepted by the
United States Peace is now prevailing
everywhere in Europe, and the present
seems to be favorable time for an asser-
ton by Congress Of the principle, so tong
maintained by the Executive Department,
that naturalization by one State fully ex-
empts the native-born subject of any other
State from the performance Of military
service under any foreign Government, 50
.cAg as he does not voluntarily renounce
It's rights and benefits
Conclusion.
In the performance of duty imposed
upon me by the Constitution, I have thus
submitted to the Representatives, Of the
States and of the people such information
Of our domestic and foreign affairs as the
public interests seem to require. Our
Government is now undergoing its most
trying ordeal, and my earnest prayer is,
that the peril may be successfully and flu
ally passed, without ilnpairing its original
strength and symmetry. The interests OF
the nation are best to be promoted by the
revival of ffaternal relations, tAe complete
obliteration Of our past differences, and the
reinauguration Of all the pursuits Of peace.
Directing our efforts to the early accom-
plshment of these great ends, let us endeay-
er to preserve harmony between the CO.
ordinate Departments Of the Government,
that each in its proper sphere may cordially
cooperate with the other in Sc
curing the maintenance of the Constitu-
ton, tire preservation of the Union and the
pcrpetuity OF our free institutions.
ANDREW JOHNSON
WASHINGTON, Deceubcr 3, 1866.
Escobedo Defeated by CanaIes.
Cincinnati, Dee. ga special dispatch
to the Commercial from Brownsville, Tex
as dated November 30th. says Genearal
Sedgwick, on the oath, made formal de-
mand on Colonel Canales for the immedi-
ate surrender of bIatamoras, which was ac-
~ tba f,rt,H