The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-12-07


exercise ofelemency and jadicious
amnesty to all Who were eBaaged in
the movement. eCounsel las been
employed by the Government to de.
fend citizens of the United 'States on
trial for capital gofFences in Canada;
and diseontinuance of tile prose.
cutions which we're instituted in the
courts of the United States against
those who took part in the expedition
has been directed. =
l have regarded the expedition as
not only political in its nature, but
as also in a great measure foreie IN
from the United States in its cause,
character and objects. The attempt
was understood to be made in sym
pathy with an insurgent party In Ire
land, and, by striking at a British
Province on this Continent, was de.
signed to aid in obtaining redressf for
political grievances which, it was
assumed, the people of Ireland had
suffered at the hands of the British
Government during period of sev
cral centuries The persons engag-
ed in IL were chiefly natives or1hat
country, some of whom had, while
others had not, become citizens OF
the United States under our general
laws OF naturalization. Complaints
of misgovernment in Ireland contin.
ually engaged the attention OF the
British nation, and so great an agita.
tion is now prevailing in Ireland that
the British Government have deem
ed 1t necessary to suspend the writ
OF habeas corpus in that country. =
These circumstances must necessari.
ly modify the opinion which we might
have otherwise entertained In regard
to an expedition expressly prohibited
by our-neutrality laws. So long as
those remain upon our statute books,
they should he faithfully executed,
and if they operate harshly, unjustly,
or oppressively, Congress alone can
apply the remedy, Ivy their moditica
tion orsrepeal.
Political and commercial interests
Of the United States are not unlikely
TO be affected in some degree by
events which are transpiring in the
eastern regions of Europe,sand tho
time seems to have come when our
Government ought to have a proper
diplomatic representation in Greece
The Government has claimed FOR
all persons not convicted, oraccused
or suspected of crime, an absolute
political right of selr.expatriation,
and a choice of new national allie
glance. Most of the European States
have dissented from this principle
and have claimed n right to hold sucl
of their subjects rs have immigratct
to and been naturalized in the United
l States, and afterwards reformed OF
transient visits to their native coun
tries, to the performance of military
service in like manner as reside |
subjects, Complaints arising from
the claim in this respect made 10y
foreign States, have heretofore been
made matters of controversy 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 Aus
|; tria were engaged. While Grea
Britain has never Acknowledge th,
right OF expatriation, she has no
practically insisted upon il. Franc,
has been equally forbearing; ahC
Prussia has proposed compromise
which, although evincing increased
lliberality, has not been accepted by
the United States. Peace is now pre-
vailing everywhere in Europe, anC
the present seems 10 be favorabl,
time for the assertion by Congress,
of the principle, so long maintaineJ
by the Executive Department, thu
naturalization by one State fully ex
empts the native.born subject OF an,
other State from the performance o
military service under any foreign
government, so long as he does no
r voluntarily renouncc its rights anC
benefits.
!, In the performance Of duty i'm
! posed upon me by the Constitution
| have thus submitted to the Repre-
scntatives of the States and of tn
, People, such information of our do
mestic and foreign affairs as the pub
lie interests seem to require. Gu
Government is now undergoing it
| most trying ordeal, and my earnes
prayer is, that the peril may he sue
cessfully and finally passed, witheu
; impairiug its original strength an,
symmetry. The Interests of the la
top are, best to be promoted by tn
I revival Of fraternal' relations, th
n complete obliteration of our past dit
. ferences, and the Inauguration of tn
3 pursuits of peace. Correcting ou
\ efforts to the early Accomplishment
4 of these great en.ls, let us endeavo
n to preserve harmony between the &C
ordinate Departments of the Go,
Il ernmcnt, that each lin its p-o2e
sphere may cordially cooperate wit
il the other in securing the mainter
q ance OF the Constitution, tue presel
II vation OF the Union. and the perpetr
A ity of our free Institutions.
,.tlgfVs ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1866.
l. last SATURDAY. niUht tho orornr