Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-12-13
TcoNTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

peditlon failed, but 1t has not been without
its painful consequences. Some of our citi
zens who, it was alleged, were engaged in
the expedition, were captured, and have
been brought to trial as for capital offence,
in the Province of Canada. Judgments
ard sentences of death have been pronoun.
ced against some, while others have been
acquitted. Fully believing in the maxim
of Government, that severity of civil pun
isbment for misguided persons who have
engaged in revolutionary attempts which
have disastrously failed, is unsound and un-
wise, such representations have been made
to the British Government, in behalf of the
convicted persons, as, being sustained by an
enlightened and humane judgment, will, ii
is hoped, induce in their cases an exercise
of clemency, and judicious amnesty to
all who were engaged in the movement
Counsel has been employed by the Govern
ment to defend citizens of the United States
on trial for capital offence in Canada; and
a discontinuance of the prosecutions which
were instituted in the courts of the United
States against those who took part in the
expedition, has been directed.
I have regarded the expedition as not
only political in its nature, but also in a
great measure foreign from the United
States in its causes, character, and objects
The attempt was understood to be made in
sympathy with an ipsurgent party In Ire
land, and, by striking at a British Province
on this Continent, was designed to aid in
obtaining redress for political grievances
which, it was assumed, the people of Ire
land had suffered at the hands of the
British Government during a 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 under
our general laws of naturalization. Com.
plants of disagreement in Ireland con-
tinually engage the attention of the British
nation, and so great an agitation Is now
prevailing in Ireland that the British Gov
ernment have deemed it necessary to sus-
pend the writ of habeas corpus in that
country. These circumstances must neces
sarily modify the opinion which we might
otherwise have entertained iu regard to an
expedition expressly prohibited BY our
neutrality laws So long as those laws re-
main upon our statute books, they should
be faithfully executed, and if they operate
barshly, unjustly, or oppressiVely, Congress
alone can apply the remedy, Gy the modit
cation or repeal.
AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THE EAST.
Political and commercial interests in the
United States are not unlikely to be affected
iu some degree by events which are trans
piring in the Eastern regions of Europe,
and the time seems to have come when our
Government ought to have proper diplo.
matte representation in Greece.
NATURALIZATION AND ALLEGIANCE
This Government has claimed for all
persons not convicted, or accused, or sus-
pected of crime, an absolute political right
of self-expatriation, and choice of new
national allegiance. Most of the European
States have. disseuted from this principle,
and have claimed 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 countries, to the performance
of military service in like manner as resi-,
dent subjects. Complaints arising from the
claim in this respect made by foreign States,
have heretofore been matters of controversy
between the United States and some of the
European Powers, and the irritation conse-
queut upon the failure to settle this ques-
ton increased during the war in which
Prussia, Italy, and Austria were recently
engaged. While Great Britain has never
acknowledged the right of expatriation, she
has not practically insisted upon it. France
has been equally forbearing; and Prussia
has proposed a compromise, which, although
evinciDg increased iberality, 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 assertion by Congress Of the principle,
so long maintained by the Executive De-
partmeDt, that naturalization by one State
fully exempts the native born subject of
any other State from the performance of
military service under any foreign Govern
ment, so long as he does not voluntarily re-
nounce its rights and benefits
CONCLUSION
In the performance of duty imposed
upon me by the Constitution, l 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 finally
passed, without inpairing its original
strength and symmetry. The interests of
tue nation are best to be promoted by the
revival Of fraternal relations, the complete
obliteration of our past differences, and the
re-inauguration of all the pursuits OF peace.
Directing our efforts to the early accom- plish-
ment of these great ends, let us endeavor
to preserve harmony between the co ordinate
Departments of the Government, that each
In its proper sphere may cordially cooperate