Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-01

DUH altG- LIE LACSt4Hb VI buC p4CccAli
Congress, q great show of zeal for the
protection Of natUrslized citizens was
displayed in the House of Representa-
.tives, and bin for that purpose passed
the House and was sent to the Senate.
The House bill provided, that in case
American citizens were illegally seized
and imprisoned in the manner that had
been Witnessed recently, then our au-
thorities should be empowered to adopt
retaIiatory measures, IS a prompt and
decisive mode Of redress. We had tried
negotiation without effect, and it was
admitted that the existing laws were
insufficient to secure that protection
which 40 American citizen is entitled TO
enjoy. This legislation was demanded
in consequence OF the violent proceed
fngs Of the British Government for
words spoken and acts done by various
persons In the United States, who hap
pened afterwards to be found in Ireland,
but invested with the rights and privi-
leges Of cur citizenship.
This bill was referred to the Committee
ofForeign Relations Of the Senate, and
It was supposed that it would be imme-
diately acted upon and reported back 10
the Senate for passage. But it was at
hrst attempted to postpone the bill until
the next session, and thus dodge the is.
sue. From the commencement of the
Government the rights of naturalized
citizens have been left underlined, and
- cir persons, in foreign countries, I'M
= Elected, on account Of the impossible
ty Of giving them the protection to which
they are lawfully, or at least by the obi
cations Of national honour and good
faith, entitled, without mourning the
hazard Of war with more than one Euro
pean Power. The adoption Of measures
sure to lead 10 that result, was Of course
deferred as long as possible.
But early in the session of Congress il
became manifss tBat acgion on the sub
iect WIS imperatively demanded, by the
arrest Of naturalized citizens in Ireland
and England. Unless the Jacoblns were
willing to lose the Irish and German
vote. it was necessary that they
should have done with fair
professions AID brsg, gas and bluste-,
and act, in manner that should be ef-
fective. They proclaimed their inten-
ton to do so, but Sumner, the veriest
coward in America, is Chairman of the
Committee to whom the bill was con-
signed, and the Committee retsined 1t
for several months, having only recently
reported.
About the time when the report was
made, the New York Tribune sounded |
the retreat, by pronounclng that ioreiga |
subjects ought not to be arrested here, if |
their Governments should arrest and /
imprison q naturalized { citizen. 1t
Pecksnifiishly declared this contrary to
sound reason and moral right, and that
the law which required Gan eye for an
eye and tooth for a tooth f" had been
abrogated long ago.
The Committee solved the problem
f" hosg not 10 ito IT," They reported a
poor, miserable, snesking sham, scared
AZ the fear OF collisions with foreign (
movers to such an extent as to ineapacl-
tate them to put forward even q pre-
tence OF protection. This is the thing
which Summer and his associates re-
ported:
ind be q further enacted, That when
aver IL shall Oe duly made known TO the
President that any citizen OF the United
states has been arrested and is detained
Nv any foreign Government, In contra
Vention of the intent and purposes Ct
this act, upon the allegation that natu.
in the United States does not
,nara e 10 dissolve his allegiance 10 his
1esive s,,vereien; or il any citizen shall
,sve haeu arrtsted and detained whose
-siasse upou dsmeud shall have been un-
delayed or refused, It shall
Be- the duty Of the Efssieert forthwith %