The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1868-02-22

disappointed, the promises of Legislators remain
fulfilled, and all the noisy FUSS and plentiful promise of
that precious Foreign Affairs Committee have simply
ended in bitter delusion and insolent mockery
First OF ALL to what the bill proposes do tenacts
nothing that not the law of the United States before
The solemn declaration with which it opens, that all
naturalzed citizens entitled to the protection
OF persons and property is accorded to nativeborn
citizens is simply solemn sham Did not everybody
above the level of idiot know that they SO en-
titled! Is not this the plain meaning OF the oath OF
allegiance which binds the authorities of the American
Government, by whom it is administered, to protect as
citizens those who take upon them all the obligations of
citizens Is not this the very principle that lies at the
foundation of the national independence of these United
Sates IF this is not so-if men, who happened to be
born UNDER the rule of foreign prince potentae
afterwards swear honest allegiance to the American
Republic and yet not entitled to every protection of
life and liberty of person and property which the Gov
vernment of that Republic can give-the neither
George Washington, nor Thomas Jefferson, Benja-
min Franklin entitled to such protection for not
one of them was native-born American citizen They
were all native-born "subjects" of George III. and
became American citizens by their act when they
renowned allegiance to the English tyrant and
fealty to the young Republic It is waste of
words to argue such question Either foreign-born
citizens have in all respects, equal rights with those
who natives of the country, the American Gov
eminent is one of the hugest swndles of the universe
After filling our mouths with the empty spoon of the
most pompous and needless declaration the bill goes
to designate the ways and means" by which the afore
said rights are to be maintained and defended "The
President is to be empowered to employ all the
of the (American) Government in just efforts to secure
from other Governments the necessary recognition Of
and due respect for the rights of citizens. Again
we constrained to ask where is the necessity of any such
enactment? Does not the entire world know that the
President has the power already Is it not bringing
Goals to Newcastle with vengence to put him in pos
session of power which the very nature of his Office
as chief magistrate of independent nation proves
that he always possessed, and always must have pos
sessed 1t is either downright stupidity, orwhat is
far more probabe-it is the refinement of dishonesty
mock an injured and expectant people with such rfng
as this But the honorable gentleman for Missouri
well expressed it-during the course of the debate
in quotation from the dramatist, they who so glib
in speaking the words of promise to the ear" do So
in all probability, to the mean and unmanly pur
pose which they entertain, Of breaking it to the
hope"
We want no empowering of the President The
President has power enough already. He always had
power enough to protect every American citizen from
insult and injury either in England in Prussia, to
the ends of the EARTH All that the present occupant
of the Presidential chair wanted and continues want
is the WILL the inclination and the readiness to his
immense and unquestionable power by land and to
hold the honor of his country and to the nvio
liable safety of his citizens This admit, not
law enacted by all the authority Of the national repre-
sentatives in Congress assembled give him. This
alas the history of Southern Reconstruction only too