The Portland daily press., 1868-01-13

iIoh'' VI hdViuS received them we must use
Ihe whole power Of the nation to secure them
from harm wherever they NAV be- even in the
very mouth of the British lion himself (Au-
plause)
The band here pl3yed swearing of the
Green" after which the committee on resolu-
uons reported as follows: d.
Whereds, the Government of Great Britain has.
IN eefance OF tho comfy of nalous and in violation
OF international law arrested and earcerated eiti-
zens OF the United States who visited their domin-
ions ON pleasure or business, aud sentenced them for
alleged Offences committed on American soil and
within the United States, to long terms of mprson-
meat in British prisons, and at the same time DENY
and g4B5a ? s7CT77f - = 'A''''- ~
,,WAyreas by tie Constitution of the Unitedstates
all citizens thereof are entitled TO protection in the
enjoyment OF life, liberty and property, and in no
event can se deprived the enjoyment OF either un-
less by due process of law; and o-ls Err
Whereas, by law, made in conformity to the Con-
,sttution of the United States, aturalzed citizens
are entitled to all the rights privileges ami iminun-
tion OF being Ineligible TO the office of President Of
the united States as provided by the Constitution
Wherees, by the laws of the United States, per
son of foreign birth, desiring to become citizen
thereof, mus take upon himself the most solemn
oath to. support the Constitution ,ot The United
States ami the laws made in pursuance thereof and
that he does thereby nounce all allegiance and
fidelity to every foreign Prince, State power and po-
teutate and more particularly to the sovereign of
whom he was la G subject; and in return the Cow
eminent of the United States, which he has sworn
( JOSuppOrt, pfOnOuHCeS ana guarantees to him the
protection as q citizen thereof, as though he had
been citizen by BIRTH and
Whereas, the Government of Great Britain claims
the doctne OF allegiance to be s'once subject al
ways subject" and denies the right of the subject
to Withdraw and expatriate himself therefrom so
that in time OF war between the Government of the
United States and any foreign power the naturazed
citizen, born within the limits of the power against
whom the United States are at war, would DO com
PEELED TO take no arms against the same Government
he hal sworn TO uphold and support a doctrine so
monstrou and absurd that no true Amer lean citizen
OF the United States can sanction il; therefore, be it
Resoired. That we, he native born and natural
lied and adopted citizens of Portland call upon the
Government of the Y nitef Statesto make good its
plighted filth to every citizen who has foresworn
all allegiance and fidelity 10 foreign powers and to
protect him equally With the native born citizen by
the strength OF It's right arm III Che peaceful pursuits
of life, whether at home or abroad. -
Resolved, That on every battlefield from Lexington
and Concord to the close of the late terrific war; cit-
of the United States OF foreign birth have freely
shed their blood IN behalf of their adopted county,
and atested the sincerity OF their love of liberty ami
equal rights, the only boon OF frcemen, and that we
pledge ourselves to agitaie this question until all
mOnarchial Governments have learned and been
forced to admit that person once admitted to the
rights and privileges of citizen of the United States
is no longer cal cd upon to submit TO their tyraDcai
power, and that such Government does not question
his nativity. sf r fof srsf;l- isfff'-eslI
ResoIved, That the dignity of this Republic re-
qnires in order to maintain its sacred pledge to the
naturalzed citizen, the recognition by the world of
the principle that .once natnralized for alb
solved from all former alleeiance," and that no
power sha maintain doctrines at variance Herewith
ResoIred, That the City Council of Portland and
the Legislature of Maine be requested to invoke The
Congress OF the United States declare the nation
al will Enthusiastically on this important question.
The chairman next read a letter from Gov.
Chamberlain, expressing much regret at his
inability to be present, and declaring that the
time has come when the rights OF our foreign
born citizens should be defined and measures
taken to secure due respect for them. Fltta
Mr.. j. e. Fitzgerald, who was cast away IN
on our shores in the Inflated Bohemian, was
then introduced as a half naturalized citizen
formerly of Dublin, late of the Bohemian and
now of Boston, who if he kept straight on
would be as good as any of us before long"
Mr. Fitzgerald is q handsome young Irishman,
with voice like q waterfall and at easy, devil
may-car air which is exceedingly attractive
he said the purpose of this meeting was to call
on Congressto complete the work of the Revo-
luton. From vine-clad France and the banks
of the classic Rhine and the Danube from the
bleak mountain-sides of Starving, oppressed
Ireland, drawn by their love of liberty, the en-
lgrants come. The poor exile of Erin sWears
tealty to the American flag and expects pro-
lection. Well does he perform his part of the
compact Whenthe flag after waving for eighty
years was torn down by a traitorous and rebel
lious faction, side by side with the New Eng
lander the Irish American with his little flag
IDof 9S in one hand, took the field Irish Wild
ows and sonless Irish mothers all over the land
tell how well he fought No names on our
army rolls shine brighter than the Cochranes.
the Mu1igans and Meaghers. No drawer bows
| fought on any field from fredericksburg 10
Corinth than that Wild harum scarum devil
may-care boy from the banks of the Shannon
But when broken down by campaigning, this
scared veteran goes back to the old country
| proud of his American citizenship, his mus
tache and square-toed boots arc suspected by
| the British spies. They fear he is going to get
up an earthquake in Old Ireland. He is ar
| rested for his Yankee-Irisl independence, tried
| before partial judge and q packed Jury, con-
| victed on the testimony of false witnesses, and
| packed OF to prison IN spite of his claim to
| American citizenship. This is no warm snun
| for the occasion. Two years ago Fernando
| Wood and Stephen Joseph Meany addressed a
| Fenian meeting at Joneswood New York
! Meany was allaturalized American, and Fe-
| MAN, fine, tall fellow, forty-iye years old
| had been editor of the Toledo Commercial and
| afterwards of the Irish Press of New York.
The Press failed and stopped. Hewent to Eng
land on private business From Liverpool to
London he was logged. In London he was
| kidnapped aud sent to Dublin, He was held
in prison until an informer from New York
could be produced against him. Nothing was
| proved against him except the words spoken in
| New York, and for these he was sentenced to
| fifteen years Punishment TO the penal colonies
Now mark the difference between the native
| and the naturalized citizen, Fernando Wood.
who addressed the same assembly of Fenia rs
| at JonesWoOd, goes to ireland, is introduced to
Lord This and Lord That; nobody NEEDLES
with him; he returns to America and now
holds seat in Congress, while poor Meany is
| serving out his tedious SENTENCED There was
| John Warren, heunteant-colonel of the SSth
| New York, in 81 engagements He was arrest
| ed in Ireland, confined five or six months with
| no charge against him, and shipped back to
| New York. There was Condor of the SD
New York, imprisoned in the same way nut
| on bread and water because he eheered for
Amsfica on the 4th of July, and finally ship
| ped to America. Americans should rise lin
| againt these outrages. Their Justification is q
4 theory which Hallam calls a relic of feudal-
| ISM" The revolution of 1776 was an assertion
| OF different theory, and the whole progress OF
| American history has been continual asser-
| ton of citizens right of expatriation We
have fought four years to free the negro, and il
| WIS Well The one stain on the American FLAG
is now erased, Slavery was a curse to the
| master it brutallaed and the slave 1t debased
| 1t is a curse in Ireland to-day. We have freed
| four millions of blacks; now let us listen to
| the ten millions of white citizens who demand
| protection. There is no need of any declara-
tory act Of Congress-. what we wants towake
| up the sleepy Executive and tell him to recall
| Charles Francis Adams flom the Court of st
| James and demand the release of Stephen
| Joseph Meany and John Warren. (Appiause)
A letter was here read from Major A. w
| Bradbury, explaining, that he was detained by
| circumstances beyond his control, and express
| ing his sympathy with the object of the meet
| ing. A letter was also received from Adjutant
General Caldwell, complimenting the soldiers
| of the Irish brigade, formerly part of his
! command, and fully concurring in the move
nient for the protection Of our citizens abroad
TIC chair then introduced Mr.. w. w. Thorn
as, Jr, who related very graphically how two
| years ago Hungarian refugee lay for DAYS on
| the coast.Of the Mediterranean Watching for
the American flag; how he was snapped up by
| soldiers and clapped on beard an Austrian
| frigate; how he was claimed as anAmerican
| citizen by an American cruiser; and how on
| the Austrian making some difficulty about Civ
| ing up the prisoner, the American Just ranged
alongside, grappled the frigate, run out his
| guns, double shotted, and retorted, "Put that
man abroad my ship in an hour, or I'll blow
| you out of the water" Half an hour was
enough. Mr.. Thomas would have this country
say to England now, by the voice Of Farragut
or Grant, Let those men go, or wen blow YOU
out of the water" (Applausel 5lldiI A & :
James o'Donneh, Esq, was the last speaker.
MIR. O'Donnel thought the opinion the chair
| man had pronounced on this occasion much
more satisfactory than some he had heard him
| utter from the bench. This is an old quarrel
with England, George Ill claimed the ALA
glance of Washington (applause) and the sign
| ers of the Declaration of Independence. The
treaty of Client did not settle it. After thirty
| years of peace, British cruisers claimed the
right to kidnap American sailors Lundy's
Lane and the other victories of the war of 1872
| did not settle it. Native citizens of New York
have been imprisoned in England within a
year, charged with treason These outraces
cannot be endured, All the Maine Represen-
tatives in VongGess are heartily in favor of
| this movement and the Senators will NOT he
found behindhand. England has ALWAYS bee
hostile to the United States. She reclaimed
only a few years ago two American citizens,
who had been taken from under the protec-
tiOn of her f1ap. and Mason opd CI;ln1I -