Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-03-10
George Peabody, the Alien. .
From the Philadelphia Gazett


Inview of the seizure by theCrown
of certain property of Mr.. Peabody
under the alien laws, it becomes a
matter of curiosity, at least, to know
what the rights and disabilities of an
alien are under the English law
In the Golden time an alien had,
practically, no rights, and all disa-
bilities. Now the rigor of those old
days is relaxed; /; but not as much as
civilization, Christianity and COM
mon intelligence demand.
: BY the express, provisions of and
SsViet., G. 66.s. 4, and alien may take
and hold every species of personal
property, except chattels real, as full
ly as if he were a natural born sub
ject, including those acquired by
testanentary disposit tions. He may
be executor or administrator and, as
to personal property, "may be a
trustees, like anybody ELSE" - 80
q The incapacity of aliens now con-
sists mainly in. three things:
They are incapable of any politi-
cal Irights, Including that of holding
any Office ofTtrust, or becoming a
member of the Privy Council, or OF
Parliament.
They cannot hold landed estate ex-
cept for a term not exceeding twen-
,ty-ones years. -. s4s.a s..fli
They cannot own British ships. =
There are, also, in the same stat
ute, regulations bywhich an alien
may become entitled to. all the rights
and capacities of a natural born sub
ject, except the capacities before nam
ed. iAfft r5;gn q
Byforce of an earlier statute III
and u Will. LII, o. 6, s. g. all per
sens, including naturalized aliens
may inherit and make their titles by
descent from any: of their ancestors
lineal or collateral, although theil
| father or mother, or other ancestors
by, from, through or under wholr
they derive their pedigrees, were borI
kout of the British realm. -Te ~
This last provision effects the
heirs resident in this country of Eng
lish Estates rather than aliens OF
English soil.
Aitheugh this Seizure of the Pea
body property is spoken of by tn
/ Crown, ft is not likely that the Gov
efnment is moving actively in tn
matter. Information has probably
/ been made and proceedings instftut
4 ed under some one of the older stat
4 utes giving the informer share
and the inforEner is always, in such
case,sto be looked on as the actua
prosecutor.
1T seems singular that MIR. Pea
1 body an intelligent and shreWd bus
/ mess man guarded at all times b.
the best legal advice of this countr.
and England, would have owne
any real estate exposed to the opera
ton OF these ne1fseva1 statutes II
seizure was risk he always run.
Is5. Although the crown of Eng1an
lmay not be the immediate mover i
the affair, it is responsible for, tn
shame and odium.l The. disgrace {
Il the action cannot In any way nos
q be avoided. but the least reparatio
that can be made would be the repee
Of the bar barous statutes. s93e "a
Their alien laws are a relic of ban
barism and of a time of ignoranc
land illiberaI thought. They Presum
4 every foreigner TO be an enemy an
dangerous, to the State Modern II
! diligence recognizes no such FOOLS
Iand unchristian discrimination, an
Z proved its fallacy We have litera
a ElY built ourselves up with alien IL
II dustry aud energy and Wea lthT-th
wealth Of muscle, mind and moneJ
If this discredf dftable system result
N an agitation and discussion {
: those statutes which snail lead
Il their abrogation, twill be, after al
Il the best seizure that has been mao
{ for centuries, and Mr.sPeabody, ave
? Tin his death, will have conferr ed al
! other benefit on the common peop
lof England. 6r,,+sst --s4.r- sf~rsff +