The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-04-04
American Suspects In British 'Dails.

American suspects In British 'Iails.
The imprisonment of Irish American cit
zens as ''suspects" under the coercion act
without opportunity for defense or knowledge
Of the charges against them, is unfrendly
treatment Of our government, and it is graft
fyine to know that the state department i.
making dillgent inquiry into the subject. The
refusal of Earl Granville to inform Minister
Lowell of the charges upon which Mr.. Nc,
Sweeney, Of San Francisco, had been impri
soned was too complacently received by oul
representative. The subsequent admonitior
by Mr.. Lowell that "such pei sons" ii. e.,
naturalized citizens of the United States
must be taught that they cannot be Irishmen
and Americans at the same time was very
true as to any Irish Americans guilty of en-
couraging revolt against British authority, but
very un American and uncomfortable as applie,
to worthy citizens Of the United States visiting
in the United Kingdom and conducting
themselves lawfully, but unfortunate enough
to be suspected by an English constable or a
mercenary Irish spy and infoImer The better
an Irshman loves his native land the better
he loves this land of liberty and equal oppor-
tunites. As to the idea that our citizens Wis
ting in Ireland are to be subjected TO the tyr
amy which follows the suspension of all laws
for the protection of personal liberty, we do
not believe it. Undoubtedly all persons who
visit England from abroad must obey her
laws, and abstain from contributing in
any manner to disorder. lit can be shown
that any of our naturalized citizens now in
English prisons have violated any law or in
cited others to disObcdlenCe, let them suffer
the penalty Of that law. Aliens in our Coun-
try are subject to our laws as we'll as citizens.
But because our citizens in England are amen
able to English law it does not follow that they
may be caught in steel-traps or imprisoned
for life without accusation or trial simply be-
cause English law which protects personal
liberty has been suspended. England may
deal as harShly with her own subjects as the
judgment of other nations may consider with.
in the line which separates barbarlsm from
nations will see their unoffending subjects OF
citizens crushed by her mailed hand or sacri.
feed to her policy in Ireland.
Mr. Lowell, in his letter to Mr.. Merritt, oul
consul general at London, who had transmit
ted the application Of an American citizen
named Hart. besides using the phrase to which
execution has been taken, declared that he
could see no reason for expecting England to
distinguish between our citizens and her sub
jects. But she does make that distinction
when she enliStS soldiers, and she may fine
our government in Washington insisting tina
she must give reasons for deprvng American
citizens of liberty, even in localities where she
enforces land laws by suspending all others
Even Mr.. Lowell concluded his letter to Mr.
Merritt by saying that although Hart had nc
right to be told in what he had offended, yet
of course, if there were any facts to show tina
his was an exceptional case, they ought to be
forwarded in order that if injustice had beer
done him it might be the subject Of proper &C
tiun This was all Hart had applied for.
The state department will soon be in pos
session of all facts and papers which could be
had from Minister Lowell, and will no doub
see that Justice is done. Our naturalizeC
friends must have patience. What they wan
is to see innocent persons liberated. This car
be done by a show of firm purpose. A
quarrel with England Is not what is wanted
A vindication of naturalzed citizenship is the
desired result. Our flag would not he worthy
of respect if it would not shield an lrish-Amer'
lean visiting the grave of his mother as jeal'
ously as it would guard one of Minister Low,
elps Harvard Chums on Journey through the
Orient Washington Republican.
A lady travelling in Switzerland has written
a letter for the Buffalo Courier, giving her inn
pressons of the public schools of that country.
The school buildings are roomy and well ven
tilated. The pupils are slower than Amer
leans, but better drilled and more thoroughly
taught In teaching history great principles
are dwclt on rather than trivial details, and
sensationalism and narrow sectionalism are
carefully avoided. The decipline has nothing
of the strictness of American schools, and
longer recesSes are given. In the primary de
partments the children are taught to play half
the time. Every child up to sixteen years of
age must attend 60 Iernment school. Con-
sequently private schools are only rcsorted to
for finishing the pupils. This provision is
made to insure the instruction of the young in
the principles of republicanism. All the
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