The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-04-22

- n1Qkyl!l
TIM ron lGnEio<R.
These = evegy yeasan % believe that
III. Lewsli, Aiaistes to Englawd, win
b rsealled IN tie near fhture. In The
Art plaee Il y but natural tho President
would like 70 MI that very important
mission with . man Of his own selee-
ton, and in the second place popular
ssutiment II almost . unit In demand
ing his recall. Nj. Lowell has not
proved Q brilliant succew in his pres
ent position. 1t II evident . mao may
be popular pact and sing sweetly Of
liberty and not possess the qualities
lions to discharge properly the respost-
bio duties Of representative Of great
people ct one Of the courts Ut Europe. II
Mr.. Lowell h not aware of this fact the
American people are. And they have
come to the conclusion that ono 10 care
iess of or Indifferent to the rights Of
American c3tisens abroad should
give place to some one more
jealous Of those rights and more
observant of the spirit Of the law
and custom OF this republic in respect Of
the guardianshi? Of those righn. Mr..
Lowell may enrich the literature Of his
country, but he will never add to its
lustre by his diplomatic career. A for
eign minister Of the United States who
In bis official capacity makes . distinc-
ton between the rights Of naturalized
citizens and the rights Of citizens native
born, misrepresents the laws and policy
Of the United States and the American
minister abroad who permits the Gov
eminent to which he IL accredited to be
the sole arbiter OF the rights Of Anleri-
eau citizens does not represent his Gov
eminent. OF these twooflenses Mr.. Low
ell has been guilty.
As early ~ May 1881 Mr.. Lowell's at
tention was called BY Mr.. Blaine to the
imprisoned Americans In Irish prisons.
In reply he obtained and forwarded to
the State Department copy Of the coer-
cion act, under which they were impris-
Toned. He sent the act III an answer to
the demands male npon him by Mr..
Blaine. Immediately upon receiving u
copy of the law the then Secretary in
structcd Mr.. Lowell Is follows:
IF American citizens while within
British jurisdiction offend against Brit
ish laws, this Government viii: not seek
to shield them from the legal CO,.se-
queues OF their acts; hut it must insist
upon the application to their cases Of
those common principles Of criminal ju-
risprudence which HeQuire that an nc
cusesi person shall, Immediately upon
arrest, be informed OF the specific crime
or Oifense upon which he il held. md
that he shall be offered an opportunity
for speedy trial before an impartial
court and jury % essential to every
criminal prosecution, necessary alike tn
the protection of innocence and the as
certainihent Of guilt"
These were plain words and their
meaning could not possibly lie mistak-
en-. Mr.. Lowell was inst ructetl that
the American citizen under arrest
should ''be informed Of the. specific
crime or 0ffcnse upon which lie is held,
and that ec shall he offered an oprOrtu-
nifty for u speedy trial before an impair
tial court and jury" 1t would seen,
with this instruction before hin, most
any man endowed with q fair amount
Of backbone and common sense would
have respectfully requested the Britis:,
Government to offer the imprisoned
American citizens a speedy and fair
trial, and in the event that could not b..
done, ut least to inform them of the char
gcs upon which they were held. In
stead Of doing this, however, NJ. Lowell
returns the following reply:
II would respectfully suggest whether
any steps would he gained towards the
speedy trial or release Of Walsh by an
argument against the law itself under
which he was apl,rehcndrs:, 80 long ~
Lord Granville expressly declines to
make any distinction between British
subjects and american citizens in the
application Of this law, a position which
l presume may Ike justified by precedent
under our diplomatic history"
Mr.. Blaine did not ask for Mr.. Low
ellis advice but he received it in that gen
tlenmn's s,.G!ycsti0ns. Did Mr.. IMwell
do anything? Nothing ut all. He not
only remained inactive when he should
have exerted himself, but l,assiveIy re-
ceivei the denunciations of the whole
American people for his neglect of his
apparent duty. 1t was not until about
three months ago, after the House Of
Representatives began its inquiries,
that *. Lowell bcstirrpol himself u lit
tie and gave the country the names q:
those American citizens in Irish pris-
ons. Here they arc rs reported Ivy
that gcnt!enan: 1.-THE following mr.
rests and iniprisonmemts of persons
claiming to be American citizens were