Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-04
AMERICANS ABROAD.
OUR FOREIGN POLICY DE-
NOUNCED.
Grand Mass Meeting In New York
British Arrogance ArraIgned -
Lowell and FlunkeYism Scored.

New YORK, April ga great throng as
sembled at the Cooper Institute tonight,
the occasion being mass meeting called by
prominent Irishmen of this city to protest
against the action of the English Govern
ment in OBTAINING American citizens In Eng
lish prisons. When the doors were opened
every seat was soon occupied, including the
platform chairs, IN many of which
were ladies, and a number of Catholic
clergymen. In the rear of the speakers
desk was life size portrait of the late Gov.
Marcy. The audience was an intelligent
body and represented principally the mid
die and working classes. On the platform
were Mayor Grace, the Chairman; Patrick
Ford, Chairman of the committee of arrange
ments, Prof John r. Brophy, Vice President;
Augustine E. Ford, Secretary; Edward j.
Rowe, ex-Speaker SsEzdel j. Randall, Con-
gressmen William E. Robinson and s. s.
Cox, Gen. Roger A. Pryor, Col. Frederick
A. Conkling, O'Donovan Rosa, Stephen J.
Meany, Eugene Kelly, Senator Jones Of
Florida, and Miss Lubina Davitt, sister of
Michael Davitt.
The proceedings were not opened until
o'clock, when Secretary Ford briefly stated
the object of the meeting and introduced
Mayor Grace as presiding officer Of the
meeting, who made the opening speech.
In the course of his speech he said: "Our
cause OF complaint is that the representa-
tives of the American Government, the
only asthority to which our imprisoned
fellow citizeas can prefer their complaints
against the arbitrary action OF the
British officials, are lukewarm or alto
gether inactive In protecting their rights.
Our law is very explicit that in such case
the President shall forthwith demand the
reasons of such imprisonment, and, If it
appears to be wrongful and In violation Of
the rights OF American citizenship, the
President shall forthwith demand the re.
lease of such citizen. For many weary
months these men have been held In dur
ance, and our government offers them no
aid. 1t is apparently satisfied that 1t has
done it's duty, when it has secured from
Lord Granville the information that
he will give no satisfaction. Here the mat
ter would be allowed to rest. For, ac-
cording to our Minister at the Court of st.
James, "dear Granville has assured him
that there is reason for what has been
DONE" and "dear Granville is the man
whose word can be relied upon" We are
here this evening, gentlemen, according to
the words of the CALL TO demand that our
government extend to these men the full
protection that their allegiance to 1t guar
aDtees.
He then introduced Hon. s s. Cox, who
spoke at some length to the text conveyed
in Mayor Grsce's statement. After reciting
the action OF our government in parallel
cases In former years, the Martin Kosseta
case and the more recent cases of
naturalzed Germans, and the under
lying principle OF our naturaliza-
ton laws, that naturalization places
a. AN.,Ao
of citizenship with natives born. He as
serted that the action of England in the
cases Of imprisoned Irishmen was a viola
ton of treaty obligation, and our Minister
TO England acquiesces In this violation.
"What is the remedy" said Mr.. Cox. "Two
remedies for breach of treaty are known
to the law of nations. One is amicable
by diplomacy, the other is hostile by arms.
Ii our Minister fails let us call him home
and seek one less in accord with feudal
views and more in accord with the genius of
our locomotive age-one endowed with the
spirit of the American people, as Madison,
Jackson, Marcy and Seward understood and
administered it. But it is said ENGLAND
treats our citizens as Irishmen, who forget
that they are Americans. Well, now, she
does not inquire what they have done. She
does not anewer our requests to be informed
save by pointing to warrant for arrest on sus-
picion. She does not try. She asserts and i'm
prisons without judge, jury, legal warrant,
and she imprisoned for no definite crime or
time. Her coercion law defes habeas cor
pus, and Magma Chartar is to her a dead
letter. With us they are vital to liberty.
The right to hold Parnell, Davitt and Dillon
may be conceded as among municipal right,
however grlevous and wrongfully; but under
our treaty and with the elemental thought
of our age as 1t interprets she must answer
to us for the cause for capture and detention
of our own citizens. Less than this we can
not ask; more we need not as Americans
demand"
Ex-Speaker Randall followed Mr.. Cox in
a speech equally vigorous in denuncIation
of our foreign policy and of our representa-
tives in England.
Letters were read from Vice President
Davis, Senator Jonas and Representative FL
lis, of Louisiana, Senators Cockrell, Vest,
Pendleton, Lapham, Fair, Frye, Money and
other prominent men.
The resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted, first express sympathy for the i'm
prisODed citizens and displeasure at the Off
cial neglect or evasion of duty which has
abandoned them to the mercies of their un-
scrupu)ous iaiers.
Second. That the sycophantic bearing of
Mr.. Lowell, joined with his euperhuous re-
plies to the appeals Of our unlswfully i'm
prisoned citizens, have been received by the
OnA'ON RY1'So WAOh AhNlSudviOn onO NAOEUD'f
that his conduct will bring the American
name into contempt, and that the honor of
the nation demands his recall. The resolu-
tioDs quote and reaffirm the language OF
Madison and Jefferson, that in spite of
treaties England is sill our enemy
and that her professions of
friendship are hollow pretense, denounce
1upkeyism, which airs itself in anglicized
circles in this country, sffectation of Eng
lish ways, Difference for English opinion
and aping of English manners, as entirely
foreign to the spirit of our fathers.
The resolutions further decisre that the
present Is not an Irish or an English ques-
tion, but decidedly an American question,
and request the President, in compliance
with the duty imposed upon him, to de-
mand the release Of American citizens now