The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-05-04

Dir, what IL ~ sltsuds q tho American
Government d this ums On this momontous
question: d IL one vhioh inspires : Il ling Of
satisfaction and pride In the American hssrt
appeal to the record. On tho 9th day Of tho
last month this body made inquiry in the fol.
lowing form aftsr ~ condition Of : citizen Of
tho United Statss thsn confined In British
jail
wHEaEAs. II = alisssd thst Daniel Mcswssnsy. :
citizen Of the United statss md stsly resident Of
the State Of CalisossiA while peaceably sojournns
In ireland. has without Just cause been impris
oned BY the Britain Government: Be Il therefore
Resolved. That the Secretary Of State b. snd i
hereby instructed 20 ascertain the cause for tho a.
legged imprisonment Of the said Daniel insolvency.
and make report to the Senate q the earliest day
possible.
On the 10th day Of March, eleven days after
the passage Of this psrsmptory resolution, tho
Secretary Of State transmitted to us his answer.
Every paxtcis q inloema ton on the subject
WAS in hts hands whom the resolution reached
him, and could have been reported in twenty
four hours had he reported "at the earliest day
possible" - instructed. Tho American State
Department, however, has always, in latc years,
taken it, groatsst leisure and proceeded most
slo,cy sohen an american citizen ,cds In a foreign
prison, and this diplomatic custom was not
broken in the present instance. But, sir, pre-
pared - WAS for the exhibition Of weak
foreign policy on our part. WAS utterly amazed
at the contents Of the communication from tho
Secretary Of Stats in this case. II appears that
Daniel McSwosney was arrested juno 2, 1881,
now more than sen months ago, and that he has
suffered in prison from that day to this. He
was dragged from . bed of sickness, in tho
presence Of his wife and children, by British
constables. He was guilty Of no crime, not
even the shadow Of any crimo known TO tho
laws Of any civilized nation on the face Of the
globe. . No Que will pretend that he was; no
one will rise here and say so. If tho party 90
long in power in this Government has . friend
on this noor who will risk his reputation in try
ing to point ont the guilt Of Insolvency., want
to hoar HIM. Lot b IA stand forth at once, and
reconcile ~. Il he can, to the policy Of the Ro-
publican party In relation to foreign-born citi-
IONS. THIS extraordinary document from the
State Department TELLS the whole miserable
story. challenge particular attention to dates.
On the Sd day Of August, 1881, Julia Nc
Sweeney wrote TO the Secretary Of State from
tho County Donegal, Ireland, in behalf Of her
husband. and her letter was received here in
Washington on the 18th day Of tho same month.
In that letter tie brave, high-spirited wife says
Some four yeass aeo came with my family, on &C.
count Of my husbsnds failing health to reside tenn.
porarily In this country. was aware that England
claimed this islend. but was under the impression
that Americana might venture to travel or reside
abroad protected By their dag. but in this Was mis-
taken.
And then shB proceeds, with woman's keen
sense of wrong and outrage, to describe the
brutal arrest Of her invalid husband. She con-
tinues -
1t 10 not alleged that he committed any crime OF
violated any Law. He. being American citizen i'm
medistely forwarded his naturalization papers, to.
gether with . solemn protest against this British
Outrage, to the American Minister ct London. That
gentlsmaa answered that the matter would be laid
before ons Granville. and that inquiries would be
made = 70 theground Of his arrest.
She protests that sho knows nothing of Gran
Vile, but does know that she is entitled to the
protection Of "ths Secretary of State of the
great American Republic" and exclaims, with
al the lofty foroo Of tho ancient appeal Of cti.
zen Of Rome whom Rome was greatest: ~ an
an American, my husband 10 an American c,ti-
zen, and hs has committed no crime" But this
grand hating CRY of distress found no Roman
spirit here; it fell stll-born in that Department
whore American rights have SO long been held
cheapest: 1t Waa never answered. This Ameri-
can woman. however, making her appeal to heT
own countrymsn from . foreign land, proceeds
to state the reasons for her husand's arrest and
to claim protection for herself and her children
Commenting on the kind of government "a
which the people Of Ireland are subjected, she
SAYS -
ono Of those tax collectors Wybrants Olphert Of
this county. sent his horses and carts and carried
away poor womsn's crop grown on her land from
seed obtained from charitable sources. This same
his 10000 acres to educate his 5000 serfs. alleging
= reason that those people were educated land
lord could not walk out Of his house. My husband
expressed his opinion that these things wrong
and for the expression Of those opinions he cast
into British dungeon. I ask. Will tho American
Government protect me? This destruction OF person
and property oct spares neither ago nor sex. hav,
opinions: this h already known to the enemy. an
liable at any moment 70 be cast into dungeon. Oul
arms have been taken from NJ my crop 10 destroyed
BY vermin my husband il in delicate health. pinint
In prison. VIII you leave me unprotected in thu
enemys country with eight American orphans on
my handsi
And still there was no response TO this Amer
lean wife and mother. She invoked the justice
Of Law for her husband, innocent Of crime, and
she asked, In respectful terms, whether she
herself would be protected, or left to share bis
late because she could not help sharing his
opinions. She spoke for him, for herself, and
tor her virtually orphaned children. Sir. /
government or tho department Of govern
ment which, in any age Of the worlds history
would turn deaf ear to burning words hk,
these could not complain of being regarded
with aversion and contempt in all quarters O
the GLOBE policy Of silence aud indifference
under such circumstances is 80 unmanly ani
pusllanimous that every American head vii
be bowed with shame and every American
heart filed with humiliation as the facts of thi.
case become generally known. I feel degraded
in my pride as citizen OF the American Repub
lie when compelled to state, ~ now do, will
the communication Of the State Department il
my hand, that until sir long aud ,red,v months |,
the prisoner after this Government had receiret
his rites letter moi single step ras tate> by tn
authorities here directing inquiry into the cir
'umstances OF his arrest. and then only whel
Influenced to do so by other considerations, q
! shall show. than : just appreciation Of hi,
claims to protection.
/ Mn. JONES, of Florida Will the Senator per
NIT me to ask him . question. without inter
rupting him? IL McSweeney now in prison?
Mr. voorhees, understand SO, as no motto,
whatever has been given of his release.
The womans appeal lay anheeded IN the Oh
cial pigeon-holes Of tho Department whose dut.
it was to protect her husband and all his fam
lily, but IN the meantime tho voice Of such q
outrage could not be sti1ed. and was finding ii
way 70 the public ear through moro natura
channels than the artificial and heartles