Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-03-25
THE IMPRISONMENT OF AMERICAN
CITIZENS. aia
From the New York Sun. ]

[From the New York Sun.l
While Secor Robson and his worthy
associates we're boasting In the house OF
representatives of the conduct Of the
republican party in protecting the
rights OF naturalized citizens abroad.
The Sun republished from the Irish
World, correspondence between Mr..
D. McSweeney, an 1rish-Amsrlcan citi.
zen imprisoned in Dundalk Jail. aud
Mr.. Lowell, Minister Of the United
States in London. a'A1 H'H
1t appears that Mr.. NcSweeney was
arrested, CONDEMNED, aud sentenced
to sixteen months imprisonment. with
out trial by judge or jury" He was
only permitted to know the nature OF
the complaint against him by tho alle-
gatious in the warrant of arrest. He
applied to Mr.. Lowell for his official
inte, ventlon. and the comfort he got
from that diplomatic representative 10
best made known in his own words: I
"LEGATION OF THE UNITED
STATES. Sept. p, 1881.
MR.D. .MCSwBENEY-Sir: 81 have to
acknowledge your letter Of the 18th in
slant. I haze not thought 1T proper
to make any application for your re-
lease from prison, for the following
reasons. The coercion act, however
exceptional and arbitrary, and contrary
to the spirit and fundamental principles
OF both English aud American jurispru-
dence, is still the law OF the land, and
controls all parties domiciled in the
proclaimed districts OF Ireland, whether
they are British subjects or not. 1t
:, uld be maniiestly futile to claim that
..iuralized citizens Of the United
4otuies should be exempted from its
0perotion."
Tbs is the sort of answer which Mr..
~ 'iue gave, while secretary OF State, in
-. OCounor's case, and those OF other
"uai urallzed citizens OF the United
States," who had been seized by the
British government and cast into dun
geons upon warrants perhaps issued on
the testimony Of paid and perjursd in
formers.
They were allowed no opportunity OF
defense or fair hearing. The British
authorities would not bring them to
trial, and would give no explanation
beyond the charges on which the arbi-
trary arrests were made. Mr. Blame
and Mr.. Lowell came to the conclusion
that "it would be manilestly futile to
claim that naturalized citizens [drawing
q wide line between them anu mai iural
born citizens of the United States
should be excepted from its Oper.
htion." Iu other words, despite
our treaty, American citizens may be
forcibly taken to prison and kept there
Indefinitely, upon mere allegations,
without chance to establish their
rights or to prove their innocence.
This monstrous doctrine, for Tar less
than which we went to war seventy
years ago, is submissively accepted by
the republican party and its official
organs without word OF protest. And
in the recent debate involving the whole
principle at stake on this subject, there
was not single member OF the house
who exposed the outrage as ought to
have been done.
II England will not do justice to these
imprisoned citizens Of the United States
then the min ter who is there should
be instantly Withdrawn. This IS the
short way OF cutting the knot. What
sort Of all envoy Is it who tells fellow
citizen harshly shut out from his family
and his friends, IL have not thought il
proper to make any application for your
release from prison ?"
| No self-respecting government would
tolerate this impressment OF its citizen.
or subjects without peremptory de-
mand tor redress. The insolence which
MIR. Blaine and MIR. Lowell submitted tc
from the foreign Office in London, with.
out even weak word of remonslrance
almost surpasses belief. When MIR
Lowell meekly asked ior all explanation
In one casc, here is the account he give
OF the answer:
'In another, dated the 9th of july
last. he Lord GranvilIe] stated, in re
gard Lo my request to be furnished witt
1.-The particulars Of the unlawful acts u