Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-28

The Savigable Waters OF California,
WASHINGTON, March 27th.-Colonel G. III.
Mendells final report upon his project to
protect the navigahle waters OF California
against the effects of hydraulic mining has
been prepared with unusual promptness. and
advance copies were received by the House
Committee on Commerce to-day, in accord
ance with an arrar cement made by the Chair.
man of the committee, who intends to bring
the subject up for consideration at the ear
lest possible period. with a view to having an
appropriation for this purpose inserted in the
annual river and harbor bill. He is conf
dent that the committee will act upon the
proposition favorably, and that an adequate
appropriation for beginning the work will be
provided by Congress during the present
session.
The President and the Chinese Bill.
WASHINGTON, March 27th-Rumors that
President Arthur intends to veto the Chinese
bill are extensively circulated, and find some
believers but all the members Of the Pacih
coast delegation continue to feel cheerfully
confident that he will on no account fail to
sign it.
The Mcsweeny Case-Letttr of His Wife
TO Blaine Bcsweeny Writes to His
Daughter.
CHICAGO, March 27th.-The Times Wash
ington special says: The case of Dsniel Nc
Sweeuy, citizen of the United States incar.
cerated in Ireland under the provisions of the
Coercion Act, is attracting a good deal OF
attention. An account of the arrest of Nc.
Sweeny is given in letter from his wife to
Blaine, dated August 8, 1881. This letter
says
Sir Some four years ago l came with my family,
on account of my husbands failing health, to reside
fanp in this country / That Eng
land claimed this island, but | was under the i'm
preston that Americans might venture to travel OF
reside abroad, protected by their flag but in this
l was mistaken, for on the morning OF June I'd Of
| this year our house was surrounded by an armed
band of men-Yictoria's hirelngs-andmy husband
who was slowly recovering from severe at
| tack of sickness, his life having been de
SPARED of two weeks before, the blood
| hounds being on his track, was seized
and forcibly torn from the bosom Of mis- family
dragged distance OF some 200 miles and cast into
| British bastile charged with being reasonably
suspected " of something. 1t was not alleged tina,
he had committed any crime or violated any law
He, being American citizen, immediately for
w3rded his naturalization papers, together with his
solemn protest against this British outrage, to the
American Minister at London. That gentleman an
swered that the matter would be laid before one
Granville, and that inquiries would be made as to
the ground of his arrest. Here the matter,
rested, and my husband is now about
two weeks in jail. Now, sir,
do net know this Granville, to whom American
Minister kindly refers, but do know that you,
Hon. James G. Blaine, are Secretary OF State for
the great American Republic and to you, in your
capacity as representative of that free and great
country, appeal for protection. l am an Anieri-
can. my husband is an American citizen, and he has
committed no crime. The English Parliament
abolished civil law in this country some months ago,
and passed Act for the better prot, ct:on of per-
son and property but which in reality is Act for
the destruction OF person and property Armed bands
Of police and soldiers make daily raids through tn
1aI h-f hair
al their deputies These fellows are called in this
country Dukes, Earls, Lords, etc. They clothed
with full power to levy and collect rs much taxes
they please and in case OF refusal or inability of the
poor people to pay, they have power to level their
house and pass, in the words OF EDgland's Pr me
Minister, sentence of death on them. They are
generally successful, as the people are unarmed and
the tax collectors are b. cked by the whole English
army This system causes famine in this country about
every years, and the Americans are call on to
sen some Indian meal TO feed the "'Ungry
Hirish" The tribunals, called in America Courts
of justice, in this country are presided over by
these tax collectors and their deputies. AS in
stance of how justice is dispensed in these Courts,
the other day young man testified that he saw a
policeman commit murder with the butt OF his
musket. The Court acquitted the policeman, but
the witness IVES reasonably suspected" and SEN
fenced to fourteen months Imprisonment. tax
collector, MIGRANTS Olphert, Of this county, sent
his horses and carts, and carried away poor
womans crop, growing on her land from seed OBJ
refused permission to erect schoo-houses on his
20 900 educate his g. 900 serfs alleging
that il those people were educated landlord
could not walk out Of his house. My husband ex-
pressed his opinion that those things wrong,
and for the expression of those opinions he was
cast into British dungeon. ask, Will the Ameri-
can Government protect mt? This destruction OF
person and property Act spares neither age nor
| have opinions that already known to the en-.
envy. am liable at any moment to be cast into a
dungeon. Our arms have been taken from us, my
crop is destroyed by vermin, my husband, in deli
cate health is pinng in prison. " Iii you leave me
unprotected in the enemys country, with eight
American orphans on my hands! Hat we been
citizens OF any other free, civilized country, of
OF the petty South American Republics possess
ing one ironcad, the brutal British Government
would o not be permitted 10 murder usbani. You
may say you aIe a. eace with Z odd, but will the
nations of the earth say England Is atpeaee with you
while she condemns your citizens to eighteen
months IMPRISONMENT without trial? Was it in
vain that taught my American son, who raised the
emblem of liberty in the face OF his fathers captors,
Enchanting, You will pay for this some time "
that under It's pure folds every American would be
protected, and that it was not a Haunting lie.
In letter to bis daughter Mamie, Daniel
McSweeny says:
Iappealed to Mr.. Lowell U. S. Minister at London,
for protection, but he answered that it absurd
for a naturali ed citizen of the United States to
claim protection. He says even American citizens
could only have reeour to an appeal to the courtesy
of the British Government to be released. He add
ed, in later communication, that the british Gov
eminent refused to give any information about the
charge against me, and that they snubbed him.
Your mother wrote 10 Mr.. Blaine about my case,
but that gentleman did not deign a re-
ply. / have heard nothing whatever from
h,m About couple of weeks ago l saw
IN the English papers a report OF his speech
In Philadelphia, wherein he states that he is more
loyal to Queen Victoria than a British subject. So
/. would appear that appealed to the wrong man.
/ in Jail months CHARGED
with crime and not even a shadow OF suspicion
that violated any law, and when our American
Minister asks civil question about me he is
snubbed, insuted and his flag tramped on but he
does not appear TO make fuss about it, and the
American Government takes no notice OF the ques-
ton, any more than the King OF the Sandwich
Islands would. Truly it IL rather an awkward posi-
ton for me. / swoIe allegiance to the United
states renounced my allegiance to all kings princes
or foreign potentates forever but most particularly
TO Queen Victoria, Of whom it was alleged | was a
subject, but which deny; but went through the
form, lest she might claim me-
la transmitting petition from over sixty
prominent citizens of California to Secretary
Frelipghuysen in McSweeny's bshalf, the
entire delegation OF Senators aud Representa-
tives in Congress from that State second the
wishes of the petitioners. ard ask that what
is right viii promptly and effectively be done.
A Train Robbers Confession-Not Always
Honor Among thteVess
KANSAS CITY (Mo), March 27th.-John
Laird, one of the injected b ue Cut train
robbers, made confession this afternoon at
Independence. He says seven boys were
with the old gang, which was headed by q
man be suppeses Yves Jesse James that it
was members Of the old gang who entered
the express car and went through the train,
ard that all the country boys did was to keep
W a racket On the cutsids. After the rob-
berry the entire party went into the woods a
short distance. where the leaders, who had
all the "swag" in their possession, said to
the boys Boys, we haven't got time
to divide. They are too hot after
u, and we cidn't get the money
We expected anyhow; but we will all meet
on the right fork of the Blue next Wednes-
day night. just one wetk from tonight"
With that all of the old gang mounted and
rode away with all the booty in their pos
session, while Laird and his comrades dis.
persed for their homes no richer than when
they started. Before the night arrived which
had been set for the divide, mcst of them
were safely jailed and the others were heeiog
the country as rapidly as possible. He de-
clares his belief that the robbery was a
put-up job, deliberately planned by James
and his gang, for the double purpose of Sc
curing the plumber and gettitg the country
boys into trouble, in order to divert the at
tention Of the authorities from their own
actions.
When the docket was called Iaird,s case