Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-15
LOWELL AND FREIINGHUYsEN
The Governments Attitude in the Mat
ter of American Susnects.

The volume of diplomatic correspon-
-dence for the year 1882, which is now be-
ing prepared for publication, will contain
two interesting letters between Minister
Lowell and Secretary Frelinghuysen in
regard to the governments attitude to-
ward the suspect clause of the prevention
of crime act. Mr.. LOwelrs letter, which
bears the date of July IA, 1882, and en-
closed two copies of the act, saws:
lit is the revival OF the alien act as
part OF the crimes act which alone directly
concerns our relations with this govern
ment. Questions are likely to come under
1t which will need to be treated with eX-
treme delicacy and discretion.
"There must be great number of nat
uralized American citizens in Ireland,
besides those that have rendered them
selves obnoxious to the local authorities,
and the alien clauses of the act may very
probably strengthen the completion of
private enmity and bring false accusa-
tions, as it undoubtedly increases the
opportunity for them. have every rea-
son to believe that under the present gov
ernment the act will be applied with eau
tiOn and discrimination; but change of
Ministry may take place at any moment.
In any event, however, / think myself safe
in predicting that the provisions of the
act will be brought to bear ONLY in the
cases of men who have made. or NAV
make themselves particularly prominent
by Indictment to disorder or defiance of
authority"
Secretary Frelinghuysen, replying un-
der date of September y, says:
at is, as you justly observe, the revival
of the alien act as a part of the crimes
act, that more directly concerns us. and
it is this feature of the measure which has
caused theePresident to feel anxiety .rs TO
its possible effect on the business and So
clal relations of American citizens. par
ticularly those of Irish birth. Many Irish
American citizens have parents brothers
and sisters resident in Ireland. and when.
ever they learn Of their destitution. as the
most effective mode of relief they send a
member Of the family to Ireland with the
means to aid them. The possibility
that persons in pursuit of their lawful
business enterprises, or in their mission
of benevolence, should come under the
operation of the proceedings contemplated
by the provisions of the new law, is much
to be deprecated. The opportunities for
this kind of annoyance which the act af-
fords for the qualification of private en-
nifty, as You justly remark. increases the
grounds of this apprehension, and when
to this is added the superserviceable zeal
OF local officials,it is hardly to be expected
that an Irish-American citizen. however
innocent he might be in act and interest.
should consider his person or his property
safe in that country.
''His private, although temporary abode.
may be forcibly visited by night or day.
his papers and his valuables may be taken
from him and subjected to search, and he
may be ordered out of the country at the
will of the Executive with the stigma of
guilt upon him, and without having had
an opportunity for hearing or trial. The
President, moreover, can not contemplate
the enforcement of this measure on mere
suspicion against American citizens,
without fears of its having an unhappy
influence upon the good feeling which ex-
lists between two great nations of COM
mon origin and common language.
81 need scarcely add that the govern
ment has no sympathy with the motives
or the methods OF this class of indiscreet
individuals, insignificant in number in
this country, whose ill-directed zeal can
neither serve the cause of Ireland nor re-
fleet credit on the country of their adOp-
ton. The law-abiding and peaceabie
American citizens of Irish birth should
not be exposed to suffer on their account. -