New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-27
AvEETClY CITIZENS ABE11D.

When British subject comes to this coun-
try To live, he is bound to obey the laws oi tins
country. Those laws are not made to please
Great Britain. but to serve the interests of our
own people. If the British citizen does not
wish to obey them, he can 20 away, but 50 long
as he chooses to stay ne Is sul icct TO orr laws
precisely a. American citizens are. II is on the
same principle that American citizcns, native
or natulalzed, if they choose to reside in Great
! Britain. a.e bound to obey British laws. If
they do not they have no right to defence from
our Governments because, knowing what those
/ laws are, they are free to return to this coun-
try if they do not chOuse to obey them
These are not new principles The United
States enforced them against British subjects
who disregarlcd our laws during the Civil
War. 1t has never attempted to claim that
American citizens, when in England or ireland,
could with mpunty disregard British law.
lmmcdI tely after he became Score
tary of state. while interfering to pro-
tcct the rights of American citizens
in Ireland, Mr.. Blaine wrote: " If American
citizens, while within British jurisdiction
"ollcnd against British laws, this Government
"will not seek to shield them from the legal
consequences Of their acts" The justice of
candid man. It's exactly the position which
has since been maintained by Mr.. Frchnghuy-
sen, the present Secretary of State. Indeed, no
American Administration could well undertake
to maintain that American citizens living in
Great Britain could violate British laws with
IMMUNITY. i'm view of the following passage in
/ letter of Secretary Seward, dated September
| 1862, when the release OF British subjects who
! had violated our laws was aslcdi
Il me GOV rnmnn ~ the United st'e' 20 he OK
reccd 20 put In arms and yet leave persons
nj liberty WHO q capable offs reading uon. Ger
taulv he Government cIud not expe % to maintain "
altlfi lowed such mi-cIi y0us license 10 American
citizens can tn be different when The dangerous
person ncr living under he protection Of this
/ Government
On this point that American citizens who
choose to reside abroad must obey the laws
under which they choose to live there
can bc no dispute But persons ac-
cusod are entitled To- an an early and fair trial
British laws enacted for the suppression of re-
aistaucc i'm Ireland were, in important p1lticu-
lars. highly rcmgnant tu American feelings.
/ Mr. Blaine repeatedly urged upon the British
Government that the Coercion metz phoud
not be- az applied against Hn American citizen
IA 10 den, him speedy ttAl Hat the british
/ Government pointed to the fact that the United
| Staton had alHo been compelled to adopt hini
/ lar stringent mcHnufca during the trhclli"n
| whore speedy uial or the release ot prisoners
was not compatible with the public safety II
urged that Americans were subjected 10 no
other hardship than all British subiocis who
chose to remain within the disturbed dslrlcts
A discussion arose, in which MIR. Blaine con
tinucd to urge the speedy trial or release of
Americans accused of offences against British
law. While the discussion was In progress,
President Garfield was shot. For months he
lay between life and death. Consultation with
him on public affairs was forbidden. His Cab
met officers had no power whatever to take any
new steps for which he had not previously given
authority. Todemand that Great Britain should
recede from It's position, without authority from
the President to insist upon that demand to the
utmost, would have been agross breach of pro-
priety and disgraceful to the country. Of neces-
sity therefore, the debate could take no new step
while the President lay Oh his death-bcd The
/ Secretary Of State could only repeat formal re-
| quests, but had no power to present them I'm
more urgent form even If an extreme case had
/ arisen.
1t was natural that, at such time, many ap-
picatons for protection should be made by per-
/ sons who were not entitled To it. But the
official records prove that, in every case where
any evidence of American citizenship was pre-
scnted immediate representation on behalf of
the claimant was made to the British Govern
ment. In eight or ten cases only were these
representations Intellectual In some because ii
was found that the persons concerned were not
entitled to the protection of our Government,
and In some because the British refused 10 try
the prisoners at that time. Several of the
prisoners, 1t was found had returned from
this country to Ireland to resides had
bought property, engaged in businesses and
taken part in politics, and were actually
holding Office under the British Government
when arrested. In such case, the protection
of this Government had been voluntarily aban-
doned. In other cases, having protested In
vain, both before and after President Garheld's
! death. our Government suggested that the pris-