The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-06-19
The Feeling In England.

LONDON, June 6.-The news of Blaine 3
nomination, although not unexpected, has
been received with profound regret by
nearly all English politicians. Blaine i
looked upon as an AnglOphObiSt, and his
success at Chicago is largely attributed to
Irish influence. Special dispatches from
Chicago to the S$eaaelard and Telegraph con-
tain the following statements
Among the principal causes which
brought about Mr.. Blaine's success were,
first, his popularity among American An
glophobists, and secondly, his greaS pOpu-
larity among the Irish Americans. His
due mainly to his activity while Republi
can leader In Congress during the years
1867, 1868 and 1869, in forcing England to
recede from her claims of allegiance upon
British-bOrn subjects who had become
naturalized as American citizens. This
activity was developed in the case Of Au-
gustus Costello, who, with large number
of other Irish Americans, including Gen
eral Denis F. Burke, was arrested in Ire
land and tried for utteyanoes made in the
United States.
Costello was arrested while in Ireland
in 1867, and placed ON trial for a speech
made in New York, while an American
citizen, in 1866, which was construed as
reasonable. Under the act of 1S48, which
especially declared England's right to
punish upon British sol British born sub
jects for reasonable utterances or per-
formances made npon foreign territory
Costello was sentenced to sixteen years
penal servitude. His claims of American
citizenship were ignored upon the ground
that there was nothing in any treaty exist
ing between the United States and Great
Britain debarring Great Britain from
claiming as a British subject any person
born on British soil. Costello was removed
to Millhank Prison. Blaine organized a
Congressional agitation, which resulted in
the liberation of Costello, and all his col
leagues who possessed full American nat
uralizatiOn, and in the treaty of 1870, in
which Great Britain surrendered all claims
of allegiance fl ON British subjects who
became naturalized as American citizens.
Blaine IS given by the Irish the full
credit of .extorting this treaty from Great
Britain, and of enabling Irishmen, by free
agitation, to form American opinion as a
factor in coercing England to deal justly
/, with ireland, without suhjecting them
selves as formerly, to arrest and punish
ment as traitors. Blame, also, it is be-
,lieyed, seGnyed the Incorporation IN the
Chicago platform OF the declaration in
taV0r OF leRlSlatAoh lNohlpltllg ailenS from
acquiring fee in American land, a principle
he adopted from the platform of the Amer
ican-Irish Land League. For these reasons
he will secure the support of the League
and draw the bulk of the Irish vote from
the Democratic party. Blaine's Panama
Canal policy has endeared him to the masses
of native Americans.
The above statements and others of SIM
liar import are making deep impression
here and Englishmen are disposed to b.
lieve that Blaine's candidacy represents a
sort of Irish aseeNdepey in American pol
itics and augurs. In the event of his cleo
ti0n, lingo policy in the foreign relations
of the United States.