Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-18
Hurlbut's Attack ON Blaine.


Mr.. Hurlbut. formerly editor Of the
New York World. has been employed by
the New York Herald to write series
of letters upon Blaine's foreign policy,
and especially as relates to Ireland with
the view Of recovering for Cleveland
that portion Of the IRISH vote which
shows signs of going for Blaine Mr.
Hurlbut brings to the task the very inn
porlant qualifications of tluency, super
ficiality, ignorance of international law,
and private spleen against James G.
Blaine 1t is admitted with regret by
Mr. Blaines best friends that the adam
istration of President Garfield made a
questionable appointment when it sent
General Stephen Hurlbut, Of Illinois, as
Minister to Peru. Not that General HUH
but has not bis good points, which doubt
less his brother William does well, in a
family sense, to hold 10 lively remem-
brance. But "Steve was a dreadiuuy
spontaneous and previous y sort of u
fellow, who had a fearful habit of talk
ing before his ideas came, a habit
which seems not to be wholly unshaTed
by his afTectiouate brother On this
account il sometimes happened
that Steve would undertake to
tell Peru and Chill, and incidentally
France and England, what the United
States thought and what in certain con.
tinpencies the United States would do,
when IN fact it was only S. H., and not
the IT. S. that was of the way Of think
ing. For this Mr.. Blaine gently cor
rected and child the nervousness of
Stephen. as by virtue of his office as
secretary of state he might lawfully do.
These gentle chiding5 linger as a grew
ance i'm the memory Of his equally flu
ent and sumptuous. brother. who has the
reputation OF being able to fill an edit
orial page with more words and fewer
facts per diem than any other Amen-
can journalist. Hence the Herald made
a good selection in. procuring Hurlbut
to discuss Blaine's foreign policy.
The point which grieves Mr.. Hurlbut
is that in violation of the constitution
of the United States Great Britain was
permitted through her parliament to
suspend the habeas corpus act in Ire
land. under pretense that certain irish
men were plotting the overthrow of the
British government, and having sus-
pended the habsas corpus actthe British
government arr sted and detained GER
tain Iri.h-American citizens temporarily
stopping in Ireland on suspicion of be-
ing concerned in these plots, and as II
only suspected them and did not claim
to be able TO make out a proved case OF
treason against them, 1T held them with
out accusation as suspects, and dis
charged them without trial.
In Boston, Mr.. John Boyle O'Reilly,
Mr. Curran, and Genearl Patrick A.
Collins. have been induced toy the elo-
uuence Of Mr.. Hurlbuts arguments tc
give their constitutional opinions as
international lawyers. that Mr.. Blaine
was in error in not demanding that the
constitution Of the United States be i'm
medlatclv enforced ia Ireland, ana that
these men be ensured prompt trial be-
fore an impartial jury.
Candor compels US 70 say that were il
not for certain qualifying and mit1gat
inc circumstancestheirc case against Mr.
Blaipe would be a good one
There are doubts whether the consti
tuition Of the United States prevails
throughout the British Empire with tn
same absolute supremacy which IS ac
corded 10 it il our republic, But IT y
did, there still remains the point that II
cases of rebellion and INVASION th'
right 70 the writ Of habeas corpus may
be susp. nded even under the terms q
the constitution. Where it is suspended
the right to make arrests OF persons con
templatiug treason or rebellion, and Z
hold them on suspicion without elthe
discharging them, accusing tlsm, q