Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-09-06
THE MoSWEENEY CASE.
From the Pittstield Democrat.

So much has been said about the Nc
Sweeney case, which occurred while
Blaine was secretary of state, that we
publish the following, and all who
think Blaine will twist the lions tail,
or in fact do anything for the benefit Of
foreigners, can read the stand he took
for themselves how much he loves
foreign citizens.
Daniel McSweeney,a citizen of San
Francisco, while quietly soJourning in
Great Britain, was pOunced upon by
British detectives, thrown into prison,
and there kept without trial accusation
ward any criminal act or intent. He ap-
pealed TO the American government,
of which Mr.. Blaine was Secretary Of
State, i'll vain. 1t was MIR. Blaine's
business to interfere in McSweeney's
behalf. But he did not. At last the
case was brought to the attention OF
Senator Voorhees,, Il democratic sena.
tor from Indiana, who, in an admirable
speech, showed that every possible
effort had been made by McSweeney
and his wife to induce the government
to Interfere, but that nothing at all had
been done in his behalf. In the course
of his remarks Mr.. Voorhees, said:
"Daniel McSweeney was arrested
June 18th, 1881, more than ten mouths
ago, and has suffered in prison from
that day to this. He was dragged from
bed of sickness, in the presence of his
wife and sister, by British cOnsiables.
He was guilty of no crime, not even
the shadow of any crime known to the
laws. No one will pretend that he
was; no one will rise here and
say So"
Among the papers read by Mr..
Voorhees, in the senate was letter
from Insolvency. to his daughter in
California. 1t was written from
"Dundalk Jail" In this letter the
father said:
"Since winter set in l was unable,
owing to the severe cold, to sit still
long enough to write even few lines.
l have to keep moving about continu-
ally to keep from freezing. You must
know how dredtul it is to be locked up
18 hours day in this cold, damp eli
mate, without any fire. 1t requires a
strong constitution TO stand it long"
| Further Oh in the same letter the
father says:
All efforts failed to discover the cause
of my araest. l appealed to Mr.. LOvel
for protection, but he answered, that it
is absurd for naturaliZed citizen of the
United States to claim protection. lie
says even an American citizen should
only have recourse to an appeal to the
courtesy of the British government
to be released. He added, later, that
| ISh inf pnf -gA IN M
him any information about the charge
against me-"
And here is another paragraph ol
that remarkable letter which must not
be omitted:
"Your mother wrote to Mr.. Blaine
about my case. but that gentleman did
not deign even a reply. am
now i'll Jail going on seven months,
charged with no crime, and not even q
shadow Of suspicion that l violated
any law, and when our American min.
ister asks a civil question about mo-
he is snubbcd, insuItcd his flag tram.
Piled on land the American government
takes no notice of the question any
more than the King of the Sandwich
Islands would"
This McSwceney case is only one
vi iiiiilE Ill WHICH the republican party
: has shown its utter indifference to the
protection of American citizens against
outrages prepetratcd upon them b,
foreign governments. 1t deserves es-
} pecial prominence ut this time, because
it occurred when the present candidate
for President had the power to interfere
for McSweeney's protection, and abso.
lutely refused to do 80. The record in
this case in invaluable to any one. Ii
can he found in the Congressional Re.
cord, vnl.,l3 part 4, pp., 2SS6 1891
The Democrat has the volume, and
will be pleased 10 let any one " no de
sires, read the record for himself.
These and other documents were
drawn from the State Department b,
senate resolution. They are absolute
y correct. James G.. Blaine is 8
Know Nothing; and his record in ever,
official position that he every held
shows that he has no Sympathy with
foreign born American citizens. Blaine
Is, besides, Il moral and physica
c"ward. He might bluster, but ht
would never knOch a chip off the
shoulder of any foreign government
unless it was some weak sister repub-
lie of America, where he had Il person
al @uan0 interest, or something of thai
sort.