New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-19
MR. BLAINE AND THE IRISH-1MERE
CANS.
McsWEENEY's FRAUDULENT APPEAL.

McSWEENEY'S FRAUDULENT APPEAL.
A LETTER FROM An IRISH ORATOR WHO WAS M
PRIso>ED UNDER THE COERCION ACT.
To the Edftor or The Trtbune.
SIR: AS a great deal of misrepresentation has
been INDUCED iii with reference to Nr. Blanes
alleged attitude toward lrsh-American citizens
imprisoned by the British Government IN Ireland
under the Coercion Act of lsSl-2, Will you allow
me to say a few words on the subject was
living in Ireland while the Act was in operation
and II was nv fate TO experience the full benefit OK
it, provisions as | was imprisoned as Land
League suspect from October 1881. till June, 1852
Now before the British Government presumed 10
lay its hand Oh "A single Irish American citizen for
the purpose of arrest il had taken means to DO
we'll assured by the highest authorities on inter-
national law in Great Britain that IT could do 80
with impunty, aud that the American Governments
would have no right whatever To interfere mo
Irish American citizens who were arrested under
the Coercion Act were, without exception, men
who had returned 10 Ireland and settled down per-
manently 20 various occupations. THIS TACT inade
them according to the principles OF internati"hai
law technically, that rs, for all legal purposes
British subjects, and subject 90 tho laws good ot
bad Temporary or permanent, in force in
he British domnOns 1t would DE rs
logical for Irish Amercan citizens living
Z
eminent 10 interfere their behalf IN the matter
of fine infamous Blood Tax. to which some of them
are subjected az it would have been to expect the
American Government to interfere III the matter OF
fine no less nfamous-in principle, at least-COcr-
cion Act.
The truth is the Irish people have such nm
bounded confidence in the potency of the Govern
ment of the United States that they believe IL
would only have to slgnify its dissent from the I'M
n,isnnrent of Irish American citizens to cause the
gates of British prisons to fly open as II Nv magic
But practical men know how different the case ~ IN
n recent issue of Democratic paper there appeared
a woodcut In which the artist Ventuied 10 depict
All Irish American citizen IN prison undef the ooer.
ciou Act he citizen was fastened 10 the Walso'
his cell by ponderous chains; his feet were heavily
manacled. his clothes were IN rags; ana ne WI"
wildly tea,ing the hair from his head N handfuls
while through his prison-window the ince oi
bloated taller lowered on him with demonaesi
,yn,ession This was n nOns,rOus libel on ifish
manhood Tor while they have borne much rom
English tyranny. there are limits even ~ thst
t,tnnny and the liish people would never 'alhey
submit 10 such treatment "a above depicted ne.su
ty men guilty of no crime. Prisoners under 'hs
Coercion Act were treated as iiist-class mishemeah
snis and were allowed tU associate tose'hep
10 furnish their cells "a they pleased, anu w
have whatever hind ~ fuod they wishe"
n Mould be pfapos eious ~ suppose that MI hiah.,
who, hpetp, eave HE eldest daughter - ma'ilss,
~ gallant iflsh sodipi uolehsl teppihHe' eeh''
he indifferent ~ Tho Interests ~ hishs Amei'.saenf
yens 10 any part ~ tho world wheA'iahpis' ha'se
Augustus Costello and other IRISH American WV
.ens were ~ in67 condemned by tho hflsish u"'.
eminent IA defiance at International aud 'haSea "
all law t. the horrors Of penal servltude ~ v"'"'
vii uh Igh m laou
olon Act was paradise tsalf, the voice OF ps'''
was heard in tones of thunder across tho A''"n'''
and the frightened British made haste 10 opoh Wv
prison doors and release the American o''.''
whom they had consigned to the living dea'n :"
penal servitude. .s
Mr. Blaine did all that he could honorary any
consistently with his duty do IN the matte, VI ~.
lrsh-American citizens imprisoned under tn'
ercion Act lie instructed the consuls before and
any cases were brought TO examine ii.o vnynrabls
use their best influence to bring them 10 ior;can
issue The result was that every irish-a iS hsye
citizen in prison under the Coercion Act coaia "a
walked out OF prison II no wo%,G "s' coneciiOn
with the Land League. This they each .h au" Mr..
rightly and scomfuly dccned; but win Una; IN lis
power to do and there his duty ended ~ " "me
be lament able if the greatest American OF MS nsn
the selected BY 10000 600 OF hs cou" causs,
an the standard bearer of the Republican caa ,hs
could descend to bluster or tail-twlstns ,S ex.
purpose of obtaining cheap popularity az tnv AZ
pense of sub hitting his country to the ndis,y Who
u snubb ing at the hands of English ome,a;S lido
knew that with international law on tne Ia mat.
they could ignore American interference Ia .t'
ter Of the administration of the Coercion Az Irisb-
Ii is entirely untrue to assert that aht mia.
American citizen was released ON the rePre smeri
tons of Mr. Blaine's successor The ~ icspsion
can citizens were released as the other Coo', and
nrsoners were released-by degrees " ,hs
In the order in whoh 1t suited them
British Government TO release ,.en 70.
Mir. Daniel McSweeney, who Is said TO nave S.s sas
leased on the representations Of MI blaine wss
sessor r. Sscretafy Of state, Sir. Frelinghuyseh'