The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-08-19
FORD VS.. FORD.
The Irish Worlds ENcOriatiOn of
Blaine in December, 1881.

The Irish Worlds Excoriation of
Blaine in December, 1881.
Irish World. December 10. 1881 1.-=Republished
by Request.
Broken In health and threatened with
blindness, Mr. Boynton has at length
been released from Kilmainham. He
passes from the prison to the hospital
there, perhaps, to end his life. the latest
victim of British tyranny. There is no
more shameful chapter in the history OF
our international relations. than the one
which records how this Union soldier
has been allowed to pine away In the
prison cell, week after week, without the
government for which he Iisked his life
interfering to secure for him even 80
much as trial by jury. The Boynton
case will ever remain blot on our his
torv.
The man Who has been guilty Of allow
ing this Union soldier to be imprisoned
without trial in foreign country, on a
vague suspicion, ought TO be driven from
public life In his funkeyism to the En-
glish government, James 6. Blaine has
refused 10 protect American citizens
whom be was bound, by every principle
of law, 10 extend protection to- Such
man has no conception OF what is due to
+ the honor of the United States, and
should never again be placed in q posi-
ton where he can disgrace our govern
ment.
We cantiot write about this man with
out a feeling of eXasperatioh at the
thought that a iunky has had it in his
power to insult tie dignity of American
citizenship in the way it has been insulted.
But what could you expect Of one who
has so little regard for the proprietes OF
his rositioa d. to speak of the "loyalty
of American citizens to Qleen Victoria"
as. Mr. Blaine did when welcoming the
4 British Minister to Washington No
wonder Earl Granville, at the Lord
Mayors banquet, had the audacity to
speak Of Americas "dGoted loyalty" to
the @ leen OF England. Listen how the
London correspondent to the New York
Tribune-the very priaca of toadies-
speaks of this incident:
Lord Granville referred, with not less
dtness of language, to the deep grief aid
sympathy OF England in the loss OF
President Garfield, and to the American
demonstrations of "devo,ed loyalty to
the Q1een. He used the word loyalty
with half apology, forgetting, appar
emily that Mr.. Blaine himself used it,
last week, in welcoming the British Mn.
lister, somewhat to the surprise and much
to the pleasure of Englishmen."
Earl Granville had more regard for the
prophecies than our Anglo-American
Secretary of State, for be seemed to
think that speaking of the "devoted 10y
atty" of Americans to @ ieen Victoria is
not in good taste, something that did
not occur to the man who disgraCed the
Office cnce honored by Jefferson and
Marcy, who, if in Blaine's place, would
have forced the Ensli Government to
release Bovnton within twenty-four hours
after be had been arrested.
That this could be done is shown BY
the time the English government selects
to unbar Baynlon's prison doors. On
the eve of the assembling Of the Chicago
Convention, and wi, hin four DAYS of the
meeting of Congress, B,ynton is releas,
ed B.ane, as we'll as the English gov
ernment, knew that this country would
not permit defender of the Union to
die in prison to crafty the malice OF
landlordism. Both think the easiest
wav out of the difficulty is TO set Mr..
Roynton free. The time selected for his
release convicts Mr.. Blaine Of derelic-
ton of duty, for IT proves that he knew
that vigorous demand for the release
of Mr.. Boynton, backed up, as it would
have been by Congress, would have un-
barred his prison doors. But il he made
such demand how then could be boast in
1the presence OF the British minister of
the "devoted loyalty Of the Americans
Queen Victoria?"
There is, however, another American
ci izen, Mr.. D McSweeney, lying in
Dundalk Jail, who has been arrested as
suspect and thrown into prison without
being accorded a trial by jury. No
funkeyism of James G Blaine must
stand between Mr.. McSweeney and bis
immediate release. Congress has a posi-
tive duty to perform in this case and the
country looks to 1t to perform { without
anv loss OF time.
While congratulating Mr.. Boynton on
bis release, we feel under the obligation
of thanking him for the noble heroisn
be displayed during the long months OF
his illegal Imprisonment. the same
courage displayed on the battlefield in
defending the flag of the Uoion accom-
panied him into his prison cell, and
though at any time he might have OBJ
taiued his liberty by accepting the gov
ernneht terms, rather than do so be
preferred facing death, an1 what was,
perhaps, harder to endure than death
itself-total blindness. Compare the he
rosm of this man with the flnkey ism OF
James G. Blaine. assuring the British
m mister of the loyalty of Americans to
the English Q cen, and then say which
has best upheld the honor Of the United
States.