Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-08-25
Mr. Hurlbert's Arrangement Of Blaine.

Mr. William lenry Hurlbert, has en-
amincd the record of Mr.. Blaine while Sec
rotary of State, in view Of the claim set up
for him TO be the champion of the rights Of
Irish Americans. Mr. Hurlbert, as is gen
orally known, succeeded Mr.. Manton Mar
Die aa- the proprietor Of the New York
II,orid, and has long been distinguished Tor
his editorial abilities and us Il writer for the
press Like Carl ShurZ, hi rejects all hear
say in respect 10 the conduct OF Mr..
Blaine. and quotes only his correspond
nncc with Mr. Lowell while in the State
Department TO show that so far from pro.
!ect;ng the interests OF naturaIized Irish
American citizens who had been ar
rested under the arbitrary British co.
errion act. Mr.. Blaine Suffered them to
remain in prison and made 40 effort Tor
their relief The two cases taken up by
Mr.. IIurlbert are those OF Michael /. Boy
ton, who came TO the Umlted states from
Ireland when a lad of thirteen and settled
ut Pilsburg, where his father was natural
ized in due course. The younger Boytcn
claimed not only citizenship through the
naturalization of his father while bo was n
minor, but ais, under the law Of 1862.
had served in the army OF The Unite& States
and had been honorably discharged. Boy
ton had made several voyages to Europe;
the first time in 1866, with u passport
signed by Secretary Seward, which he
could not have obtaued but by taking, at
that period, the anti secession oath o. nile.
glance to the United States. lie mao also
lived sid voted lis 1t citizen Of New Iori;
II Tn, h,
don 10 conduct an American agency, and
in 1879 he crossed over 10 Ireland ito look
after the affairs of an aunt-his only living
relative" He was still in Ireland attend
ing to his auut's affairs when the British
coercion act Of March =, 1851, went into ef.
feet, and under that act, six days later, he
was arrested on the charge, rs stated in tie
warrant, THAT he was reasonably suspected
of melting divers persons TO murder divers
other persons" He telrgraphcd at once
TO Mr.. Lowell, our minister at Lon
don, the fact of his arrest, and
claimed the protection Of the United
States government. Mr.. Lowell declined to
recognize a. valid the evidence Of citizen
ship forwarded to him, and Mr.. Blaine, who
nearly three months later wrote to Minister
Lowell that "he had not seen or read the
coercion act" forthwith approved thcac:iou
of Mr.. Lowell, which met with, he said, The
entire commentator Of the depart
In a subsequent dispatch Mr.. Blaine re-
neWed bis approval of Mr. Loweil's action
and stated tha! he Blaine had made re-
port on the Boyton case TO President Gar
field indicating the right of Great Britain
to impound timprisOu) Bnyt"n." Mr.
Blaine did not even instruct NJ. Lowell to
make personal appeal 10 Earl Granvil e,
the British home secretary, in order 10 ob.
tain from the Irish aut horitirs al official in
quiry into the circumstances Of Dolton's
arrest, and into the specific acts charged
against him. "Boyton," says Mr.. Hnrihert,
was left to anguish in Jail during the whole
of Mr. Blalne's term, and was only released
after new Secretary tFrellnghny>enl had
begun to DO in earnest the duty di-calm"'l
by Mr.. Blaine"
The second case was that Of Joseph Z.
Walsh, who was arrested ard imprisoned AT
Dublin five days before the arrest Of 30, ton
occurred. No specific charge otherthan sus-
picion"was lodged against him He had a GER
tihcate of citizenship, and no dispute could
be raised on that score. lie was citizen
of Pennsylvania. and Mr.. laudal! took MP his
cause aur. urged immediate interference III his
behalf with all the influence Of the state Depart
mcnt. MT. Blaine, MT. luribeit goes on !"
show, ain dispatch dated June ,. ISL, admits
that the character of Mr.. Walsh rs Law abiding
and good citizen was vouched for by wcli-known
and respectable people in Pennsylvania nor was
there any doubt raised as to the auth"ntiritv of
bis naturalization On the Walsh case Mr. Lp"-
ell reported that he had heeu abb" to ohtsn only
a ten.n,inutc,' interview with Lord Granville. |
who declined to give any definite answer until |
Mr. Lowell received further instructions from
Mr. Blaine No instructions We're forwarded by |
Mr. Blaine and the matter was suffered to rest at !
that point. SIR. Lowell deeming it rnrdent 10
enter no formal protest until such instructions |
were received This ends the first of .hree letters /
which Mr. Hurlbert proposes 10 write ssar- /
ments are based on All examination "fttc arrhiv, ;
Of the Slate ID, partm"nt and form an important |
chapter in the political history Of the times
CIR,