The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-09-13
His Record While in the Cabinet
Toward Imprisoned Irlshmen
and the Irish Cause.
Editor san Antonio Light

/
testimony Of Mr.. Robinson, a respecta-
BILE business man In the city OF
Boston, and OF MIR. Snow, re-
spectacle citizen and merchant In
Bangor-men who confessedly were
prlvy to the whole matter Of the Madl-
gan circular is set aside as worthless,
while that Of Murphy, an obscure print
err, and some other subjects which have
been operated on by the Democratic
National committee is accepted as
"proof, strong as holy writ"
Mr.. Peter Shields, In the columns of
the Times some four days ago promised
to give us the records in the insolvency
case In order to convince every Irishman
and Irish-American by indisputable
evidence (the official records) OF the cal
lousness and Indifference Of Mr.. Blaine
while Secretary OF State to the suflerlngs
Of American citizens languishing In
British prisons. looked anxiously for
ward for this evidence, when, behold,
the mountain, after great labor, brought
forth mouse, and small one at
that. The official records which had
been so pompously promised us, proved
to be no record at all, but simply char
aoteristic bunoombe speech delivered
by the "Tall Sycamore of the Wabash"
on the 18th Of April, 1882, on the occa-
sion Of calling up resolution submitted
April Sd, censuring the State Depart
mcnt "for its conduct relative to the
arrest and Imprisonment Of American
citizens by the Government Of Great
Britain, as a violation Of American law
and derogatory to the honor Of the Uni
ted States"
1t may be well to bear In mind that
MIR. Blaine retired from the cabinet De-
cember 18th, 1881. The first oommuni-
cation received at the State Depart
ment In reference to the McSweeney
case was letter from McSweeney's
wife, addressed TO Mr.. Blaine, and
which was received, according to
MIR. voorhees,, August 10th, 1881.
cannot be held responsible, except for
what TRANSFERRED between August 10,
1881, and December ~, 1881.
voorhees, In his speech does not give
either the sum or substance Of any Of the
official correspondence In the case dur
ing the time covered by this period.
The fact Of Blaine not answering Mrs.
Sweeney's letter, Is no evidence as to
his official action in the case. This cor
respondence to which refer, Ia the off,
cial record in the case; and 1t is mere
clap trap for Mr.. Shields to say he has
produced the records, until he produces
/ af nd lob
alone forms the record, and from which
we may be enabled to judge OF the
position Blaine has assumed In the case.
As an offset to the platitudes of Mr..
Shields on this subject. 1t will be well
to invite attention to the case of Mr.. ID.
O'Connor, arrested and imprisoned in
Ireland, October %, 1881, as reported In
the Congressional Record, volume 10,
number 90, page 80, Forty-Seventh Con-
gress, In which the following facts were
brought out: Under date Of November
10, 1881, Mr.. O'Connor's brother wrote
TO Mr.. Blaine. advising him of his
brothers arrest, and stating the facts in
the case. On November Ii, the follow
ing day, Mr.. Blaine wrote to Lowell,
directing him to take the necessary
steps In the case, as soon as possible.
Does Mr.. Blaine's action in this case
prove Indifference or neglectg No
answer was received by the State de-
partment until February 4. 1850
nearly two months after Mr.. Blaine's
retiring from the Cabinet. Was he re-
sponsible for this delayY Surely NOT
This case in itself. Is sufficient 70 show
how unreasonable and unfounded are
the charges made against him IN this
respect, by unscrupulous politioians !.
it will become the more clear from The
tribute paid him by General Denis n
Burke and General n. O'Rejrne men
who rlsked their all in the cause Of Ire
"with The men in The GAM when
the time came to show OF What stnff
they were made; whilst those oontempti-
BILE lip patriots, who are ALWAYS aronnd
in election times. were hiding around
the corners,
In an interview upon the subject
Gen. Burke said: There Is no pnbIic
man in America to-day who has stronger
sympathies with our people in their ef-
forts to secure enlightenment than
James G.. Blaine. When Gen. Kerwin
and luckily escaped arrest in Ireland i'm
1866 and got back here we had unmis-
taxable proof of Mr.. Blaine's good feel
ing toward us and all others engaged in
the struggle for Irish Independence.
We went on to Washington and repre-
scented to him how the English anthori-
ties were arresting Irish Americans in
Ireland, and, under the provisions of the
habeas corpus suspension act. tbrustinV