West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-09-26
Blaine and the Lion.

please, Mr.. Lion" Mr. Blaine has
boon made TO remark TO the British an
imal, Let me twist on your tail
viii return IL TO YOU after election"
Mr. william Henry IIurlbcrt thinks
MIR Blaine has had the kind of reputa-
ton that comes from imaginary tail
twisting quite long enough In letters
to the HcrHd he shows that MIR Blaine
roarcd with exceeding gcntlcncss, SO far
as the rights OF l'ish-Amcrican citizens
were concerned, throughout his admin
lstralion rs Secretary Of State. Tho
Irish Coercion bill became a law u few
days before Mr.. Blaine assumed his
portfolio. Under IL Michael r. Boy ton
was arrested on suspicion and lodged
i'm kilmainham Jail without n trial.
there 10 remain 'Tor rs long as IL mioht
please The Chief Secretary for Ireland"
Boyton lot Ireland with his parents
when thirteen years old, and the family
settled in Pittsburgh, the father being
naturaliIed. BoytOn when eighteen
years old enlisted in tho United States
navy and in time received an
honorable discharge I'm 1866 he went
to Europe with n passport signed by
Secretary Seward. When arrested no
asked Mr. Lowell 60 accept the Seward
passports as evidence OF his citizcnship.
and also claimed citizenship undor tho
statute Of July u, 1862. natura ling
alicns who had served i'm the armies of
the United States and had bccn honora.
bly, discharged Mr. Lowell declined
10 honor the passport as evidence Of cit
iIcnship, and held that the statute OF
1862 did not apply 10 sailors, or cvcn to
marines This course was upheld bv
MT Blaine as discreet and proper"
and thus the passport of Seward tho
law Of ~ aud the fact that Boyton
had been allowed to vote went for Moth
ing ns evidence Ot citizenship against
the imprisonment of BoytOn without
trial and ON light suspicion, and his rec
tcntlOn at the pleasure of the Chief Soc
rotary for Ireland I'm the CORE pond
cnre between Lowell and Blaine tho
former as is wcll-knOwu spoke with
humorous contempt Of lrishmcn who
were citizens only ns they found citizen
ship convenient Blaine answered in
similar vein, and 1t tran.pircd thrco
months after bis assumption Of the Soc
rctaryship That hc had not cad the Co
er.iOn act 40 all
The case of James H. Walsh was pre-.
-rutcd for Mr. BIpincs consideration
hy Samuel j Randall There was no
doubt as 90 Walsh naturalization. and
uO doubt that his arrest was an outrage;
but Mr. Lowell entered into il, after
long delay evidently with the pref iudico
against tuc prisoner and the fear Of
Lord Granville which had been so dam
aging boo The case of Boyton Mr..
Blaine was, however, quite satisfied.
and so express q himself To- the gentle
Lowell though there were prcccdcnts
enough to warrant different action,
leaving The dignity of the United States
and the Justice due the man arrested
out of the question altogether II was
exceedingly important that the rights
of the American citizen should be vim
dtcnfcd just al that time, for there was
worry powerful. opposition TO the Cocr-
zion oct which needed Just that kind Of
cncourgcmont but Mr. Blaine and
Mr.. Lowell treated the matter as of no
Importance and tho imprisoned Amcri-
can ciuzou. remained i'm jail apparently
without 20 friend in any Government in
thc world
The eases have some importance i'm
connection with this campaign If
anybody really knows why freshmen
should vote for Blaine he ought 90 pro-
duec his evidence. 10 is needed for
without 10 the cry for Blaine i'm conucc-
ton with the rights of American citi-
zeus is tho rankost humbug. W L
graphic.