The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-09-11
Rank Humbug.

"PleaSe, Mr.. LiOn," Mr.. Blaine has
been made to remark to the British an-
imal, LET me twist off your tail. L
will return it to you after election"
Mr.. William Henry Hurlbert thinks
Mr.. Blaine has had the kind of reputa-
tion that comes from imaginary tail
twisting quite long enough. In letters
to the Herald he shows that Mr.. Blaine
roared with exceeding g~ent1eness, SO far
as the rights of Irish american citizens
were concerned, throughout his admin
istration as Secretary of State. The
Irish Coercion bill became a law a few
days before Mr.. Blaine assumed his
portfolio. Under it Michael P. Boyton
was arrested ON suspicion and lodged
in Kilmainham jail without q trial.
there to remain ,.for as long as it might
please the Chief Secretary for Ire'aEd.a
Boyton let Ireland with his parents
when thirteen years old, and the family
settled in Pittsburgh, the father being
naturalized. Boyton when eighteen
years old enlisted in the United States
navy and in time received an
honorable discharge. In 1866 he went
ito Europe with a passport signed by
Secretary Seward. When arrested he
asked MI. Lowell to accept the Seward
passports as evidence of Lis citizenship,
Inc also claimed citizenship under the
statute of July IL, 1862. natura izing
aliens who had served in the armies OF
the United States and had been honora-
bly, discharged. Mr.. Lowell declined
to honor the passport as evidence of cite
izenship, and held that the statute of
1852 did not apply to sailors, or wen to
marines. This course was upheld by
Mr.. Blaine as discreet and proper"
and thus the passport of Seward, the
law of '62, aud the fact that Boyton
had been allowed to vote went for moth
ing as evidence of citizenship against
the imprisonment of Bovton without
trial and on light suspicion, and his re-
tention at the pleasure of the Chief Sec
rotary for Ireland. In the correspond
ence between Lowell and Blaine the
former, as is well-known. spoke with
humorous contempt of Irishmen who
were citizens only as they found citizen
ship convenient, Blaine answered in a
similar vein, and it TRANSFERRED three
months after his assumption of the Sec
r~etaryship that he had not read, the Co.
ercion act at all.
The case of James B. Walsh was pre-
sented for Mr.. Blaine's consideration
by Samuel j. Randall. There was no
doubt as to Walsh's naturalization, and
no doubt that his arrest was an outrage;
but Mr.. Lowell entered into it, after
long delay, evidently with the prejudice
against the prisoner and the fear of
Lord Granville which had been SO dam
aging in the cage of Boyton. MI.
Blaine was, however, quite satisfied.
and SO express d himself to the gentle
Lowell, though there were precedents
enough to warrant different action,
leaving the dignity of the United States
and the Justice due the man arrested
out of the question altogether. 1t was
exceedingly important that the rights
of the American citizen should be vim
Dictated just at that time, for there was
very powerful opposition to the Coer-
cion act which needed Just that kind of
encouragement; but MI. Blaine and
Mr.. Lowell treated the matter as of no
Importance and the imprisoned Ameri-
can citizens remained in jail apparently
without a friend in any Government in
the world.
The cases have some Importance in
connection with this campaign. If
anybody really knows why freshmen
should vote for Blaine he ought to pro-
duce his evidence. 1t is needed, for
without it the cry for Blaine in connec
ton with the rights of American citi-
zens is the rankest humbug.-M y.
Graphic.