The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1884-10-23

figured conspicuously in the present
campaign. insolvency says he was IN
poor health, and by advice of his physi-
clan, left San Francisco for his native
land, where be bought some property.
While James G.. Blaine was Secretary
of State, under Garfield's administra-
ton, insolvency was arrested in Ire
land, thrown into prison, and kept
there some fourteen months, and then
discharged without trial. During his
imprisonment, he asked the United
States Government for the protection
which it is supposed to give its citizens
in all parts of the world. He pleaded
that he was guilty of no violation Of
the laws of his native land-and his
subsequent release, without trial, proves
such to have been the fact-and he
asked as an American citizen, the
United States Government to demand
that he be tried for whatever offense
was charged against him, or released
from prison. Mr.. Blaine, who was, by
virtue of the position which he occu-
pied in President Gar6eld's Cabinet,
the proper person to act in the matter,
replied in substance that Insolvency.,
though an American citizen, was amen
able to the laws of the country in
which he lived, and might be kept in
prison without trial so long as the Coer-
cion Act, under which he was arrested,
remained in force.
In the present campaign, as an
inducement to foreign born cit
liens to vote for Mr.. Blaine,
the argument was advanced
by his adherents that, as
President of the United States he would
inaugurate vigorous foreign policy,
and protect American citizens, whether
native or naturalized in all parts of the
world, His opponents cited the Me-
Sweeney case as proof that what Mr..
Blaine was pleased to call "a vigorous
foreign policy" was simply to permit
American citizens to be incarcerated in
foreign prisons without trial, or even
being charged with having committed
. crime, just so long as the laws of the
country in which they happened to- be
arrested sanctioned their Imprisonment.
Mr.. Blaine's defenders claimed as an
excuse for his action, or rather inaction,
in the matter, that McSwe eney had
been elected to some petty Office in Ire
land, and that by accepting that office
he forfeited all claims to protection as
an American citizen. This argument
was not advanced by Mr.. Blaine or
Minister Lowell, however, at the time
McSweeney asked for protection from
our Government, but seems to have
been designed for campaign use, as an
apology for Mr.. Blaine's course, and
now comes McSweeney and denies it.
In speech delivered at reception CIV
en- him in New York a few days ago
he says emphaticslly that he never held
office in Ireland, and that his visit to
that country was made at the instance
of his physician in San Francisco, for
the benefit of his health. Whether the
defenders of Mr.. Rlaine's vigorous
foreign policy" will take issue with
AcSweeney, and continue to assert
that McSweeney did hold office in Ire.
land, and was not entitled to protection
ss an American citizen, remains to be
seen.
But so serious matter as the liberty
OF an American citizen, ought not to
depend on the disposition or caprice of an
Of the party which happens.
for the time being, to be in power.
There should be well.de6ned policy
on that subject, and that policy should
be enforced at whatever cost. That
American citizens. whether native or
naturalized, visiting foreign countries,
should not be encouraged to violate the
laws of those countries, no Que will dis
pute, but when an American cit.
izen is arrested and imprisoned, it
should be the duty Of our Gov.
ernment, whatever party may be
in nnMar To So that that ciAiuor, h..