Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-09-18
THoS. a. HENDRICKS,
r. r. DEL VALE,
NJ Iaa Auualae
Bia,ne's Itecreancy>

The morning Republican 'orgop of Los
Angeles undertakes m j.r.nd Mr.
Blaibe's sabservienfy 20 r,,,,,d IN the
ease OF Maesw" aey by abusing the
latter gentlsmr 7, asser,s That he
""' ~ :" American citizen, and that
nv nun position under the British
sos0' .ment which compelled him to
sw ,ar allegiance to tho British Queen.
As matter of fact Mr.. MacSweeney
was o naturalzed American citizen. and
had been for twenty-one years resi-.
dent Of San Francisco. The Times adds
that he was offered his freedom by the
British government on condition that he
should leave England and our esteemed
contemporary seems TO think that he
ought TO have slunk cut OF his native
country, to which no had gone for his
health, like a whipped dog. The truth
Is that Mr.. Macsweeney's case was made
the subject Of Congressional investiga'
tion, and that he was found TO have sus-
tanned grievous wrongs which We're made
the subject OF remonstrant resolutions
of the Congress OF the United States,
the indignant eloquenee of Senator
Voorhees, and other Democratic Con-
gressmen having been evoked in his be-
half. As matters of fact Mr.. Mac.
Sweeney was naturalized American
citizen. He went to Ireland for the
benefit OF his health. He was
imprisoned absolutely without cause.
He had an energetic vile, also friends in
the country of his adoption; and, conse.
quently, the gross violations Of equity
and law in his case were brought to the
attention of the civilized world. Mr..
Blaine tried to ignore his wrongs, but
pnblic sentiment was stronger than the
lingo statesman; and, fortunately for
MacSwecney, this public sentiment was
championed by energetic Democratic
Congressman who would not allow the
gross and indefensible surrender of the
rights of American citizenship to stand.
Since our esteemed contemporary
shows itself so ignorant on this point we
will still further enlighten it MS to Mr..
Blaines course while Secretary of State
of the United States, on the vital ques.
tion Of American citizenship. The case
of Mr.. ?. 7. O'Connor, a reputable nat.
resident OF Baltimore, who presumed
to visit his native country, first called
out Mr.. Blaine's toadying spirit to Eng.
land. Ina letter to Minister Lowell on
OConnor's case he developed the extra.
ordinary doctrine that no redress was
possible in the premises because English
local law was supreme in all cases. In
other words, Mr.. Blaine put the Ameri.
can State Department on record to the
effect that an American citizen, whether
naturalized or to the manner born, could
he arrested in England absolutely with
out offence and held in durance vile at
the pleasure of his oppressor. Some
time ago the HERALD published this ex-
traordinary State paper and reproduced,
at the same time, the admirable doou.
ment issued by VIM. l.. Marcy, while
Secretary OF State in Mr.. Pierce's
cabinet, in which he commended Com
modore lngraham for having taken
Koszta, man who had merely declared
his intention to become an American
citizen, from the Austrian naval authori.
ties in the port of Smyrna, and in which
he announced the inviolability of even
an inchoate American citizenship.
We would suggest to our esteemed
contemporary that comparisons between
Democratic and Republican precedents
in this line are, to use the language of
Mrs. Malaprop, "odorous.