The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1884-08-01
Blaine and the III. poets.


eonsin; Governor Waller, OF Connecticut and
others.
Blaine and the Su,pectS.
The attempt of the supporters of the
tattOoed candidate to make favor with
lrish-American citizens on the grolnd
OF his alleged sympathy with the cause
OF Ireland, and that he viii maintain
rigorous foreign policy" whatever
that may meat, Is not likely to amount
20 anything more effective in the way Of
results than the caution, appeals recent
ly made on Blaine's behalf 10 Catholic
voters, which seem to have been pretty
etfectually eXtinguished by the Mad gan
circular, printed and circulated, if not
actually written by Mr.. Blaine, That
WAS probably the most DISCUSSING and
asssassNs,11 sslstsss sts.t<ss seciarian enmrEo@
and pre- .udices ever circulated even =,
the most heated OF our political contests.
But about Mr.. Baine's sympathy for
lrishmen and the Irish cause. there are
some facts accessible well worth KEEP
ing in mind.
In 1881 the English Parliament passed
the Irish Coercion bill, one of the most
despotic acts that ever disgraced the
name of law. BY 1t a single individual
in Ireland. called the Lord Lieutenant,
was authorized, at his own sweet will,
to issue his warrant and consign to the
English iails in ireland any person
during his pleasure, and that, too, with
out any comp amt on oath showing that
any crime had been committed or
threatened or that the person inn
prisoned was guilty of any wrong what
ever. The purpose OF tde act, - indi-
Gated on its lace. was to keep the per
sons arrested in prison without trial
and without any intention to Try them
for any otenSe, pre- ended or otherwise.
Il declared that any person 20
committed should not be held TO bal,
or tried or relieved by any court
or OliCr without the consent of
his Lordship. In short, it was a purel +
dcspCtic and barbarous ed Ct Under
that act several natUralized American
tizen, OF Irish birth-yiz., Dennis
O'Conn r, aniel McSwecney, Michael
Bovton, Henry O'Mahonev. John Nc
Emery and great many others were
arrested and confined IN the English
ials IN iceland. Applications were
made by these persons to NJ Brooks,
our Consul at Cork, complaining OF
their arres, and imprisonment. and
stating that they had done nothing con-
trary To law tina: they had neither COM
mittcd nor threatened 10 commit any
crime, and had not wrongcd any one,
and that they desired a speedy trial
Mr.. Brooks forwarded these applica-
tons TO Mr. Lowell, our Minister TO En-
gland. and asked his Intervention FOR
the plotec. on of these American citi-
zens. Mr. Lowell declined TO interfere
or 10 as Il in any way any of these cit
liens To- be relieved from British dun
geons, and on August 3, 1881, in let
ter TO Mr.. Il -ooks, as a reason for hi,
official a ton, said;
The Coercion act. 80 called. Is an cvceptioua
ana arbitrary measure Its chict object is &
euab q the English authoriiies TO arrest per
fofSt f'sln i se ~ '', bro sueSle any pa5df b
their guilt Its very substance and purpose
are 70 deprive suspected persons of the speedy
trial they desire. This law Is Of course. con
trary TO the spirit and foundation principles
OF both English and American Jurisprucenc.
but 10 is the law OF The land. and u controls al
persons. whether they are British subjects 81
not and Il is manifcstlY entirely futile q
claim that naturalisc1 citizens of tho Unite-
States should be excepted from it, operation
- lie~S / an instructed 70 tue con
trary by The Department of STATE, must TAKE
this view Of my dutie- and IL is proper tina
you should give this information 20 the par
ties interested.
Mr.. Blaine at this time was our Sec
rotary of State. As President Garfield
was disabled, he was in fact. both Acting
President and Secretary OF State. HI
was Mr.. LoWelrs superior officer; Mr.
: Lowell was subject to his instructions
but he declined to interfere. He wa
applied 70 by Mr.. 7. G. OCOnnor, o
Baltimore, brother of one of the i'm
prisoned persons, and in his answer Z,
! that gentleman, after lndulging in SOM
general remarks, said " Mr. Lowell
has pursued bis instructions witt
great energy and sagac ", and in full
sympathy with the feeling of his Gov
ernment" Mr.. Blaine's approval o
Mr.. Lowelrs course was unqualified an,
, complete Mr.. Lowel's $, mpathy witt
: the barbarous code enforced agains
! American citizens in Ireland is equal,
r well known especially to IrishmeI
; who have kept track o. his sycophanti,
, diplomatic career in England.
T. Prompt interference br orr Govern
. ment in the case o. the Irish suspect
was demanded by every consideration
. of National honor ard good faith. The
1 were entitled 10 speedy trial or uncon
F ditional release, but neither wa
granted. After lingering for month
+ in a British dungeon they wer
e turned adrift, and warned 20 leave tn
: country without even being informed {
p the charges against them.
: As Senator Voorhees, PIT it in con
I menting on Blaine's trucking to III
! English Government in the despoti
: exercise of power: "All the vigor {
: Blaine's foreign policy seems to hav
been expended in an effort to enforc
! a claim against broken and RUNE
. Peru; none was reserved for the pr,
! lection of American citizens again.
$ the lawless and brutal power {
e England. ~ Pittsburgh Post.