Speech #470056749

I made that statement with reference to this man OMahoney. He is using his citizenship in what manner I Why. by seeking its protection when he gets into trouble? But how does his citizenship claim appear in connection with the fact that he has returned to his mother country. gone ap.parcntly into permanent business there. becomes a candidate for office. was elected. and held the office. discharged its duties. put the emoluments of his office into his pocket. and when trouble comes hauls out his naturalization papers. When peace exists in Ireland he uses his hotel license. when troubles comeand come partly through his inistrumentalitythen he uses his "papers." I simply throw out the statement for the purpose of impressing upon the House the neeSpsity of acting with caution in a grave question of this kind. Your committee. in the prosecution ot this investigation. have moved cautiously all through the case. knowing the gravity of the situation. Why should we break down the position that Secretary Seward took during our troubles in the time of the rebellion? I need not d say to this House that the naturalized foreigners never had a truer or a better friend in favor of their American citizenship than Mr. Seward. He says here in 1866. in a dispatch to Minister Adams. and I ask attention to this: It may be expected that some of our Irish.born naturalized citizens who are now sojourning or travoling inIreland should be arrested on complaint of conplicity in seditious proceedings. The situation will. for a time. necessarily be. come inconvenient and ombarassing. I know of no way in which you can meet it more properly than by pursuing the course which you have indicated. Anmricans. whether nativeborn or naturalized. owe submission tothe sameolaws inGreat Britain as British subjects while residing there and enjoying the protection of that government. We applied the converse of this principle to British subjects who were sojourning or traveling in the United States during the late reobellion. That is the language of a wiirm flind of the naturalized American. Now suppose you make your demand upon the British Government. what would be the result? Lord Granville would refer yon to that part of the diplomatic history of our country during the rebellion when we imprisoned British subjects and held them under a suspension of the habeas cotpus until we saw fit to release them.