Speech #500131588

The President then said that he would consult with the Secretary of State and see what could be done. "During the .tight of the same day the Associated Press announced that the President had been constrained to decline interfering in the matter. "The position taken by Secretary Bayard rests on sound international law. Our Government would not have been justified in interfering in the matter on the basis of the case presented to the Departmentof State. Although Riel was a naturalized American. lie owed the Queen of Great Britain temporary alleglan. a while living within the borders of her realm. and he made himself liable for breach of the criminal law of the land. * * * "Not only had the United States no right to interfere in licls behalf. butthe Canadian court was in the right in ignoring Itiels citizenship. It was absolutely immaterial." These are the comments of this other author. who falls to the other view that although Riel was an American citizen. the American Government had no right even to inquire. but must be approached with affirmative effort on the part of the person who needs the interfbrence of his Government. that no matter how helpless hemay be he must be able to set in. motion the necessary machinery to reach the Department of State and the ear of the President and the executive power of this country. although he may be incarcerated and in a condition of the utmost helplessness by reason of the undertaking tosubject him to wrongs in defiance of his American citizenship. That is the gist of the resolutions. the position alleged to be taken bythe Government and justified by this author. who is quoted in the book I cite from. that there must be this affirmative power on the part of the helpless and defenseless American citizen to reach his Government before thatGovernment will even open its eye or listen to the complaint of the American citizen about to suffer death. and. as it is alleged. unjustly. This author goes on to say. in reference to the proposition laid down here of the interest of the party being sufficiently powerful to take care of himself and secure the intervention of his government: If this proposition was ever even the subject of serious debate since the foundation of the world. the writer is not aware of it. Further on in the book is a statement that eight years after his banishment. and after the expiration of his five years term of banishment. he became an American citizen in March. 1883. by regular naturalization. This author goes on to say: It will be contended herein that the Government should have interfered in the case of Riel. In describing the duty of the Government in a case like hiels the language of President Cleveland himself will be employed: "The watchful care and interest of this Government over its citizens are not relinquished because they are gone abroad. and if charged with a crime coniluitted in the foreign land.afair and open trial. conducted with a decent regard for justice and humanity. will be demanded for them." "Out of thy own mouth I judge thee." Under this rule laid down by the President it was the duty of his Adniluistralion to interfere. for the following reasons: First. idl was not guilty of any act which could be considered treason. when laying the question of citizenship entirely aside.