The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-16
OUR INTERSTATE RELATIONS.

&ASS @SSA$s4
I'm poyssnt Message of Governor Letcher
on the Course Of the Governor OF Iowa
In Refusing Ia Surrender Coppoc Gov.
KtrkwOod Severely Dealt VITA.
EXECUTIVE DKrA K1NsNT, Feb l3, 1890.
GurEsEE O, SI1 As0 Housa OF DELEGlrx-
Shortly sitter l entered upon my executive duties,
mace requison upon the Governor Of Iowa for Barclay
O ppoc, who had been engaged in the Harper's Ferry
raid aud had fed from justice. had satisfactory evi
that the fugitive was, at the time, at the residence
Of mother that State and subsequent events have
fully confirmed the accuracy OF the information. The
Governor refused 70 gran, the reqnstion for reasons As
s'greh in Two letters which accompany this compunica
uoD, and to which invite your attention
The reasons assigned are, in my Judgment exceedingly
frivolous such have previous instance, to
my knowledge influenced the acton Of any State Execu
tive IN its intercourse with this Commonwealth.
The course o. the Governor this matter considered
in connection with the views presented IN hs inaugural
message Ia relation 70 the occurrences and actors ia the
sion that biz action taken with the Intention Of
permitting CoppOc TO and thus shield him from just
punishment for crimes OF the most serious aud aggravated
character, committed against the sovereignty aud lsws of
this STATE Jet with taniy that 1t must have that
eff
He declines grant the requisio his letter Of the
$50 of January last, upon two grounds
Fhst-Tbat tie affidavit "is not authenticated by the
sea the notary who administered the oath 70
the afan,. TIE notary before wnOm The affidavit
n sde duly appointed in pursuance Of the laws Of
this Commonwealth and his Signature was accompanied
by SCROLL in precise conformity with established usage
and the decisions Of courts which recognise scrolls
seals.
only DE 10 give the document TO which appended ad
dopai authenticity, and 10 show by the sanction of an
ofcia seal that the ocer has greater authority than
individual. ~.
In this case Executive Of this State having the ap
pome Mt Of the notary has the Knowledge Of bis Official
cuneIts 10 support with the great seal Of the State,
gives greater authenticity 10 the signature Of the notary
than the no'ara' sea- can possibly give By the seal OF
The State the notary Acknowledged be proper OIL
Ger TO administer oatns-to be such officer as he de-
cares himself be-and that the paper 10 which the
officer has given his certificate such a paper should
be received ard acknowledged to be authentic The 60
vernon Of Iowa therefore, had sufficient evidence us
y the Issue oil his warrant for the Of the fugitive
ladeea he seems 70 have considered this INSULT
cien', az he follows twh the declaration that I in its
nature technical"
The be assigns land this be regards as
concusive is that the demand for the requison should
be accompanied by sthe copy OF indictment found,
an Affidavit made before magistrate" The act of Con-
grGss which requires the rendition OF fugitves from JUS
,oe was passed IN the year 1898, and does provide
that whenever the executive authority o. any STATE &c,
shall demand person as fugitive from JUSTICE Of the
executive authority OF any other State, "aud shau
over preduce the copy OF an ind ctment found or aa
vii made before magistrate of any State &c the ex.
ecutve shall deliver him. &c But the of Iowa
BIAS failed to that by Of Congress passed on the
10th day Of September $780, is provided "that in all
IN which, under the laws Of the United States oaths
or ahrnaons or Acknowledgements may be taken before
any justice of the peace of any State Territory such
oaihs aTmaons or acknowledgements may be hereafter
also taken OF maze by, before any notary public duly
cdy recognizes notares public proper officers before
whom ai1ayits can be made, y all such cases. and
ptey oveTthroTs the reason assigned by the Governor
Of Iowa and makes the plain that gunlent and
Illustration can add nothing 70 ii.
The Governors second letter. dated the oath January
assigns another reason ia justification O. ha refusal 10
grant the requson, vzTnai SIT Is not stated, unless
be nferent'ay that Coppoc committed the ac,s charged
in the State Of Virginia " On reference to the preceding
paragraph III his eer, Governor krkwood uses this Ian
guage - Mr. Hunter states that from Information re-
ceved by him from persous condemned and exc
cued ~ your State Vrgina) and from other facts which
have come to his knowledge ne believes that Coppoc
aiding and abettiog John Brown and others, Who Ger
tain days, in Virginia, committed certain crimes, that
from nioT nation recently received he verify believes that
Coppoc s fugitive from justice escaping this State Ac
cordng 10 this statement OF the allegations contained in
the affidavit transmitted under the seal State 70 the
Governor OF Iowa. the charge clear distinct
crimes we're committed in Virginia, and that COppoc is
fugitive from justice.
These all the reasons assigned by the Governor of
iowa Tor bis extraordinary conduct 10 refusing TO grant
the reonisiiion asked for by me 10 the and be
ha't OF this State IL my Judgment they fall very far
short OF Justification.
The act Of Congress provides that when requisition
properly made for fugitive from justice m shall be the
duty of the executive authority Of the State or Territory
TO which such person shall have fed TO cause him or her
10 be arrested ana secured and notice OF Tue be
given TO the executive authority making such demand or
to the agent such authority appointed 10 f
gtive, and to the fugitive 70 be delivered such
agent when he shall appear" Comfy between friendly
sister States would seem 70 require that In notorious
whole country the offender should be permitted 70
escape for mere technical objections Comfy would seem
70 require that the act OF Congress should be compiled
~i.h and that the Governor should him
ne arrested and secured snd notice Of the arrest to
given to the executive authority making such demand,
and suggest the defect in the reluisiron and tnen If
secured 10 deliver up the fuetve-f not discharge him
And such was the OF the patriotic and enlightened
Execrtve Of Pennsy varis the case OF Edward
Hazle't, who was demanded by the name OF
Albert Raz,et. But when the prisoner swoYe that
his was no, Haziett but Albert Harrison. ins,ead
W q Jail INV
Judge ana there held Until requsuo1 could be award
ed by Gov. Wise, under his proper
Flow different has been the OF the Governor OF
Iowa Instead u causing this offender 10 be arrested
secured ana notice Of the given to the Executive
Of Virginia, he actually published newspapers OF
bis STATE as have reason to believe bis letter addressed
10 me- and before ccud have received it, thereby giving
notice to the criminal 10 make his escape before the
requsiton could be amended If 1t had oeen erroneous
have also reason 10 believe that message depstch
90 10 give information TO the criminal that the agent of the
state was IN pursuit Of bin; but ehether this message
sent by the Governor or By some other De son 70
whom ,ee TACT had been communicated, an, not ad
Vised
ever any person shall be found within this STATE,
charged with treason, felony other crime com
complaint oath, other satisfactory ev,dcoce
that such person committed the offence, issue warrant
10 bring the person charged before the same some
other Justice within the state" 1T shali appear to the
Justices that there reasonable cause 10 believe that the
complaint he 81 ali commit the ofaneer 10 prison,
and sha apprse the Governor thereof wno shall there
upon communicate the 20 The Executive OF the State
where the crime is charged 10 have been Committed
Sincc bave been IN Office have executed this Law by
giving the required information to the Executive Ohio
This the comfy required between friendly sister Staies
the action which viii refuse 10 arrest a laetsnt
offender, shield him from justice frivolous pretexts
and then give him notice TO fee Such could hare been
prompted by other consideration than sympathy for
the criminal and the crime
On reference to the Code of Iowa chap 2oc ass un
der The title, "Fn1tves from Justice ~ il provided t,,
whichever demand IL upon the Governor OF This
State by the Executive OF any oth er or rerrorv in
any case authorized by the constitution and ls-s OF tho
United States TOR the delivery OF any charged IN
such STATE or Territory With any crime such person
held in custody under bail 30 answer for anv oancs
egsnst The laws OF the United States or of this State he
snE,l ssue ms warrant under the seal Of the autho
Tzng the agent who makes such demand either forthwith
OF at such nme as may be designated the sarranf
TAKE and TRANSPORT such person 10 the fire o. he state AZ