East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-06-29

flict of authority on all questions Of
public law ever agitated in the books
of international law Mr.. Seward
knows well that the world has for
some years past been moving not only
on its axis, but away from arbitrary,
irresponsible, usurped power, in the
direction Of law, order, social security
and public liberty. He knows, as well
as he knows he is living man, that
it is the unanimous voice of all Gov
ornment, at this pretending to the
show of freedom and justice, that
there is neither the obligation, the
duty nor the right of surrendering a
fngitive upon foreign shore; except
by virtue of distinct treaty of extra
dition, with the forms and solomitios
of subsequent Legislation as to tho
ways and means. lie knows that we
have from the beginning Of our Gov
eminent, sought such an arrangement
with Spain in relation to fugitivos from
justice and that she has persistently
to this day refused it.
The opinion of tho world on this
act will soon be fixed and it will re-
main forever. Its verdict will be that
a Secretary, who either through igno-
rance or criminality, is capable of do
ing such an act and standing forward
in the face of the world and proclaim
ing it-as an act, not Of arbitrary and
reckless power, but demandig for it
the need of praise due TO lawful
and commendable act, strictly within
the scope Of tho imperial law of Ma
tional Commonwealth, is utterly, alb
solutely, and beyond retrieval, incom-
petent and unfit for his place. Every
hour he remains in his place is re-
proach to this government. The fact
that he is now in possession Of his
portfolio proves only that this admin
istration, as a whole, is as deeply com
plicated in this base act of interna-
tional kidnapping as the foreign Sec
rotary himself. The people viii hold
their government responsible for this
atrocious violation of personal liberty
and national integrity. They will put
them on trial for this high national
crime, outraging the public sentiment
Of the world, and carrying us back to
the dark ages of despotic barbarism !;
they will not hold such criminals guilt
less. For Arguelles himself we care
little, but when through him the right
Of American Asylum is stricken down
all must condemn the deed. The
President is the executive power only
for the purpose of executing the laws
and the Constitution, not for the pur-
pose Of executing the law of nations
And yet the Secretary uses the extra
ordinary language 1.-The extradition
is understood by this Department to
have been made in virtue of the law
of nations and the Constitution Of the
United States. A few self evident
suggestions will dispose of this base
proposition:
|. If the President and Senate have mado a
treaty, that binds the faith Of the nation, and
Congress are bound 10 enact all laws necessary to
carry the treaty into effect
2. If there is no treaty, the President can
have power in regard to foreign nations ex-
cept such US Congress, under the power to regu-
late commerce, etc, confors upon him
3 Our Government, executive, legislative, or
junicial; or all together, has powers under the
law Of nations, except such as the Constitution
has conferred upon IL.
4. The executive branch Of the Government
has no power at all, givento 1t by the Constitu-
ton, TO execute tue law OF nations except 80 far
rs treaties, or laws Of Congress may authorize
him TO do SO.
The Executive has no authority to decide
what the law of nations is, without the aid Of
treaties or Legislation.
The pretended justification Of this
act is truly farcical, and the servile
putting of presses in the interest of
Mr.. Seward isludicrousin the extreme.
The strength of the logical argument,
however, for this surrender is this !;
Arguelles was slave trader the
slave trade has been long condemned
by the civilized world they have re-
Gently combined by all possible means
to end it; the slave trader is a nation
al pirate; pirates are the enemies Of
mankind they have no rights and
may be pursued with fire and sword
by all mankind; therefore they may
by the principles of the unwritten in
ternational code be surrendered with
out wrong. This reasoning needs
only to be analysed to be scorned by
an honest mind; 1t is not even plaus-
IDLE.
The question is not as to the rights
or wrongs of pirates or quasi pirates,
but as to the rights and securities of
all men on the soil of this Republic.
If without process or form of judicial
proceeding the government may kid
nap and hand over to a foreign power
one claiming the right of asylum
among us, the most humble and vir-
tuous citizen Of foreign country or
even Of our own, holds his highest
right at the mere option of this Gov
eminent. If he is safe and secure, it
is not because the laws make him so,
but because q foreign Secretary for
bears to exile or transport him. Are
the American people prepared to adj
NIT that this Republic is guarded by
no superior or better public system Of
administration I? If so, this is travel
ling backwards many a century
What are the lawsp said the advocate
of Byzantium to despot. "What /
wish them to be-" was the truthful re-
ply. 81 am the State" said an inso-
lent French monarch, reveling in un-
limited authority. Has the American
Republic come 10 be an autocracy,
with all the odious anarchy of despot-
ic governments We trust not.--Bos-
ton Post
Observation-Disclosures Doolittle
said in Congress, the other day
Slavery, Mr.. President, is dying, dy-
ing all around u.s."
To this this the Dayton, (O.) Empire
says: