The Portland daily press., 1865-03-31
The St. Adams Raiders.


Soft seems Judge Smith has discharged
these marauders, footpads and murderers.-
Their case has long been pending at Monlreo,
During the earlier stages OF the uiai' Inele
was considerable excitement, but 1t has pro-
ceeded so slowly, and the defence was so long
winded, that many people had almost forgot
ten it. Il seems strange to us from our stand
point that this Canadian judge could have
come to such conclusion from all the facts
developed in the trial. And yet from watch
ing the proceedings and occasionally reading
some dcta the judge uttered, we have been
impressed with the belief that he would dis
charge these fellows. We regret that such
has been his decision, for we have been anx-
ious to suppress rather than excite any ill feel
ing towards our neighbors over the bor-
ders. 0&
That his decision will highly crafty all the
southern symPathizers in Canada there can-bs
no doubt And there are many such in hon
treal and other cities and town in the Canadas,
and we are sorry that any Judicial tribunal
there should do anything to favor the rebel
lion and bolster up the spirit that begat and
sustains it. All good governments have a
deep interest in suppressing all Instructions
which bear any resemblance to this that has
caused so much blood to flow. The spirit that
stirred up and sustained the rebellion our law
abiding people have been fighting during the
last four years ought to be rebuked by all
civilized governments, and surely the Cana
daa Government ought to be the last to favor,
by any OF Its officials, such spirit Esf
We believe all the display that has been
made about the rights of belligerents and
questions growing out Of war, has been en-
tirely unnecessary and irrelevant to this case.
All this Canadian judge was called upon to do
was to ascertain whether these reckless fell
lows had committed such crimes in the State
OF Vermont as would warrant him in sending
them back to the place where the offences
were committed under the provisions of the
extraditon treaty. There was abundant evil
dence of this even from the mouths Of the
prisoners themselves. According to their own
confessions they had perpetrated such crimes
as brought them within the provisions of the
treaty, and the judge should have had no diff
hculty in extraditing them, but instead OF
taking such view of the care, he assumed
broader ground and considered questions and
principles which were entirely unnecessary
and only tended to confuse his own mind and
lumber up the case.
If Judge Smith had taken different view
of the case, and not attempted to decide ques-
tons which would more properly come before
the tribunals of the United States, he would
have found no difficulty in surrendering the
prisoners; but he seemed to proceed on the
presumption that these rascals would not have
a fair trial in the States, so he concluded to
decide tbs questions which more properly be-
longs to higher tribunal. He troubled him.
self about many things" and had no right to
presume these villains would not have fair
trial in Vermont. Even their own counsel
have admitted during the trial that no judi
cial tribunals are more marked by impartiali-
tF and learning than those of the United
STATES.
We again repeat our regret that Judge
Saith took upon himself SO mach responsible
az Now there is much evidence to show that
Slsese raiders desired to involve Canada and
Great Britain in their quarrel, but it seems
fudge Smith winked all this out of sight and
exhibited an anxiety to keep these rascals out
Of our power. What need was there for this
Canadian Judge to trouble himself so much
about belligerent rights? And if he did as
sumo such power and responsibility, is it quite
kilt 4 -
their rights by returning to neutral territory,
where they planned their predatory and bloody
excursions, after they had perpetrated their
hellish deeds? What right had they to return
to such neutral territory? By doing SO they
not only committed breach of neutrality, but
also forfeited their rights as belligerents. No
belligerents have a right to remain on neutral
territory, and especially on that territory
where their robbery and murder were con-
cocted. But Judge Smith thinks the arch
traitor, JEFF. Davis, had power to commission
these sceundrels to commit such robberies and
msrders far asoay from the seat of ,Uar, and
If detected, they must be kindly treated as
prisoners of warl Out upen such doctrine
What was this great military exploita-
- Where does the chiualry come in? Will this
Canadian magistrate be kind enough to tell
us? 1t has not single characteristic of war.
1t sinksinto mere robbery and murder OF
peaceful citizens and has no marks of war
about it. But we have no patience to write
on such a theme. Before we can do SO, we
must have the long-suffering patience of
Ind Cr1t4 H.
more than two hundred authorities, and to
wade through them himself, before he could
decide whether these footpads ought to be
surrendered!
True, the evidence was clear that they had
stealthily approached quiet village not far
from the Canada line, and there committed
murder and robbery; but then this learned
Canadian Judge decides that JEFF Davis had
power to commission these rascals to perpe-
trate such deeds, and therefore refused to send
them to proper tribunal where they could be
tried for their crimes according to the laws
that govern nations.
The extradition treaty is no longer binding
on the contracting parties because the United
states refuse to recognize the belligerent
character OF the Confederates. Such, the
telegraph informs us, is Judge Smiths opin-
Ion. This learned Judge has decided some
great questions, whether right or wrong, time
will show.
The Eleventh" Maine.
CAMP ELEVENTH MAINE Vols,