The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-23
Extr.dition with England.

It was quite to be expected that about this
time some Of the London newspapers should
begin to talk in wild "Rule Britannia"
strain about the inviolability of her shores
in the matter of refugees flying thither from
czar-trampled, king-crushed, prince-trod-
den or priest-ridden countries In spite of
the fact that England, in utter defiance Of
solemn treaty, has just released pious
American forger and one less pious. and is
about to release another whom she will be
obliged to put in prison on her own account,
after refusing to hold him on ours, we are
treated to faring disquisitions on ''the i'm
memorial right" to know why she gives up
''the meanest refugee" Better have no
treaty at all than that England should
yield this immemorial right to any
Power, says the Daily Telegraph, grand
iloquently. There has truly been shown
throughout this controversy a wonderful
amount of ignorance and -headedness
on the English side. The right of asylum
for political offenders, on which at the last
shift the English position is based, has
nothing to do with the cases of these as
sorted forgers. 1t is principle which
America would be quite MS tenacious of up
holding as England could be. Happily this
inclination to soar into lofty principles with
a fine old English irascibility is wanting in
the London Times, which has expressed the
opinion that the termination Of the Extradi-
ton Treaty would be calamity. 1t has,
however, been terminated, and by the de-
liberate act of the English government.
Whatever inconvenience it can bring upon
the two countries we are about to expert
ence. England, having violated the pro-
visions of the Ashburton treaty by releasing
fugitive criminals whom under its provisions
it out of the power of the United States, or
any self-respecting government in its place,
to recognize an instrument so thrown aside
as possessing any binding force whatever.
The treaty Of 1912 is dead.
1t has long been desirable that the scope
Of our Extradition Treaty with Great Britain
should be enlarged. 1t is the last matter in
which attempts to make party capital should
find place, and on this side of the Atlantic
no disposition of the kind has been visible,
so that the United States can enter into
negotiations for a fresh treaty without
the least shade of i'll feeling. It is not
certainly encouraging to find England,
that prides herself SO upon her morality, SO
prompt to tear up. on the within of moment
and at time when it looked as though she
believed she held hostages that would force
us to her terms, treaty that had stood the
test of over thirty years. The failure of
England to force new principle into the
old treaty, although at sad cost to both
countries, will not, we hope, be lost upon
her officials when they set about the task of
negotiating q new one. The position taken
by Secretary Fish has vindicated itself in
receiving the support of the best legal
minds in England, and has only been met
by the obstinacy of the Foreign Office and
the chop-logic of its journalistic supporters.
1t has been shown that we could not be CO.
creed from the right, and that gives our
government strong ground in future negotia-
tons upon the subject.