Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-10

pAid Wiulu ihi't HNlNN
Extradition.
The attitude Of England in the case Of
the extradition Of Winslow. il We correctly
understand it. seems to us perfectly fair aud
honorable. The British government re
fuses to deliver this forger to our govern
meut unless it receives assurance that he
shall be tried only for the crime for which
he is extradited. The reason why England
should persist in demanding this assurance
appears to us both valid aud generous.
For years Great Britain has been the
asylum OF political refugees of mei, aud
women who have incurred the displea-ure Of
their governments for their opinions or ut
terances on subjects oi civil policy. They
have fed 10 her shores, when hotly pressed
at home, for a refuge aud sanctuary. Free
as any country under the sun in the expires
sion of their political ideas. the people Of
England would secure TO the citizens of other
nations who have not their freedom, at least
sanctuary to which they may flee for shell
ter when pursued by their own governments
for political oiienses. This right Of sanctu-
airy for the hunted liberals Of Europe has
always been freely granted by England. 1t
is not her wish to protect the actual crimi-
nails of other nations from the hand Of JUS
tice, but to protect alleged criminals from
the hand Of arbitrary power. She would
4. Loo
offenses he did not commit into the hands Of
those who would Try and condemn him. not
for the alleged oifense, but for political Of
lenses for which she furnishes an asylum.
OF course, in order to guard the right Of
asylum it is necessary that England should
insist that any person extradited by her
should be tried only for the crime for which
he is exiradited. II She did not require this
assurance then it would he possible for
another government to prefer charges Of for
gerry. or murder, or robbery, against polit-
ical refugee, and when his person had been
secured, try and hang him for treason. 1t is
to prevent this possibility that Parliament
passed a law requiring the crown officers TO
obtain the desired assurance before the ex-
tradition Of any person. II such a provision
is not to be found verbally stated in the ex-
isting treaty, it yet seems to us to be only a
fair and Just inference from it, We do not
see as it violates either its spirit, its letter,
or any fair Interpretation. But if it is a
violation of the existing treaty for England
TO demand assurance that an extradited per-
son shall be tried only for the crime on
which he is extradited, then i, will be well
for the treaty to be modified at once. It is
for the interest and honor of every free gov
eminent to preserve the right Of asylum to
persons who have fled from their own country
for mere political ofTenses.
We see no reason, of principle or common
sense, why our government should not give
the assurance asked in the ease of Winslow
We are not aware that this government has
any charge of reasonable act or design
against him. Its sole object is to give him
up to the authorities of Massachusetts, for
trial on the charge of forgery. Why should
it be unwilling to state that this is its sole
object, and that it will not try him for any
crime not named in the papers on which his
extradition is demanded ? It's hardly cred
ible that he has committed any offense but
forgery for which he is wanted at home
conviction for this crime will give hin
twenty years in the state prison. And that
is enough to satisfy aud exhaust the penalty
for his wrong. If Wiuslow has been guilt,
Of other crimes which can be proved on him
let them also be nominated in the bond
Let England be informed of them But i
he has not, let the assurance which England
most reasonably asks in the interest Of free
dom and humanity, be given.
As the case now stands, it looks as if thi,
great forger would altogether escape. Al
ready the government has secured the extra
dition of Lawrence ON the charge of on,
crime and has tried him for another ofIens,
for which he would not have been given up
We should say that this was sharp practice
and ill-becoming a government like ours
It looks more like trick than like honest
dealing 1t seems, on the face of it, like 0
cheat, and a very small and contemptbl,
cheat, too, praetieed by one nation OF
another. To charge man with crmC
aud secure his extradition, and then try him
for an offense which would never have SO
cured his cxtradition, is more like the sharI
practice of a Tombs lawyer, than the dealing
that would be expected from a great an,
honorable government. 1t is not strang,
that England is indisposed to have her RICH
of asylum violated by false prctenses. |
our government has cheated her once, it i
natural that she should desire 10 protec
herself from a second imposition; and tn,
fact that our government is unwilling t.
give the reasonable assurance that she de
mands, is more discreditable to us than hei
refusal to extradite Winslow is dishonorabl,
TO her. If sharpness is at any time evcusa
BILE between individuals, it is always dishon
CRADLE between governments and nations.