The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-12-19
AGAIN.

figure in the part 1T has taken to pro-
cure a respite for O'Donnell. A few
days ago the House of Represents
tives brought the case to the notice
President Arthur. A Cabinet meet
ing was soon after held to consider it.
As a result of the meeting Secretary
Frelinghuysen was instructed to Ca
BILE to Minister Lowell the request of
this Government that the execution
OF O'Donnell be delayed until the
question Of his citizenship be deter
mined. This request was made
known to the Home Secretary, Mr..
Harcourt. That gentleman evil
IDENTIFY threw the request in the Of
flee waste basket, for without deign-
ing to inquire into the matter he in
formed this Government that no
grounds existed for the delay of the
execution.
Again the Cabinet met and again
Mr.. Frelinghuysen cabled MI. Low
ell. This time he wished the latter
to ascertain whether O'Donnell was
q citizen of the United States, and
whether there was any error in his
trial, and endeavor to secure a delay
If the execution of the sentence un
til these questions were settled. Mr..
Lowell cabled back that he found
great difficulty in approaching the
English authorities upon the subject
as O'DoEnell's case was prejudiced
by that Of Dr.. Lawson. Subsequent
~ the Cabinet again considered the
matter and the following telegram
was sent to Mr.. Lowell: "You will
consider O'Donnell's citizenship es-
tablished. There being in Great
Britain no judicial examination of
an appeal from proceedings at a
criminal trial, possible errors can on
ly be corrected through a new trial.
This Government is anxious that a
careful examination be given the
proceedings in this case to the end
that if IN error has beer committed
it may be discovered. You will,
therefore, request a delay Of the ex-
ecution of the sentence and that q
careful examination of the case be
made by Her Majesty's Gov
eminent and that the prisoners
counsel be permitted to pre-
sent any alleged errors"
In reply MI. Lowell stated that he
has complied with the instructions of
the President; that Lord Granville
had acknowledged the receipt of the
above telegram and that he had re-
ferred it to the proper authorities for
their consideration. Last Saturday
Mr. Lowell received another note
from Lord Granville, in which the
latter stated there are no grounds for
the interference of Her Majesty's
government In the execution of the
sentence. This settled the fate of
O'Donnell.
In this whole matter the United
States government has been most ef-
fectually snubbed by the British au-
thorities. The latter were asked to
delay the execution of O'Donnell I'M
til the matter of his citizenship was
inquired into. No attention was
paid to the request. Again they
were asked to postpone the
execution until it could be ascer-
tanned whether any errors were COM
mitted at the trial, ana no. ttention
was paid to this request. Ou1 Gov
eminent has acted very foolishly in |
this matter. If it were satisfied |
O'Donnell was a citizen of the
United States, and that from the
fact he was a citizen of this country
it was the duty of this Government
to see he had a fair and impartial
trial, it should have demanded, not
requested. a delay in his execution
until such time rs the alleged errors
in 4he proceedings at his trial were
inquired into and determined. A
demand may have been followed by
a respectful hearing upon the part of
the English authorities, while the
"Please. Mr.. British Lion, will you
give O'Donnell a rehearing" was
treated with no concealment of con-
tempt.
Now that our Government has
been again most emphatically
snubbed, what will it do about it?
Congressman Finnerty answered the
question. 1t will fold its arms and
pocket the insult. The House will
probably ask for all the correspond
ence between the two Governments
and there the matter will rest not to
revived again until another Ameri-
can citizen be arrested for an alleged
ofiense by the British Government
and after going through the forms of
trial be sentenced to death. Then
we will have the same number of re-
spectful requests upon the part
of the United States Govern
ment to the English authorities,
preceded the execution of DIR
Lawson and O'DonnelI, to be fol-
by the same old snubs.
What a ridiculous figure our Gov
eminent has been made to cut in
these cases! Isn't it about time it
cease to NEEDLE with the exc
cution of American citizens in Eng
land or else back its requests in their
behalf by something more effective
han paper pellets?
Commenting upon Mr.. Parnell's
'ecent acceptance of the money col
ected throughout the world for him ,
he Morning Journal saws: ut j snot