Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-17
AND POLITI-
CAL REFUGEES.

CAL REFUGEES.
The refusal Of tho state department
to become q detective agency for the
British government will be hailed with
general satisfaction by the American
people. The Standardization very
properly takes the ground that oil
treaty stipulations with Great Britain
will be sacredly observed, but 1t de-
clines to act as q police force for the
apprehension of persons who have
become objects Of suspicion to
England, and emphatically re-
fuses to RECOGNIZES political off,nses
against q foreign governmental crimes
against society. This position 10 o
sound one. The right Of asylum 10
with Us Evolutionary, and stands In.
vested With q aa.tednsis which repels
all attempts to secure its violation.
Revolutionists of every nationality
have found q peac full refuge under
the protection Of our laws, and may
to-day be found in all parts Of our
country, sharing In the privileges and
honors conferred by American oiti.
zsnship. No political exile has ever
knocked at our doors and found them
barred against his entrance, and none
aver will.
II Is astonishing that In the light Of
her own history, Great Britain has
had the presumption TO formally de-
mand of our government the rendi.
tion Of persons merely suspected Of
political offsnses. In times past she
has been a. much of . stiokler for the
right Of asylum a. she nov finds the
United States to be. The Mason and
Slidell case Is too fresh inothe memory
Of all to require more than . passing
sllusion. These men, agents of the
oonfederacy, were on their way to Eu-
rope to plot against the peace and
safety Of the United States. But Great
Britain claimed that the two CON.
spirators were safe under the shadow
Of her flAg, and threatened war II
they were not immediately restored to
her jurisdiction. No country has
been such q hot.bed for the Matching
out Of foreign oonspiraciss as Eng
land. Orsini found shelter I'M.
der her flag, and the bombs used
In his attack upon the Emperor
Napoleon were manufactured In Lon.
don. The British government refused
to give up his acoomplios Bernard, al.
though France made q formal demand
for his surrender. 1t is . we'll known
fact that Joseph Mazzlni, In 1866,
openly plotted against the life Of the
French emperor and conducted his
operations In London. Although the
strongest proof OF his completely was
presented to England by the French
government and . formal demand
was made for his surrender, Great
Britain - In tho case Of Orsini held
that the offsnse committed pArtook
only Of . political character, and con.
stituted no cause for . violation Of
England's hospitality.
These oases are exactly parallel "a
tho cases Of Sheridan and other Irish.
men upon whom England Il now
anxious to lay her clutches. They have
sought . refuge In the United statea
and are secure. If Mr.. Sheridan OF any
Of bis fellows has been guilty Of
Grimes set forth under the e~xtraditior
treaty let the fast be clearly proved
and he will be given up. Beyond thil
England has no rightful claim to pre-
sent for consideration. The United
States, Of all countries, will never
give up or impair the right Of asylum
for political refugees guilty Of no othel
crime than endeavoring to overture
the governments from which the,
hauo aad