Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-07
THE O'DONNELL CASE.
Governor Butler Writes His Opinion of
Its Merits to the Irish World
IL

Governor Butler Writes His Opinion of
Its Merits to the Irish World"
Nea0 York Special to Louisville Courjer Jour
nal, Sd.
The following is letter from Governor
Butler to the editor of the Irish World,
and it speaks for itself:
Boston, MASS, Dec. %, 1SS3.-Dedr
Str:aI have watched with great interest
the conduct of the English Government as
regards O'DOnnell. l assume that this is
the condition of foreigner, under gov
ernment other than his own: First, that
he owes an allegiance and is liable to all
the pains and penalties for any act that
he is supposed to have done that sub
ject of the government in which he lives
| is. Second. that all the laws throwing
safeguards around man placed at the
bar to be tried for his life known to the
law of that country in regard to
it's best citizens are to be afforded
to him. The question therefore
is. had O'DOnnell all those safeguards?
| The right of process given him to produce
witnesses in his behalf, the right freely to
consult counsel of his own selection, the
right to know who the jurors were who
were to be called to pass upon his case
beforehand, in order to be able to prepare
himself to exercise his right of challenge
of course, l can know nothing with GER
tainty upon these points. Your letter to
me states that O'Donnell was denied
them. The newspapers have stated the
same fact, and, so far as ] know, without
contradiction. Assuming these state
ments to be true, it is very clear that a
fair and just trial was denied O'DOnnell.
That being the case, it was the duty. of
our government, through its executive
branch, to interfere, and that branch
of the government did so, and
asked that he might be respited
I and from
government before any movement was
made by any other party to my knowl-
edge. England has chosen to refuse to
entertain that request. The course of
Justice toward O'Donnell is not what
England wishes and asks for in regard to
one of her own subjects in this country.
There was one AmerO, a subject of Great
Britain, living in Nova Scotia, came here,
and while he was here woman, Carleton
by name, was foully murdered, and sus-
piciOn fell upon AmerO. who went to Nova
Scotia. Those suspicious were confirmed
by his statements to his relatives, that he
was concerned in some murder about that
time. 1t became my duty as Governor of
Massachusetts to move the President
for a process Of extradition upon the
authorities of the Dominion Of Can
ada for his delivery up to the
justice of Massachusetts. When he
was arrested in Nova Scotia, AmerO was
taken before the court there and full
hearing was had. From the evidence
there adduced there was little doubt of his
guilt, if he was sane. The learned Judge
who heard the cause made application to
the Dominion authorities, and they made
application to the British Minister at
Washington, and the British Minister
made representations to the Secretary of
State, who called the matter to my atten-
tion and asked that AmerO should be as
sured fair trial. | replied that he would
be fairly tried; that learned counsel would
be assigned by the court to defend AmerO,
which was done, and | detailed two of the
States detectives to assist his counsel in
looking up evidence in Amero's behalf.
and the result Of the examination, be-
lieve, will be that Amero will not be tried
at all. | have given you, my friend. an in
| stance of the course of justice in the Uni
ted States in the case of British subject,
done at the request of the British Minis
| ter. seconded by the request of the Secre-
tary of State of the United States. Com
pare the course of the authorities in the
United States, under my administration,
with what was done to O'Donnell an
American citizen in England, by the Eng
| lish authorities, and there can be no
stronger criticism on ODonnelFs case
than in the case Of Amero. 1t was easy
to use hard words about the case Of o.
| DOnnell, but giving Amero's case brings
out broad facts. Is the Golden Rule ap-
| plicable to nations: ''Do as you would be
done by?v 1t has been asserted that i
was counsel for 0'Donnell, by Boston
newspaper, and received fee for some ac-
tion in his behalf, all of which is untrue
and was asserted without warrant. am
very truly your friend and servant,
BENZ. f. BUTLER.
To Patrick Ford, Esq, Editor Irish World,
New York civ