The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-11-02
The Side Democrats are On.
WHEN TuE ExTRADITIoN TREATY WITH
ENGLAND Is CONSIDERED.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS TAKEN FROM
THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD,
wHIOu THROW SOME LIGHT
ON VERY IMPORTANT
STATE QUESTION.

wHIUu THROW SOME LIGHT
ON VERY IMPORTANT
STATE QUESTION.
The New York Times of a recent
date contained the following interest
ing communication:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.--The des-
pera,ion of the republicans in their at
tempt to regain control Of the govern
ment is conspicuous in nothing 80
much as in a reckless and systematic
disregard for the truth. This is befit
ting and worthy Of a campaign led,
as it is, by the only presidential candi.
date who in the history of the country
was defeated on account of his bad
personal record. One of the latest
feats Of this unscrupulous party is not
only characterized by blushing false
hood, but presumpiious effort to dis
count the intelligence of Irish -Ameri-
cans. l refer to the use of the merce-
nary and mendscious columns of the
Irish World to impress upon the
minds of Irishmeu the idea that the
present administration is unfriendly to
them by reason of the extradition trea.
ty with Great Britain, which was sent
to the Senate by the president on the
8th of July, 1886. The facts are
briefly these: In June of 1886 an ex-
tradition treaty was agreed upon be-
tween this country and Great Britain
which contained among other things
the following provision: Malicious
injury to property whereby the life of
any person snail be in dagger, if such
injuries constitute crime for which
the offender may be extradited. The
treaty was referred to the committee
on foreign relations, consisting of four
democrats and the five following re-
ublicans: John Sherman, George +.
Edmunds, William p. Frey, William
M. Evarts and Renjamin Harrison
until his retirement from Office on the
4th of March, 1887, when his place on
the committee was filled by Mr.. Dolph,
of Oregon. Some time after the
reference the committee reported the
following amendment to the above
provision;
Malicious injuries to persons or
property by the use of explosives, or
malicious injuries or obstruction to
railways whereby the life of any per-
con shall be endangered, if such in
juries constitute crime according to
the laws of that political division of
either country in which the offense
shall have been committed, and of that
political division of either country in
which the offender shall be arrested"
This proposed amendment was op-
posed by every democratic Senator,
and by Senator Riddleberger, who
moved TO consider the question IN
open session. In discussing the mo-
ton he said:
81 do not believe there is single
member of the committee on foreign
relations who will rise to- day in open
session and advocate the amendment
which comes from that committee
(See Congressional Record Feb. 7,
1888, page 1,0O5.)
So determined was the opposition to
the proposed amendment on the part
of the democratic senators, the further
consideration of the treaty was post
pened until next December.
1t is matter of fair and conclusive
inference from the circumstances of the
case that the amendment was reported
at the instance of the British minister.
For while all senatorial action was
under the seal OF secrecy, the fact is
known to be true that before the trea-
ty was submitted to the senate the
British minister, Lord Sackyille, called
upon the secretary of the state and
urged him to consent to the concise
amendment, which was afterward re-
ported by the republican of the major
ity committee. This the secretary of
state positively and firmly declined to
do The object of her majesty's re
preventative was obvious. He knew
that the treaty, as originally agreed
upon, contained no provision which
would permit the extradition of Irish
men for alleged offenses growing out
of the use of dynamite or explosives,
hence his earnest appeal to the secre-
tary of state. 1t is apparent that an
application was more successfully
made to the committee on foreign re-
lations. 1t will be noted that there is
no provision of the United States sta
tutes which would constitute mali cious
injuries referred to in the treaty as
originally agreed upon a crime, and
there is no provision in the original
treaty which would permit the arrest
of any person if he were located in
some political division (or state) in
which such malicious injury would be
q crime, so that the Objectionable fea,
ture of the proposed amendment is di.
rectly and expressly chargeable TO the
Republican majority of the committee,
and not to the administration of Pres
Cleveland, az falsely charged by Pat
Ford aud the understrikers who are
under his bad and Misleading influence
III believe there is no treaty exist
ing, or ever been made, between the
United States and any foreign power
containing the remarkable provision
proposed by the committee on foreign
reln,ions in their attempt to discrlmi
nate against the people of Ireland
The amendment was not only obvious
ly designed to apply to that unhappy
county Y, but in order TO facilitate th,
imperial government in its complete
domination of down.troddeu and long
suffering Ireland, the local laws--no
the federal law alone--but the looa
laws of every state of this Union wer,
TO be made available and subservien
for the purposes of It's tyrannioa
scheme of utter political oppression
and ruin. The republican senator
not only lent themselves as willing
tools to the British government fo
the purpose of inficting this unprece
dented and outrageous discrimination
against that large and thrifty elemen
of our people who naturally and right
y sympathize with the cause of Ire
land, but have attempted to keep tn
whole matter under the cloak of sc
II