Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-02

years ago disinterred for the delectation of | the free people of America. They were trying at Washington to discuss the ques- tion in secret Senatorial session in accord | ance, we suppose, with the teaching that men love the darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil. But there was one vigilant sentinel at the closed doors, who in the interests of the liberty we profess to have and to hold, moved that this particular treaty be dis cussed with open doors so as to let the people know what it proposed Senator Riddleberger is entitled to all praise for his wisdom and watchfulness. When the proposition for the Treaty was submitted in 1885 there was excitement in England over some alleged dynamite atrocities, the offending parties in which were described as Irish-American envoys. England felt aggrieved that under the shadow of our flag treasons should be matched and plans for wholesale outrage perfected, and our Minister at the Court of St James was in diplomatic correspondence with the Cab 1 inet at Washington on the subject, and it is said with recommendatory suggestions for this extradition device. The whole Amer ican nation secuted the idea then as an | adroit attempt to bring political refugees in this country within the vision and venue of the tender mercies of English Courts, and it was shelved in deference to the popular indignation Now, again, there are trials of dynamitards going on in Loudon, and doubtless the occasion is deemed opportune for taking the musty parchment from its pigeon hole and trans mutting it into a formal treaty.
 | We published yesterday 8 synopsis of Senator Riddleberger's masterly argument,
 first on the impropriety of discussing such serious matter in Star chamber conclave; and next on the individuality of the pro posed Treaty on it's merits. Unless the draft of the Treaty has been altered from it's original design the Senator showed that it contained provisions antagonistic to the American notion of asylum to foreign na- tionalities. He said that the provisions re- lated to the surrender of persons charged with political offences, and were of such a nature as to enable the British government to claim the surrender of persons here, rot only foreigners but American citizens, on the mere charge that they had, by con 5ributing money, or in other ways, fostered dynamite conspiracies and attempts. How inconsistent is England in the matter of 1 o4fo rights. We showed briefly, yesterday how England's sentiments and sympathies went out for oppressed peoples in Naples and Austrian Italy-feelings of which England complains when expressed by Americans for Ireland; and now on this extradition question we are reminded how braveiy Great Britain resisted the attempts to have extradited Dr Bernard and the other con- spirators charged with complicity in Orsini s attack on Napoleon H. /
 We have no fears that the American SUD-
 porters sof Great Britain, in the Senate ol
 out of it, will succeed in so belitfling oul
 national hospitality as to make more strict
 than they are at present our Extradition
 obligations. England is an adept at de captions. The violation of treaties is one
 of her characteristic practices. We know
 of instances-un -unpleasantly know of them where persons arrested on the arbitrary
 decision of Police Constable in places
 where there was no authority for such ar:
 rest, were smuggled under cover of night :, across the British Channel to Ireland z where the Habeas Corpus Act was sus pended, and there by illegal means made legally amenable; we know, too, of cases where extradition was granted for an al legged offence of grave character, but once
 within the grasp of power the origina
 charge, never a substantial one, was aban
 doned, and the parties were put on tria
 for a political offense not extradital No
 the American nation will not play into tht hands of England, and constitute itself , police to do the dirty work of the ancien enemy.