Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-10-29
A BIT OF HISTORY FOB IRIsHMEN.


There is an old story, says ths New
York Herald, thst during the reign Of
President GRANT General BUTLER and
Mr.. BLAINE once had occasion to see His
Excsllsncy and wsrs ssked to wsis in the
White House sa-den for little while.
While they were walking about-so goes
the tsle--Mr. BLAINE spied Ratchet and
began to chop away with it at a cherry
tea Presently to them came the Presi-
dent, who said, ST would like to know
who has bsen cutting my cherry tree?"
Whereupon Mr.. BLAINE said, ST cannot
tell lie, Mr.. Prssidsnt-it was General
BUTLER
We ara reminded of this old story, con-
tinuss the Herald, by what is going on
Just low about rather notorious matter,
the extradition treaty with England.
When this treaty was coneludei by Mr..
CLEVELAND and by him sent to the Re-
publican Senate, one Of its a: t:c,es reed as
follows:
Malicious injuries to property whereby the life
Of any person shall be endangered, II such inJu.
| riss constitute q crime according TO the laws OF
both the high contracting parties.
The republican Senators on the motion,
it is understood, of Senator Sherman
changed this, 60 that as they reported is to
the Senate it was made to read
Malicious irjlries to persons or property by
the use OF explosives or malicious ir uries or OBJ
| struetions to railways whereby the lie Of any
person shall be endangered, II Euch injuries
constitute crime according 10 the laws OF both
the high contracting parties, or according TO the
laws Of that political division Of either csuntry
| in which the offence shall have been committed.
and OF that political division OF either country In
which the offender shall be arrested.
This Republican change, it has been well
remarked, "ained to crate new offence
in criminal law" whereas the tIue purpess
of an txsradition treaty is to give effect
OF ly to the law as it 'auds. But the Re-
publican change very cuuningiy aimed to
do more even than this. nplace of max
ipg the extradit;on apply only to the gene
raj laws of the two countries the Republic
cans declare that the pe:son demanded
shall be surrendered ''it srch injuries con-
stitute crime according to tie laws of
that political division of either country 10
which the offence shall have been COM
nitled."
That is to say, by this Republican de-
vice they would have SURRENDERED any
Irishman demanded by Great Britain and
charged with an offe:cs which, while it
might net be crime in England ct all,
was yet made crime in Ireland Ey the
notorious Grimes act in Ireland" or in
any other al trary way.
TIE treaty as thus in;quitouslJ and Gun.
niugly changed by the Republicans, in the
interest of thu English and eg,iust tie
Iri.h, they tried during several m'nths TO
adopt, but it Was cppo;el by the Demo
crats, and, as treaty requires two
thirds vote TO rstify it, the Democrats,
though in the minority, were able to pre-
vent It's adoption.
1t is thus clear-for thess facts are To-
torious and uniisputed-that It was tie
Republican Senators who desired and en-
deaTclel to so change the treaty in the in
terest of England as to enibie tie British
government to taTy end persscIte Irish
men seeking asylum in the United States.
Yet, in the face Of all this Republicans
are now accusing Mr.. CLEVELAND, in
secretly circulated pspers, Of a design to
surrender Irisbmen to EGglard aid vio-
late tie hight of asy lum. Lst no Irishmsn
be deceived. 1t WAS the Republicans of
the Senate who contrived and defended
and tried to adopt the iniquitaus surrender
treaty; aud their evil design was defeated
by the Democratic Senator'S.