The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1890-03-26
AN OFFENSIVE PROPOSITION

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cidcd reprobation of the whole people o
the United States; it is an extraditiol
treaty between the government of tn,
United States and that of Russia, the es
tablishment of an equality of conditions
in relation to offences between tha
which is as unequal as it is possible t,
conceive; bet wcen government that il
constitutional and one that is absolute
between rulers that derive their power,
from the people and rulers that CLAIM
divine right to govern; between ruler;
who are responsible and rulers who dis
claim all responsibility; between peopl'
who are free and people who exist at th'
will OF an autocrat. Between such ad
verse elements there can be no possibl,
community or comfy their paths arr
diverse, II. il ntjee.s antipodal On'
aims at the enlargement Of human libcr
ties and human happiness; the othe,
taxes ingenuity to rivet still more tirml,
the chains Of slavery, and to fill NOR
lull the cup of human misery. Th'
United States can have no part in sucl
compact to enter into It would be t.
falsify it's fundamental principles and tt
undermine the foundation of its liberties
There is to ms an unnatural fascination
which seems to have drawn the Unitet
States and Russia into bonds of common
sympathy unnatural, because il is ALI
ance proposed between the frcest natioi
On earth and the most dcspotic; between
the champion of human liberty and thu
avowcd apostle of abiect slavery. Pos
sibly an unavowcd, but living. sentiment
of gratitude animatcs the American
breast. because. in the period of our civi
war; Russia was proiuse in sympathetic
feeling for the cause Of the North. But
it was hypocritical sympathy. original
ing in the hope and belief that the war
in whatever way it resulted, would leac
TO military dictatorship, the overthrow
of liberty and the triumph OF dcspotisn
as the natural sequence Of such tremcn
dous upheaval. IL was diabolical
not generous or sincere, encouragement
Russia gave to the United States. But
tcnre on the other. this iraternal inter
change of mutual obligations rs now
proposed. Through it we sacrifice every
thing; Russia gains everything. W,
have no criminals escaping to Russia
| That is not country to invite or shiet
our criminals. Fears and jcalousic.
throw up such barriers to entrance into
the empire that the boldest or mos,
adroit tail of cutraacc; or gaining access
find themselves at the outset of a lonl
Journey to Siberia. But Russia gain
enormously in the attainment of her oh
jccts. The Offences which she aims t,
punish are purely political. The tota
denial of all the rights of speech, the re
strain, upon all freedom Of action, in
wolves the empire. or rather the dcSpot
in chronic apprehension. Plots are con
cocted or plots are imagined Tor whicl
the knout, the prisons or Siberia are th,
penalty. The business OF the authori
ties is to invent plots. to expose plots
and to punish plots; and, innocent %
guilty, those involved in them are pun
ishcd or flee. Aud it is for these that tn
solicitude OF Russia is aroused. and tn
machinery of an cxtradition treaty i
devised. The discovery ot criminal
such as are usually embraced III sucl
treaties is mere prctcxt. Russia is no
SO virtuous as to trouble herself ahOm
the detection OF ordinary criminals. Po
litica offence, are the blackcst on he
calendar. But us these are only local il
their character. the United States wiscl,
and Justly accords to political refugee
the right of asylum. Therefore Russia
in the grasp after them, assigns to then
to bc reclaimed in this country as such
to be tried and punished at home as pc
litical offenders.
knowing the purposes, knowing til
fearful penalties, negotiations looking T.
an cxtradition treaty with Russia shoul
come to an abrupt close. The countr
demands II. There is no reciprocity i
such treaty. 1t would he bealtogethcr on'
sided. We are asked to yield cvcrythin
to power whose principle is fore,
whose practice is cruelty, VIII ,sc aim
absolute despotism. Against such ou
course is that of stern unyiclding antai
onsm. We can bear no alliance such Il
proposed with Russia without sacrif
ing long cherished consistency. an
strcnpthcnin the hands of tyrann
against which the world with reccr
vivid illustrations of its refined ferocit,
is more than ever aroused to rebukc an
suppress.
Let the protest against such treaty I
sounded throughout the whole lcngt
aud breadth of the United States.
A NIL has been introduced into Il
Maryland legislature to make votir
compulsory in the state. 1t provid,
that the return Judges shall certify to Il
criminal court a list Of all persons wi
voted at the election, and the court shc
then require all those who did not vo
to show sufficient cause for their abscn
from the polls. Offenders are to be fin,
So and costs. The bill exempts tho
who do not posscss property to tuc yal,