The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-26
SHALL THE UNITED STATES RESPECT
IFS TREATY OBIIGATIONS?

The telegraph gives us a 'meagre report Of
the debate that took place in the Senate on
Tuesday over the proposed act providing
that parties in the United States who inilct
injuries on citizens or subjects of foreign
governments shall he prosecuted for the act
in the United States courts. This proposed
act has been called FOX by the New Orleans
lynching of the Italian Mafas. and while
TIE TIMES proposes this morning 10 show
what 1t thinks very cogent reasons why 1t
should be passed, it does not want its New
Orleans friends to think any the less that
they had its entire sympathy in what they
did. What happened in New Orleans Is one
OF those inevitable calamitles that oyertake
all communities, but this act OF Congress
should be passed nevertheless.
All the treaties that this government has
with foreign powers contain provisions that
those powers shall guarantee to the citizens
of the United States soiourning there the full
and equal protection of the countrys laws
and in return. the United States has stlpu-
lated that the citizens or subjects Of each OF
those powers shall be guaranteed by 1t the
try's laws while they may be solourning
here We know. az matter of fact, that the
government of every country with which the
United States has treaty does actually pro
tect all Americans sojourning within Its terri
tory. But. in return. the United States has
done actually nothing TO secure 10 foreigners
soiourning here any protection whatever.
hot an IN
violating the rights of foreigner with whose
government this has a treaty may be held re-
sponsible for that violation IN the United
States courts which would be an attempt
made by this government in good faith TO
carry out its treaty obligation and would be
about all that it could attempt TO do under
our Constitution.
This Government therefore should either
pass this act or notify all other governments
that 1t will do nothing 10 carry Quits guaran-
tees. IN which case those other governments
would of course cease all efforts to protect
Americans sojourning with them. This would
mean that an American soJourning or travel
ing in italy or elsewhere would be outside the
pale and protection of the law. He would be
person whom any Italian might rob or muir
der under consciousness that lie did 50 with
10 liability to law. Logically this would mean
the ending of all intercourse between this
country and all foreign countries. since none
but the buccaneer himself is going to trust
himself amongst a people where lie Is re-
garded as fair game for whatever pirate may
come along. This therefore is most serious
case. and, in the alternative presented We
have no difficulty whatever III declaring that
our Congress should pass the act
We shall now notice those arguments
against It's passage which the telegraph gave
US.
Mr. Vest argued that he did not believe the
day would ever come when it would be posi-
bic TO avert mob law in the United
States The day will never come either
when it will be possible TO avert burg
larry or larceny or manslaughter. But is that
q reason why we should repeal our statutes
Furnishing those crimes We shall not treat
this argument seriously, dspatching it with
Pooh Bah's remark to Executioner koko in
the Mikado when the latter urged that it was
impossible for man to cut of his own head,
but at least man might try"
Mr.. Turpie's argument deserves better
treatment He said the proposition was rev.
olutionary that this was the first time in
Anglo Saxon history that Il proposition had
been made that government of people
should take the initiative against . defendant