The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-09
THE RUSSIAN TREATY.

AGH treaty with RUSSIA ohiy a"a'''
100, accumulation OF Pre- ident
cleveland to be made law, as the Gov
s-,,u,onts NJ the United States and Russia
have come to an agreement over H. Inc
only clauses thereof to which any onjec-
A., hos been made are those relating TO
no,,tcal ofenses, which are found In
ar,,c,e ~ the treaty. as follows:
.1f II be made TO appear that extradl-
,ion IL sought with view TO try or pun
,sh me nerso1 demand ID for an oiense
OF a political character, SURRENDER shdIi
-. ,oke pIace: nor shan any person sur
rondered be tried or punished for any
oolIticai onense committed previously
- hts extradition nor for any ohense
e,ber than that for which the extradi-
~, ,ras granted: nor shall the surrender
80 onv person be demanded for an ofense
committed prior TO the date at which this
convention shall take effect.
~ attempt against the life Of the
NOD of either Government. or against
mat ~ any member OF his family. when
euch attempt comprises the act either OF
Murder. Of assassination, or OF poisoning
or ~ accessoryship thereto shall not be
considered n political offense, or an act
connected with such an ofense.
Other articles specify that the contract
ing parties shall not be required 10 denver
-, ,,e,r own citizens or subjects in virtue
~ the stipulations Of the present con-
,,ortion. and that extradltion shall take
Mace only upon such evidence OF crimi-
na,,tv as. according to the laws OF the
nlace where the fugitive or person so
charged shall be found. would justify
his or her apprehension and commitment
for trial. If the crime or offense had been
there committed"
General interest is centred upon the
paragraph above quoted, which requires
that attempts against the life OF the
head Of either Government shall De coh-
cidered an extraditable crime. ODjectloH
has already been raised against 'n''
c,ause on the ground that the barbara
ties NJ the car Of Russia have been so
notorionslv great that II is not fair Tor
free Government like the United states
N agree to return criminals accused OF
throwing bombs at the head OF the Rus
elan Government, when provocalons for
en- doing are so much greater In Russia
than they could possibly be in the United
States. This, however, is very false
reasoning. In making general treaties
with any foreign Government the United
states have no right to look into the
internal affairs OF that Government, but
10 consider only the Government Itself
and all countries in treating with each
other should always be controlled by the
golden rule OF doing unto others as
they would have others do unto them.
Acting upon this rule. It is both just
and light thzt treaties between the United
States and any other Government should
contain a provision for extraditing any
criminal taking refuge therein who had
been guilty Of the grave offense Of having
tried 10 kill the head Of the Government
with which the treaty has been entered
into. Should any reckless and desperate
craver after notorlety, like Guiteau. at
tempt TO kill the President Of the United
States and escape 70 Russia, this Govern
ment would feel itself very badly treated
II the Car should attempt to give refuge
to him; and so Russia would feel herself
aggrieved should the Government Of the
United States persist in harboring an
attempted murderer Of the Car. And
as we would wish Russia 10 restore to us
the would-be murderer Of the head OF
our Government, so we should be willing
to restore to her the would-be slayer
Of the head of hers.
Upon this question all civilized countries
are agreed. While In some, political
offenses, that would be thought nothing
of here, are considered grievous, all
unite in declaring that attempts on the
head Of any Government are the most
heinous of crimes. because they are
crimes committed against all government,
and I'm the interests wholly Of anarchy.
Whatever. therefore, may be said against
this clause in the Russian treaty, It IS
emphatically right, since it IS a blow at
murderous Anarchists and Nihillsts. The
too liberal immigration laws Of the United
States open the doors Of the country
already too widely TO European murderers
and desperadoes, and our boosted free
Republic should never be permitted TO be-
come the safe harbor OF foreign regl-
cides