Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-09
TWELVE PAGES
TUESDAY. JANUARY .. 1900.
A PROPOSED INCREASE OF
FEDERAL POWER.

President Harrison expressed the
charged with police and judicial pow
ers in such cases must. in the consid-
GRAFTON Of international suits growing
out of such incidents. be regarded in
such sense MS Federal agents as to
make this Government answerable for
their acts in cases where in would be
answerable Is the United States had
used It's constitutional power to define
and punish crimes against treaty
rights" In his recent message Presi-
dent Mckinley, after citing his prede-
ccssors opinion, urges the further con-
sideratlon that precedent for cstab-
fishing n Federal jurisdiction in crimi-
nal cases affecting aliens can be de-
rived from the existing statute estab-
fishing Federal jurisdiction for the
benefit OF aliens in civil suits; and lie
adds this impressive argument
III such jealous solcitude be shown
for alien rights in cases of merely civil
and pecuniary import, how much
greater should be the public duty To
take COBnlZunCe OIL matters UleCtlnE
the life and the rights OF aliens under
the settled principles of international
law no less than under treaty stipula-
lions in cases of such transcendent
wrong-doing as mob murder. especially
when experience has shown that local
Justice Is too often helpless TO punish
tile offenders!"
In the Malta murders in Louisiana.
atar Lot
the United States was not responsible
to Italy for the murder of her citizens
in that State, because the Federal gov
eminent had no jurisdiction in such
crimes, which under our dual system OF
government were within the exclusive
jurisdiction of the State in which they
occurred. Congress, however, under the
plea of international comfy, voted
compensation in those cases to the fam
lilies Of the victims. But we see that
while President Harrison had caught IL
true glimpse OF the real state OF the
matter in his declaration that State of
ncers In such cases are to be regarded
as Federal agents in so far as to make
the United States answerable for
crimes against treaty-rights, even he
! insisted that Congress had the "consti-
tutional power to define and punish
crimes against treaty rights" commit
ted within any State.
Now comes President Mckinley and
demands Congressional legislation cs-
tablishng Federal jurisdiction In the
cstotac nvor II orf,,,s,n1 ,,ro. :, ffoo4;...~
aliens-an imperial pretcnsion never be-
fore claimed by our National govern
ment, unless we except the "alien and
sedition laws" which aroused such a
storm of popular protest In the early
years of our government. Nor is there
any necessity whatever for such a pre-
tension; for IL the Federal action within
Ats Jurisdiction is binding on the State,
so Is the State action. within its juris-
diction. equally binding upon the gen
eral government. And what does the
Constitution OF the U. S. mean when it
says:
Full faith and credit shall be given
in each State to the public acts, re-
cords and judicial proceedings OF every
other State"
IL 1t does not also mean that the Ma
tional government is TO give "full faith
and credit" to the same. and that other
nations shall respect such acts, records
and proceedings. within the sphere of
the State. as Il they had been done by
Ahe United States?
The further declaration OF the Fed
oral Constitution that s"thIs constitu-
klops ana the avs OF the United States