Year: 1868

when he reads the despatch from Indianapolis


IL appears that some Vigilance COMMITTEE" a
common institution among our neighbors q n =
ticipated the action of the court by giving the
pris oners the benefit of lynch law. We do not
wish TO be understood as entertaining any
sympathy for scoundrels, even when they m eet
with very hard lines; but we must say that the
decree, no matter what their guilt is dis
grace to the country In which 1t took place.
iofm OF trial might frsts have been
accorded them. What q contrast does their
case present TO that of the convicted murderer
of Thomas darcy MCGEE! Our people may
well be congratulated on the spirit of law and
order which prevails amongst them; aud we
now be prevented, the patient public will have
no occasion to lose It's faith in the ability of the
judicial tribunals Of the. country to punish
brought to his door. The "Vigilance Commit
tee" with It's concomitant OF lynch .law, Is a
every American ought to feel ashamed, and
which the Government of their country should
firm hand,


From The Toronto Leader, Dec. II.


One of the strongest arguments. addressed
more to the sympathy than TO the reason OF the
Canadian Judges, against the surrender of these
persons, was that, If handed over to the Indiana
authorities they would be taken violently out
of their hands and suffer the unjust death which
the mob had already Inflicted on six others
who were only suspected-not convicted-of
crime, There is moral obligation which uu.
Gerlies all extradition treaties-namely, that
parties accused of crime and surrendered in
good faith by one Government to another shall
be tried for the offense, and no other
charged against them in The country from
which they were removed, and that they shall
be secured in the right of a fair trial by q COM
petent tribunal, without molestatiOn either
from the officers of the law, on the one hand
or private Individuals, singly or banded to.
gether in mob, on the other Our judges be-
lieved that that moral obligation would be
respected by the authorities into whose custody
Reno and Anderson were given, and the Gov
ernor-General, before issuing his warrant of
eXtradttion, was assured, we believe, that all
requisite precautions would be taken to guard
the prisoners against illegal Violence and to en-
sure them an impartial trial. The result we re-
gret to say, goes to justify the apprehensions
of the prisoners counsel, Mr.. O'Connor, and to
show that the assurances which were given as
TO the safety of the prisoners were Idle. If not
wreaked its vengeance npon the unhappy men,
and whether they were guilty or innocent they
have suffered a punishment far In excess of
what was due to the crime of which they stood
cerned, tue effects of such inhuman conduct
must be to make us doubly careful in all
cases of eXtradition. We surrender alleged
criminals In order that they may be tried
but II, instead of trial, it Is butchery
that meets them when they cross the border
of the law under which they are given up do
not outweigh the good 1t was Intended to confer
We have heretofore made the surrender simply
upon 1Ttynu Jdcte evidence OF guilt; but occur
reDces such as that at New Albany admonish
us that something more will in future be re.
quired. No man can be safe In this country
however innocent, If he is liable at any moment
to be exposed to the tender mercies of a mob
upon the plea that he is guilty of an offense for
which he ought to be tried in the United States
body,