There Is A Paragraph In Our Petition To The Effect, That
If 'His Excellency Had Found Sufficient Extenuation In
The
Conduct of American citizens,' we thought there were
equally good grounds for extending similar clemency to
all, irrespective of
Nationality; and that it was unbecoming
the dignity of any government to make such exceptions;
and if such have been done (and that something tantamount
to it has been done, there is ample proof), it is a violation
of the very principle enunciated by His Excellency in his
report viz., 'That it is the duty of a government to
administer equal justice to all.' What we contend for is
this: - If it be just to grant an amnesty to a citizen of
one country, 'equal justice' claims an amnesty for all.
We wish it to be distinctly understood by our American
friends, that we do not for a moment find fault with His
Excellency for allowing their countrymen to go free, but
we do complain, in sorrow, that he does not display the
same liberality to others - that he does not wisely and
magnanimously comply with the prayer of our petition by
granting a general amnesty.
But it is stated further in the reply, that 'no exception
had been made in favour of any person against whom a charge
was preferred.' With all becoming deference to His Excellency,
we think this does not meet the point. If the gentleman
were innocent, why guarantee him against arrest? And if
his friends (and we give them credit for good tact) anticipated
the 'preferment of a charge,' it does not create any special
grounds for an amnesty in contradistinction to a general amnesty.
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