LETTER CII.--TO GOVERNOR PINCKNEY, April 1, 1792
TO GOVERNOR PINCKNEY.
Philadelphia, April 1, 1792.
Sir,
Your letter of January the 8th to the President of the United States
having been referred to me, I have given the subject of it as mature
consideration as I am able. Two neighboring and free governments,
with laws equally mild and just, would find no difficulty in forming
a convention for the interchange of fugitive criminals. Nor would two
neighboring despotic governments, with laws of equal severity. The
latter wish that no door should be opened to their subjects flying from
the oppression of their laws. The fact is, that most of the governments
on the continent of Europe have such conventions; but England, the only
free one till lately, has never yet consented either to enter into a
convention for this purpose, or to give up a fugitive. The difficulty
between a free government and a despotic one is indeed great. I have the
honor to enclose to your Excellency a sketch of the considerations which
occurred to me on the subject, and which I laid before the President. He
has, in consequence, instructed me to prepare a project of a convention,
to be proposed to the court of Madrid, which I have accordingly done,
and now enclose a copy of it. I wish it may appear to you satisfactory.
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