These 130 Cossacks got tired of such duties and resolved to leave the country rather than to shoot down their countrymen who are fighting for liberty. Should any of these Cossacks come to this country. we shall ask them to produce certificates of good character from the Russian police. and upon their failure to do so we shall send them back to Russia. We have retrograded in our attitude toward political refugees. The act of August 3. 1882. which for the first time debarred foreign convicts. excepted " those convicted of political offenses." The act of March 3. 1891. iade the exemption bill stronger by the insertion of the following proviso: Provided. That nothing in this act shall be consirued to apply to or exclude persons convict(d of a political offense. notwithstanding said political offense may be designated as a " felon. crime. infamous crine. or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude lby the laws of the lands whence he came. or by the court convicting. The provision was in agreement with the best authorities on international law. which recognize that most political offenses are " admixt crimes." which would be considered coimmin iirimnes if it were not for the political motive of the offender. The reason for the exemption in favor of political refugees is the general recognition of the fact that men and women who fight tyrannly in the country of their birth may prove very useful and peaceloving citizens in their adopted country. We have erected lmonuments in this city to two Polish political offenders. Kosciuszsco and Pulaski. I have referred to the German refugees who came to this country after the revolution of 1848 to escape capital punishment in their own country. some of them fought in our Civil War. One of these revolutionists. Carl Schurz. sat in the Cabinet of a President. an honored leader of the Republican Party.
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refugees