"Neue Rheinische Zeitung" — [Extradition of Political Refugees]

[Extradition of Political Refugees]

["Neue Rheinische Zeitung" No. 271, April 13, 1849. Second Edition]

*
Cologne, April 12. The Prussian government has already shown by issuing warrants of arrest for Austrian, German and non-German so-called political offenders, notably for Kossuth, Bem, Perczel and other Hungarian heroes, how closely Prussian constitutional freedom is bound up with the royal-imperial blood-dripping martial law. The entente cordiale [the cordial understanding] between Potsdam and Olmütz, despite imperial questions, German questions, Schleswig-Holstein questions and other questions, was a fact whose existence could only escape the diplomatising literary moles of the Kölnische Zeitung and other astute organs. But that this entente cordiale was to extend even to the ultimate villainy, to the infamy of the
extradition of political refugees
to the Austrians, was something our glorious Ministry had kept in store for us.

Had Robert Blum escaped from Vienna to Prussia, the Prussian government would have extradited him to his executioners.

It has extradited one of Robert Blum’s fellow combatants, the Viennese cadet
Höcke
,
to the Austrian bloodhounds of martial law on April 4 of this year
. Read the following report of the Oberschlesische Lokomotive from
Ratibor
, dated April 4:

“Yesterday afternoon the Viennese cadet
Höcke
arrived here from Breslau under police escort in a special cart, whither he had fled some time ago, accused of high treason for participation in the Vienna October revolution. Höcke had indicated his residence there in a letter to his family in Vienna. This letter must have shared the fate of many others, i.e., have been opened at some Austrian post station. For shortly afterwards the police authorities in Breslau received an order by requisition to arrest the said Höcke in his dwelling and to extradite him.

Accordingly, the prisoner arrived here under escort yesterday afternoon, where a very severe illness, with which he has been afflicted for a long time, delayed the continuation of his journey leading him to face martial law. He was placed in the town gaol, under strict military guard, but as early as five o’clock this morning he was again taken across the border, accompanied by two town constables and a gendarme. The much-lauded Prussian humanity did not permit him, during this last journey, for two and a half hours, a single occasion to leave the carriage, which his illness made necessary, nor the refreshments he requested. For the latter, there was no money available, although, according to his statement, 80 talers had been taken from the prisoner upon his arrest in Breslau, and the transport costs, as we know very well, had amounted to only (!) 30 talers.

It is the most urgent duty of the German newspapers to emphatically draw the attention of Austrian fugitives to the dangers to which they expose themselves by lingering on Prussian, especially Silesian, soil. The old cartel convention continues in its old glory. The great German fundamental right called martial law is equally recognised in Prussia and Austria and is lustily enforced.”

The martial-law heroes of the various countries declared in a state of siege are not to have given us such examples in vain. Just as they now stick together, so too will the democrats of all nations one day stick together when the day of revenge dawns.

The royal and ministerial refuse of half of Europe found a safe refuge in England last spring.

We assure Messrs Manteuffel, Brandenburg and their like that in the next revolution, which they themselves are so busy accelerating, there will be no obstacle in the way of
their
extradition from England to the victorious, vengeance-thirsty German people. That is already being provided for.