The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-05-11
VALPARAISO, March 81, 1859.

In my last I sent you hasty report of the
outrages committed by the government of
Chill and it's subordinates upon the flag of the
United State and her citizens.
Upon the of the sailing of the steamer
the government, not content with having per-
mitted the family of the American Consul to
be insulted, his residence broken into and his
flag trampled under foot, without redress, can
celled his exeqaatur, upon the feeble plea that
they cleared he might place embarrassments
in the way If justice in future" Had they
said he was too concinus of the dignity of his
position to permit the rig hts of his country to
be trampled upon, too anxious to defend those
of his fellow citizens to be favoritc with
those who showed no consideration for them, it
would at all events have been more honest.
The promptness with which DIR. Trevitt
received and forwarded to Santiago every
complaint-and their name is lcgion-of muir
der, robbery and extortion practiced upon
American citizens upon the 18th of February
by the government troops, found him favor
in administration circles, and the government
seized greedily upon the pretext that few
poor fellows, flying from the bullets of an infu-
rated soldie1y no less reckless mob, had, in
his absence, implored admission to his dwelling,
to brand him as an alder an abettor of the enc
mics of this government and hastily withdraw
from him Their official sanction to act They
plead that he refus I'd to surrender them when
formally demanded; hut it. will he re me mbered
that but few days before gross and mex
cusable outrage had been rerpetrated upon him
me mbers of his family and inmates of his
dwelling struck, insulted and wounded; that
he demanded Iermission to communicate with
the local authorities and with the Minister Of
his government, in order to represent to them
that the previous outrage W; yet unatoned for,
and contemptuous silence the only
al swer to his plea for redress. ] his reasonable
request being denied him, he saw no other
oour:e consistent with the dignity of his insult
ed flag than to formally protest against the
entry OF armed men into his dwelling, and to
abandon it to the invaders.
I hat his course was right no unprejudiced
person will deny. AS gentleman, from mo-
tives of humanity, he could not turn out the
poor fellows to inevitable death; and the di-
plomatic corr s, the naval officers now in port.
and the community generally. applaud and
sustain the Consul an toto. The affair has
produced an mmence sensation here, and the
action OF the home government in the matter
is looked for by Americans with the deepest
interest If the consular flag, ordered to he
displayed on all proper occasions for his pro-
lection, be in truth no protection, be in truth
striped bunting; if, when formally displayed
no protection-nothing but mere piece of
striped bunting; if, when formally displayed
over the residence of our country's only repre-
sentative at this port, that residence be as IL |
able to forcible entry and search as the hut of |
the peon-then think it time for our news
papers to say less about the boasted protection |
of the United States to her citizens abroad and |
time for the citizens to return to their homes |
We are apt in the United States, at election |
time, to grow glorious over the very mention
Of the stars and stripes; and many a campaign |
speech, many Fourth of July oration, has had |
the banner of our country for text and context |
And when abroad, exi.ed from all the endear-
ments of home and country, strangers in
strange land, we see its glowing folds flash in
the sulight, we a thousand fold more apt
to 'ook up to it with pride and love an venera-
ton, and he who would permit it to be trodden
under foot and not resent the outrage, be he
Consul or citizen, would be unworthy the
proud prerogative of his Al: :erican birthright
An American lady is insulted and struck by I
brutal men, her hearth profaned by the armed
intrusion of the soldier, her flag desecrated by
the foot of foreign hireling. Her husband,
arriving at the moment, takes the fellow by
the throat and wrests his sword from him in
the face of score of levelled muskets, score
of glittering bayonets and forces him to leave
the house With his myrmdons. A day or two
afterwards the same party returns, backed by
a battalion. and demand an entrance--accord-
ed only under firm and respectful protest And
for this simple ascertain of frights-this defence
of all man holds dear on earth-his own and
his eountry's honor-is the Consul visited with
the wrath Of this so called republicans exc |.
quatur cancelled without the courtesy Of a.