The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-06

majority and minority reports were presented
yesterday in the House of Representatives on
the subject of the outrages perpetrated by
Lopez on Minister Washburn and the men,
bers of his suite. The majority report states
that Messrs. Bliss and Masterman were men,
bers of the personal suite of Mr.. Washburn,
and were therefore, under the law of nations,
entitled to the protection of the United
States; that their forcible detention and ar
rest was a violation of the law of nations,
and gross insult to the honor and dignity of
the United States; and that the action of the
President in withdrawing our Minister and
declining to hold further diplomatic inter-
course with Lopez is entitled to approval
The minority report sets forth that the
arrest of Bliss and Masterman while under
the protection of the American flag was an
outrage that demanded prompt reparation,
and that the conduct of Mr.. Washburn in
abandoning them was serious compromise
of the dignity of the American flag that
could not be justified by any considerations of
personal safety. Mr.. Washburn, however, is
considered censurable for associating with his
legation these two men-one British sub
ject suspected by Lopez of a conspiracy with
his enemies and both adv venturers of doubt
full reputation.
With regard to the conduct of the American
Rear-Admirals Davis and Godon, which was
one of Mr.. Washburns chief grievances, the
minority and majority of the committee come
to entirely different conclusions. A resolu-
ton of censure on Rear-Admiral Davis was
lost by tie vote, but the majority report that
in their opinion Rear-Admiral Godon, in neg
lecting to assist Mr.. Washburn in reaching
the Government to which he was accredited,
failed to discharge his duty as commander of
the South Atlantic Squadron. The minority,
however, acquit the naval officers of all
blame in the matter, and express the opinion
that no action is required on the part of Con-
gress.
The difficulty between Mr.. Washburn and
Rear -Admirals Davis and Gedon was one of
the most serious features Of this whole affair,
for the diplomatic complications which grew
out of the peculiar disposition and the pecu-
liar situation of Lopez are not likely to occur
again, and would not have occurred at all if
Lopez had been anything but savage, with
whom it was scarcely worth while to hold any
of the naval officers to assist the minister,
however, raises very important question as
to how far the navy is under the control of
our diplomatic representatives in foreign
parts. Leaving out of consideration Mr..
Washburn's fitness or unfitness for his posi-
tion, or the prudence of his conduct, all that
has been made public with regard to
this affair heretofore indicates very
plainly that the commanders of the South
Atlantic Squadron did not recognize his right
to give any orders for their movements, and
that they deliberately and ostsntatiously
asserted their independence of him by re-
fusing to assist hiIa when he demanded the
protection of the flag. A very curious letter,
evidently written by an officer of the navy in
Rear Admiral Davis command, appeared in
one of the New York papers about the time
of Minister Washburn's return to this coun-
try in which it was roundly asserted that it
was beneath the dignity of q Rear-Admiral to
obey the orders of any mere civilian, and that
the upholding of the dignity of Rear
Admiral in the United States Navy was of quite
as much Importance in foreign waters as the
protection of American citizens or any other
little matters of that kind. Ridiculous as
was this assertion, it undoubtedly repre-
sented the feelings of a large number of
naval officers, and it indicated very plainly
that it was high time that some definite in
structions were given to naval commanders as
to their duties and their relations to our diplo-
matte representatives. Our foreign ministers
are the responsible representatives of the
Government, and while many of them are
undoubtedly not the most fit persons that
could be chosen for the discharge of the deli
cate and responsible duties imposed upon
them, the officers of the navy are not the
proper judges of their capacity. Matters of
great moment may often depend upon the
assurance of a prompt support by the naval
force to a minister in case he should have
occasion to demand it, and the people of the
country have not so high regard for the
dignity of Rear-Admiral that they will ex-
cuse refusal TO comply with request of a
minister for assistance.
The resolution offered by the majority
of the committee on this point, therefore,
ought not only to be adopted by the House,
but law ought to be passed Immediately
that will prevent any further trouble of the
kind In the future. The resolution states
that it is clearly the duty of our naval officers
on foreign stations to render all reasonable
assistance to the diplomatic officers of the
United States in the discharge of their duties,
and that refusal or neglect to render such
assistance when required, or any discourtesy
of such naval officers towards such diplomatic