Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-08
The Limited States and Chill.

LIS GoNNNGSNAJ 49, "-@-
stand in his shoes, will find it difficult to
escape from creditably.
For reasons known only to himself |
and others interested, he concluded that
it was the proper thing for the United |
States to play the role of protector to
Peru, now that she is at the feet of Chill,
and to espouse the cause of Garcia Cal
Geron, who was made provisional Presi-
dent of the conquered republic at the
suffersnce of Chill. AS a matter of fact,
as between Calderon and Pierola, the
refugee President, who still flies the
Peruvian banner, though to little pur-
pose, the latter has the better claim OF
the two. Chill made Calderon, and his
unmaking was merely a question of
physical force.
Chilli was forced into the struggle aud
came out victor She has just as much
right to annex the whole of Peru in
pledge for indemnity or in lieu thereof,
or TO take part of its territory, as Ger
many had to annex Alsace Lorraine
when she conquered France. While it
is perfectly proper for our government
to notify Chilli that she will be held &C
countable for the rights, claims and
privileges of our citizens in Peru, should
she incorporate her with herself. it is a
piece of presumption for US 10 say what
she shall or shall not do in the premises.
For aught we know to the contrary,
Mr.. Blaine's selfimportance may have
already carried us to point from which
we cannot creditably retrace our steps.
President Arthur says in his message
that our relations with Chill and Peru
have been misunderstood, so much so
that he has sent a special envoy fully
empowered to treat with both, and he
hopes that he will be able TO bring these
powers into friendly relations. This
special envoy is Mr.. Walker Blaine,
neopbyte in diplomacy, son of the Secre
tary of State, young man, doubtless of
fair ability, but lamentably untitled to
deal with the problem, unless he is the
mere bearer of an abject apology for the
interference already done, or of an ulti-
matum that Chilli may heed or disre-
gard.
1t will not help Peru to a graceful
recognition of her position to find
hacker in the United States, nor will
Chill feel kindly disposed to her beaten
enemy to find an outsider debating or
advising what she must do in the prem
ises.
Mr.. Walker Blaine's instructions are a
sealed book to the public, and time must
elapse ere he reaches his destination.
Meanwhile things may have gone so far
that Chilli may be justified in sending
Mr. Hurlbut packing from Lima. Kill
patrick is dead and we have no Minister
at Santiago. Altogether the situation is
neither creditable nor comfortable.
The New York Commercial Bulletin,
a journal not given to sensatiOnalism,
says, apropos of Mr.. Walker Blaine's
instructions:
Briefly stated. the sum and substance of
| these instructions. prepared OF a conference or
| Cabinet meeting at the Presidents house on
| last Tuesd evening, are that the course or
| Minister Hurlbut is to be sUs tsined at all
| hazards; that that parsonage g. directed to
| Pive a strong int'm alton to iii that the
| Unite states des res to see prac7 0etw- en- the
! two counties without the di membermeRt of
| Peru; hat is to say, the United states de sires
| the autoL omy of the country 10 be preserved,
| together with the r. esta lishm mt of its ad-
| minis ration in d its departments; that constr
| tutiOnal order in Peru must b. sustained
| againsE military violence;' that an early peace
must b. insi-ted upon between the two coun
| tries; that the vernment Will take steps 10
| intervene and insist upon Chill releasing Gar
cha Calderon: and that finally the State g.
| partment has taken the grounu that II will not
| permit he Intervention or any European ma
| ton in the matter
Here, then, we have not only rude depart
| ure from our traditional policy OF nOn-lnter-
| venJiOn in the sff4irs of our neighbors, but at
| the same time needless challenge to buro-
| pean govern ments. none of which have shown
any di.p s'tiOn TO interfere in this Chill Peru
Wan trouble. One can readily imagine
what the effect will be upon the gov
| eminent and people of Chill, when this
| programme is LAID before them. If we were 10
put ourselves in their place, and say. Tor ex-
| ample, how we should have treated British
| or Frent intervention on beh II of i'm
| poverished aud vaDquiShed Mexico. when
| our troops id her under foot so to spe-k
| we shall be- in a pO ition somewhat TO antlci-
| pate that effect. Clearly. if Mr.. Blaine intends
| his instructions to be auRht but brtttum nut
| men, it seems to us-the government ought 10
lose no time in putting what navy we have IN
| fighting trim. and to consider the exped ency
| of calling upon the States for 75UOO or 100000
| volunteers for active service. We are inclined
TO think it will require at least that many, if
only to restore to liorrIy Mr.. Hurlbuts hypo-
| theIical President Calderon. whom the Chiians
| hold as prisoner of war, and who by the way
really never had any standing as de JdctO
| government justifyiD2 recognition.
I'VE are ilform. that the Gillian Govern
ment has already been on the point Of banding
| Mr.. Hurlbut his passports, ard was only re-
| strained from 80 doing by an expectation that
| his government would recall him. 1t may well
| be asked, what. then. will be its disposition
| when it is Cfficially notified that the Minister'S
course is not only approved, bui that his gov
| eminent has even gone beyond the txtremest
| position of its representative in championlng
| the cause Of the conquered country"
1t is an easy matter to drift into war.
A self sufficient Secretary of State, or
bungliDg Minister, may, where he has
the opportunity, do mischief that can
only be repaired by humiliation or by
a resort to arms. A war with Chill
would be acceptable to a large class of
individuals, who have in memory their
former experience, but in such contest
Chill would find friends, and even single
handed, and on the ground, she would
impose upon US a heavy task to make
good our boasts.
The public know full we'll that there
is no cause for our interference save as
a mediator. President Arthur thinks the
crisis in South America dangerous to
republicanism on this continent, but
Chill is as fine an exponent of republi-
canism as we are ourselves, and may be
trusted to protect the system she so
brilliantly illustrates. When foreign
power steps in between her and her con-
quered enemy it will then be time for
our dgnifed or armed protest?
The only discernible cause for the at
titude assumed by our government in
the premises is that assigned few days
ago by Washington correspondent of
the New York Times, who says:
S''There is excellent reason for believing the
| present thr eatenng relations between this