Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-02-03
The south American Trouble.

The past week has seen vOlumlnous contrl-
buttons made to the already extensive litera-
ture of diplomatic correspondence between
our government and the South American re-
publics of Chill and Peru. From all that this
correspondence shows it is pretty evident
that the natural result of Mr.. Blaine's policy,
had he remained as Secretary of State would
have been to produce an open quarrel with
Chill sooner or later. In deprecating the
harsh terms which Chill insisted on extorting
from Peru as an indemnity from the conquer
ed state, Mr.. Blaine undoubtedly voiced ao-
curstely the sentiment of our government
and people. His error was in so stating the
position of our government that his language
could not be interpreted otherwise than as
the language of menace.
In the mass of diplomatic correspondence
is note from Secretary Frelinghuysen to Mr..
Prescott, one of the special ENJOYS sent to the
countries named while Mr.. Blaine was in Of
fee, in which certain instructions given by
the latter are revoked as liable to give unne-
cessary ofTense to the CHILEAN government.
The policy of the present administration in
regard to the South American troubles is out
lined by Mr. Frelinghuysen as follows
1.-THE President wishes in no manner to
dictate or make any authoritative utterance
to either Peru or Chill as to the merits of the
controversy existing between those repub-
lies as to what indemnity should be asked or
given, as to a change of boundaries or as to
the personnel of the government of Peru.
The President recognizes Peru and Chill to
be Independent republics, to which he has no
right or inclination to dictate. We're the
United States to assume an attitude of dicta-
ton toward the South American republics
even for the purpose of preventing war, the
greatest of evils or to preserve the autonomy
of nations, it must be prepared by army and
navy to enforce its mandate, and to this end
tax our people for the exclusive benefit of for
eign nations The Presidents policy with
the South American republics and other for.
eign nations is that expressed in the immor-
tai address of Washington, with which you
are entirely familiar. What the President
does seek to do is to extend the kindly offices
of the United States impartially to both Peru
and Chill whose hostile attitude to each 9TH
err he seriously laments, and he considers him
self fortunate in having one so competent as
yourself to bring the powers of reason and
persuasion to bear in seeking the termination
of the unhappy controversy
Since this correspondence was published
Mr.. Blaine has told newspaper reporter that
President Arthur was aware of the instruc-
tions which he gave Mr.. Trescott, and that
President Garfield approved his South Amer
lean policy. He thinks that Chill will ruin
Peru that the loss of her guano islands and
nitrate deposits will be a greater blow to Pc
ru than the loss of the eleven Southern states,
with the Pacific slope added would have been
to our Union, and that Great Britain is at the
bottom of the whole business with scheme
to gain immense commercial advantage at our
expense. On President Arthurs part it is
said that, before Mr. Trescott's departure, the
President told him that above all things he
desired to have him impress upon the Gillian
government that the United States simply de-
sired to tender its good offices. Mr. Blaine
was requested to draft instructions according
to this tenor and twice these instructions
were shown to the President, and he object
| ed to them as being too dictatorial arbitrary
and threatening, and'modifed them himself.
Surprising that Mr.. Blaine understood per-
fectly his desire, the President did not look
at the final draft and that was the one which
contained the language whose tone has been
so decidedly modified by the letter from Sec
rotary Frelinghuysen quoted from above. In
some quarters it is believed, or said, that Mr..
Blaine had a scheme for uniting all the South
American republics in a sort of confedera-
ton, under protectorate from the United
States.
We have little sympathy with the attempt
which is made to heap abuse and reproach on
Mr.. Blaine an account of the course pursued
by him as Secretary of State, but we believe,
nevertheless, that prudent and candid men
will approve the moderate and conservative
course adopted by President Arthur and Sec
rotary Frelinghuysen rather than the "bril-
liant" and active policy pursued by Mr..
| Blaine