The Portland daily press., 1882-01-28
Chill and Peru.
The Correspondence Submitted to the
Senate.

The Chilian correspondence called for by the
Senate is voluminous. The State Department
has furnishud everything except six or eight
letters, which it reports missing from the files.
The Secretary also explains that the names Of
public men used in the communications to
the department by private parties have been
omitted, since it is not certain those names are
used with authority. These all appear in the
correspondence of Mr.. Shepherd, of the Peru
Wan company. OF the papers filed, those at
tracing the most attention are the first ms true
tions to Mr.. Trescott, and the subsequent mod
ifioation of them by them by the President and
Secretary Freinghuysen. The first instruc
tions went with the approval of President Ar
thur, but upon reflection and reading them in
connection with some others, he came to a con-
clusion that they would surely lead to misun-
derstauding with Chill, and probably to war,
and so he decided later to modify them. This
was done by cable and notification to the
Chilian Minister here, and by formal
letter Of modification from the Secretary Of
State
One of the curious facts brought out is that
Mr.. Christiancy, as early as May, wrote that
unless the United States either intervened or
established protectorate over Peru, or annex
ed that country, the Monroe doctrine would
be regarded as myth in all South American
States. The letters relating to the Peruvian
Company must lead to a Congressional in
quirk.
The most vigorous paper in this part of the
correspondence is one from Mr.. Blaine to Mr..
Shepherd in which the late Secretary denoun-
ces Mr.. Shepherd as possessed with delusion
and rebukes him sharplyfor the character of his
letters, and tells him that he oughtto be thank
ful that the government does not prosecute him
for attempting to bribe an officer Of the United
States The latter relates to an offer made by
Shepherd to Minister Hurlbut Of quarter of
million of stock This offer was in writing and
was sent to Mr.. Hurlbut before the latter had
left his home in Illinois. After General Hurl-
but had reached Peru and the excitement over
the Peruvian Company was before the puDhc,
Gen. Hurlbut sent this letter to Mr.. Blaine,
and the latter then attacked Shepherd
The blanks in the Peruvian correspondence
are said to have been filed with the names OF
prominent capitalists Congressman, high Off
cials and politicians. An investigation will
probably be ordered in the House. The whole
correspondence sent in will make large vol
ume.
The Blaine instructions review the changes
OF (TOVeruIu6ub III btAOW Judt tuo 0nAA-
IN Secretary of State pledged Chilli to support
Calderon. Therefore Hurlbut was accredited
to that administration. Subsequently the Chill
ians changed front, arrested Calderon. and ex-
tinguished his government. The Chilian Sec
retary had also given assurance that no ques-
ton of annexation would be considered until
a constitutional government was established in
Peru and that no territory would be exaeted
cation in other ways. Blaine viewed this
change OF mind as an affront to the United
States and instructed Trescott that unless
the imputed motive was disayowed you Will
say to the Chilian government that the Presi-
dent considers such proceeding as an inten-
tional and unwarranted offence, and that you
will communicate such avowal TO the govern
ment of the United States with the assurance
that it will be regarded by the government as
an act of such unfriendly import as to require
the immediate suspensian of all diplomatic in
tere0urSe."
On the 9th of January, 1882, Secretary Fre-
linghuysen sent the letter to Mr.. Trescott an
nulling in effect Mr.. Blaine's Instructions,
The letter says: "The President wishes in no
manner to make any authoritative utterance
to either Peru or Chilli as to the merits OF the
contest existing between Ethese republics as TO
what indemnity should be asked or given, as 70
a change of boundary, or as to the personnel OF
the government of Peru. The President rec
ognizes Chill and Peru as independent repub-
lies, to whom he has no right or inclination TO
dictate Were the United States to assume
an attitude Oh QlCldllOu bOHdAuo thO 0c0eu
American republics, even for the purpose Of
preventing war, the greatest of evils, or pre-
serving the autonomy of nations, it must be
prepared by the Army and Navy to enforce It's
mandate, and to this end tax our people for the
exclusive benefit of foreign nations. The Pres
ident's policy with the South American repRb-
lies and other foreign nations is that expressed
in the immortal words Of Washington, with
which you are entirely familiar. What the
President does seek to do is to extend the kind
ly offices of the United States impartially to
Peru and Chilli. He considers himself very
fortunate in having one so competent as your
self to bring the powers of persuasion and reas-
on to bear in seeking the termination OF the
unhappy fight, and you,will consider as revok-
ed that portion of your original instruction
which directs you to suspend diplomatic inter
course" Among the letters submitted Is one
from Secretary Blaine to Minister Hurlbut, in
which the writer animadverts very severely
upon Mr. Hurlbuts connection with the Chin
bote coaling-station scheme.