Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-03

Now THAI Mr.. Blaine has for q moment
stopped making foolish speeches and abject
apologies for the same, the people are
~wondering at what fresh point he will
break out. It b true that his admirers
are trying to bride his tongue but that Is
an impossibility. Referring to one Of the
best known Of Blaine's foolish acts while
he was Secretary Of State, the New York
Star rsvives the Jewett claim and dis.
cusses it as follows:
As We shall probably hear something OF
it before the present Congress adiourns,
perhaps it will be just a. we'll to revive
the story of Brother Blaine's very finest
bit of jingo-the Brazilian guano affair, to.
wit-which he left as his latest and richest
legacy to the country.
Early in 1870 a New York merchant Of
the name of James C. Jewett announced to
himself that he had discovered on certain
Gays and islands OF the Fernando de No.
ronha group, belonging to Brazil and used
by that empire for penal colonies, enor-
nous deposits Of more or less valuable
phosphates. He at once conceived the
frugal idea Of entering a claim to the Gays
and islands in question, or the deposits
thereupon, and promptly notified the Bra
lillian Government OF his p~retentions. It
does not appear from any OF the papers
submitted by Mr.. Jewett that Brazil,
through the very smallest of its authorized
representatives, ever recognized this claim,
either directly or indirectly. On the con
trary, we find letter from Mr.. Torrento de
Barros, the Brazilian Charge d'Afairs at
New York, dated December Is, 1SI9-oislt
months subsequent to Mr.. Jewett's formal
application-in which the writer informs
Mr.. Jewett that he has acted hastily
and un~warrantably in sending a YES.
sci to load at any Of the islands
in the Fernando de Soronha group with
out obtaining authority from the govern
ment. Mr.. Jewett paid no attention to
this somewhat forcible hint, but continued
to press his operations, enlargins their
scheme and adding to their efficiency, just
though he had been granted every n
OF the privileges he applied for. He re-
pli,d to Mr.. de Barros in q g.ieved and re-
proachiul vein, taking the position that he
had done everything necessary in claiming
the posphate and mineral deposits OF the
Brazilian archipelago, and express.
ing the p~ro!oundest surprise and incredu-
lily at the suggestion that any further pro-
eeedings OF his part might be expected.
In fact, he iatimtes to Mr.. de Barros that,
spent so much time and money in
his explorations and discoveries, he pro-
poses to enjoy the benefits thereof without
more ado.
Further along--on March 10. 18sO.-Jewett
to acting Secretary Hunter, inform.
ing him that he had renewed his applica.
to the Brazilian Government and had
an official. response, saying that a
grant OF some sort would be opened to
him as soon as the nature and extent Of
the privileges to be accorded could be
agreed upon; that the Government was
the matter and would act in
due time. Encouraged by this extremely
Indefinite, not to say oracular u%tterance, |
Jewett goes to work with fresh vigor, dis |
additional vessels, sells vast guam.
Titles OF the phopshates for future delivery, !!
aud generally takes possession. Not only
chat. but he discovers" two new groups
islands belonging to Brazil, and claims
them also.
While Jewett is thus pursuing his ardent
way and gradually including in his caveat
al the outlying possessions OF Brazil, CUR
representative st Rio de
Janeiro is writing to Secretary Evsrts-
July 81, 188O-tbat nothing definite has
been determined on by the Brazilian Gov.
'rnment in the matter OF recognizing
Jewett's claims, and that, as a matter OF
act, he has not as yet any rights whatso-
'ver. September FL, 1880, Our diplomatic
representative at Rio writes to Secretary
Svarts, S lying that the decree applied for
~ Jewett has been refused; that Brazil
las decided on keeping its owh property;
hat the phosphate deposits claimed by
'ewett as his discovery we're, however,
'ovel and startling to him, quite we'll
;nown to the Government, and that speci.
mems thereof had been under examination
Mr.. Jewett appeared upon the
Gene. 1t appears in a word, that Jewett
obtained from the Brazilian Gov.
anything more than a promise to
onsider his claims, and, pending such
CELEBRATIONS, authority to ship some OF
he deposits in question for experimental
imposes. And it does NOT appear that
ewett was at any time justified in assum.
,g that the Brazilian Government stood ]
to him in the very remotest :
egree. 9
Such was the situation on March 4,
ss1. when the great high priest Of jineo, 5
ne prancing knight with the wooden '
word and the flowing plume, James G. =
laine, hulged into the arena, succeeding
n. Evarts. Such is the situation which, =
nder lingo encouragement and manipula-
with Hon. Stephen B. Elkins in peri 7
elion, developed into a claim against i
rail for fifty millions. Such is the situa- y
on out OF which, had not circumstances a
him from the equation, Mr.. :.
|aine would have expressed some thor E
lghly startling results. There is a pros. !,
ct that the subject will be reopened. We o
'pe so. 1t would be interesting to know ,
ore OF the process whereby Mr.. Jewett's D.
ldcat pretensions were transformed into a
claim for fifty millions against Brazil. ~
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