Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-09-22
MATTERS OF STATE.

tlon AZ subject is better than present
ing ln the same dress, but the follow.
ing is so pointed, true and all-embracing g
on the seal fisheries and other troubles
and coming as it does from a semi-oficial
source-the Washington Post-that we
gladly publish it entire, believing it will
be sufficient answer to all the cavilings
Of ne gade Americans who sink their
couiltry's welfare in their petty jealousy
Of better men, who have wrested power
and control from their hands 1t will be
borne in mind that if Mr.. Bayard did not
write this article, it is more than likely
he knew of its being written, and in a
measure, therefore, it has official signif-
cance
Secretary OF State Bayard is just now
honored wit. ne concentrated attention
of all the eHall ,es of the Administration.
The charges -ainst him have several
specifications, and these seem to be
founded mainly ca a misunderstanding
of the facts invo gad. Let us examine
some Of these:
1.-The Cutting clse-Cutting was ar
rested in Mexico, and arraigned and tried
in Mexico, for publishing in the United
States libel against 4 Mexican. The
Judge who convicted him was asked
over and over ii there was any other
charge against the prisoner, and as re-
peatedly said "No."
Meantime Secretary Bayard had de-
clared that such a pratension would not
for moment be tolerated, and made a
demand for Cuttings surrender. Then
the Court adroitly and insincerely
changed its ground, and sentenced Cut
ting for an alleged offence committed in
Mexico-i. e., the circulation of the Texas
libel, an offence for which he had not
been tried.
Secretary Bayard was right in his pro-
test, for if the pretension is allowed, no
American editor who visits Mexico is safe
for an hour. 1t is position which every
American ought to maintain, and which
disclaims the right now asserted, to pun
ish American citizens for acts committed
in the United States. Already Secretary
Bayard's vigorous remonstrance has
wrought amelioration; it has moved
President Diaz to send a circular to all
his States, warning them to exercise great
prudence in the arrest of foreigners, and
to report to the capital promptly every
step OF proceedings against them. This
is concession worth all the trouble that
has been taken 70! the protection OF our
citizens.
2.-Mr. Sedgwick Mr.. Sedgwick
go on spree in Mexico? This is not
merely private inquiry, it seems, or
even national question, but great cos
mical interrogation eagerly debated by
the universe. Mr.. Sedgwick shares the
inquisitive glances of the human race
with Prince Alexander, the earthquake,
and the sea serpent. Yet he is not a
Minister to Mexico. He is not Secre-
tary to Legation. He is not an Ambassa-
dor OF any sort. He is not accredited to
the Mexican Government, and is prob
ably not acquainted with any of its Off
GERS. He is private citizen requested
by Mr.. Bayard to make certain inquiries
for him. He has no moral right to get
drunk, but he has perfect diplomatic
right to, because he possesses no diplo-
matte character. He might drink puIgue
till he could not stand, paint the halls of
Montezuma all of the fifteen shades of
red, lose his hat in the pateo of the tenn
pie OF "the Four Minnies,'' declaim hi
lariously in the groves of Tacubaya, and
demand The surrender OF the castle of
Chepultepec, without in any way involv-
ing our diplomatic relations. If he was
mastered by the rarefed air mingled with
the Intoxicating bowl it is a pity-the
same variety of pity it would have been
in Stockbridge.
3.-The Alaskan Captures.-The cap
ture by an American revenue cutter of
three British schoonors engaged in catch
ing seal in Behring's Sea is likely to lead
to lively diplomatic correspondence,
and if, as alleged, the sealers were "sixty
miles from Shore" the probabilities are
that the act will have to be disclaimed
and this country make restitution in ac-
cordance with international law that iur-
isdiction ceases three miles from land. |
But this is not quite certain. As Secre-
tary Bayard says: "We possess in Alaska
and the waters of Alaska all the rights |
that Russia had. II she exercised iuris- !
diction over Behring's Sea, we shall do
so; if she had no right to hold it as her
own, she could not confer such right
upon u.s."
The report that Minister Foster. of
Canada, has threatened the United States [
with punishment in case we do not back
down Immediately, is absurd so prepos-
ferrous, in fact, as to be declared impos- |
sible. For Canada has no existence as a
nation. She is colony-with small C.
Her laws are enacted only by the consent
and concurrence of the Queen. We have
no diplomatic or political relations OF any
sort with Canada, any more than Eng
land has with Nevada. (For consuls
have only commercial, and not diplo-
matte character.) If Secretary Bayard
wishes to say anything or ask anything