Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-28
MINISTER MINER.
HIS COURSE IN THE BARRUNDIA AFFAIR
EMPHATICaLLY ENDORSED
By the President and the Secretary Of State-He
Took all the Precautions Necessary TO Defend
the Gensral-Ee Did Exactly
the Right Thing.

New YORK, October 27.-A Washing
ton special to the Herald says: 1t is un-
derstood that Mr.. Miner, our Minister
to Central America, has received from
Secretary Blaine assurances of the ap-
proval of the President of his conduct
in the Barrundia case, and has been
fully justified in the course he pursued.
This information comes from the city OF
Guatemala. where it appears that the
State Department was most anxious
that the information should be first OF.
ticially promulgated. The reason for
this is that, as the President had no in
tention of recalling him, it was deemed
important, in view Of the steps taken in
Congress to obtain the State Depart
ment correspondence, that the Central
American governments should know as
speedily as possible that Minister MiZ.
ner still retained the confidence Of the
Administration.
According TO the announcement Min
lister Miner is held not to have exceed
ed his duty. On the contrary he went
further In the matter in the interest of
General Barrundia and his family than
he was required to do. He secured a
written guarantee from the President
of Guatemala, and the Minister of
Foreign Relations made TO the govern
ment of the United States that in no
case would the life OF General Barrun-
dia be endangered. Minister Miner so
stated in his letter to Captain Pitts,
which was read and translated to Bar
rundia. 1t appears also that Miner did
not order his surrender. He simply
called the Captains attention to the in
structionS laid down by the State De-
partment for the information for COM
manderS Of merchant vessels in just
such cases. 1t also appears that the
Solicitude not to involve the company in
trouble with the Guatemalan govern
ment was wholly on the side Of the
Captain of the Aculpoco. The demand
for General Barrundla was not based on
political grounds, but entirely upon
allegations oi crime. Minister
Miner in his explanation to
the State Department says:
he knew of an intense personal feeling
existing against Barrundia, growing
out Of his former conduct as Secretary
OF War, and knowing also the temper of
the Guatemalan government against
mob violence, such guarantee was
made to the government Of the United
States and not to Minister Miner. in
order that it might not thereafter be-
alleged that tho arrest OF Barrundia on
a charge of malfeaSance in Office was
merely preteXt to expose him TO aSsaS-
sination. The guarantee was also given
on account of the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company, to avoid all prcteXt )f
refusing to surrender persons on proper
demand.
1t also appears from the statement
that IL the surrender had not been made
the steamship would have become la
BILE to Illegal procedure, and the COM
pany would not have had ground for
asking for the intervention Of our gov
ernment. General Barrundia's politl-
cal acts did not enter into the consider
alton Of the question. and Capt. Pitts
conduct. it is understood, has also been
approved by the steamship company.