The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-06
MIZNER'S RECALL.
ALI the Correspondence in the
Barrundia Case
is LAID BEFORE THE HOUSE.
The ex-Minister's Explanation Of his Con-
duct - Secretary Blaine Exposes Its
Weakness and Censures its Author.

day transmitted to the House the CORES
pondence growing out of the killing of
General Barrundia by Guatemalan officers
on board the Pacific Mail steamer Acapulco
in the port of San Jose. Secretary Blaine,
in his letter laying the correspondence be-
fore the President, says: at will be
observed that the last contains matter
essential to full and accurate understand
ing of the case and was dated September
% and not received at the department
until October 9, several days after the ad-
journment of Congress"
The correspondence consists of ten in
closures. The first is a telegram from
Minister Miner to Blaine, dated August |
IS last; letter from Blaine to Miner,
November IS, announcing he can see no
justification of MINERS conduct; that this !
government disavows his action and direct
ing him to turn over the affairs of the lega
ton to Kimberly charge d affaires and re-
turn to the United States
| Miners first letter to Secretary Blaine
dated August %, is with regard to the kill
| ing of Barrundia. He quotes a communica
ton to Captain Pitts, dated the 9Th,
stating that Guatemala, like any other
nation, had the right to arrest person on
a neutral ship in its own waters, in time of
war, for any cause deemed an offense under
international law. In a later telegram to
Captain Pitts, Miner says: "If your ship
is within one league of the territory of
Guatemala and you have on board Bar
rundla, 1t becomes your duty under the
law of nations, TO deliver him to the
authorities of Guatamaula upon their de-
mand. Allegations having been made to
this legation that Barrundia is hostile and
an enemy to this republic, guarantees
have been made to me by this government
that his life shall not be in danger, or other
punishment inflicted upon him other than
for the causes charged
The illusions to Barrundia's personal
safety, Miner says, were at his request
and promised the night before by the
president.
Subsequently he received a telegram
from Commander Reiter, of the navy, &C
knowledging Guatemala's right over the
steamer and requesting the minister to OBJ
tain permission from the government to
return Barrundia to Mexico in the Thets.
The minister of foreign relations positively
declined to accede to this request. All the
circums tances and Barrundia's well-known
{ hostility to the republic and his attempted
invasion from Mexico, Miner says, decided
his conrse and he accordingly in response
> to request for written and not Geographic
orders sent Captain Pitts a letter advising
the captain to submit to the arrest of his
passenger. The following day Commander
!. Reiter telegraphed Barrundias death
= while resisting arrest.
Under date of September %, in letter
to Blaine, Miner instifes his course and
says on the 18th he called on the minister
of foreign relations for an explanation OF
S the affair. In the interview the minister
4. stated with emphasis that his government
!, had given positive orders to take Barruda
from the Acapulco even to the sinking OF
the snip, notwithstanding it might involve
q conflict with our two war vessels. This
he said, would have been an exercise I'm.
!
: over its own waters, in which he is conf
l. dent the law of nations would hav,
sustained him. Miner says he had never
l. heard of these orders before.
l. He then gives the decision of Secretar,
IS Bayard in the Gomez Mexican case in sup
n ports of his action and concludes: Il con
Al fidently add that nothing will tend so mucl
e to permanent peace in these republics as
plain declaration that our fleet of steamer
cannot be used in local waters as an asylum
for revolutionists."
,r The correspondence closes with a lette
o. from Blaine to Miner dated November Is
in which he reviews the case at length
q and says: 1.-THE more the question is ex
g amined in the light of important fact
. taridily disclosed, the deeper becomes tn
regret that you so far exceeded you
~ legitimate authority as to sign pape
- which, In the hands of the officers O
D. Guatemala became the warrant for tn
L capture of Barrundia. y
In the case of Gomez, which Mime
offers as an excuse for his conduct, Blain
fails to find in it any support for Miner
a action. 81 am aware" says Blaine, 'tha
d. it may be said that after all yo
o. merely advised the captain as
nc his duty, but the captain did nc
10 simply seek advice. In his telegram froI
Camperico he says that on his arrival q
San Jose he will place himself under tn
- fba oiy1is IL.
VI telegraphed to you later from Champeric
ne that he was waiting your instructions an
at San Jose he expected your written IL
of structions. In his last telegram to you
Oh dispatched from San Jose on arriving
in that port on the evening of August 81, b
categorically inquiries. Shall l delve
General Barrundia To the authorities here
If so, please send me letter with your sig
nature to that effect
'There is not here the slightest sugge
Of ton that Captain Hits proposed to a,
otherwise than by your order and your r
sponsibility. 1t was under these circun
as stances that you wrote the letter which bt
he came, IN the hands of Guatemala, prete
for the attempted seizure of Barrundia"
~ The secretary says through Miner
u action the naval forces of the Unite
rs States III these waters thus became 8
tly acquescent spectator of these events 8
he though merchant vessel of of the Unite
Gle States was then lying under vessels gun
to manned by men "who, as you state, W
he had every reason to believe were prepare
as to resort to any act of violence even,
all Senior Anguino has since declared to yo
sai to the sinking of the ship notwithstandil
RS it might have involved conflict with o,
ar two war vessels then and there present
ry. 81 am not disposed continues Blaiu
nv ito pay undue regard to these eXpost fac
he threats which are now reported to Il
7 nrQfar RI thiply hof bry+I
he extravaganza of his language, uncontroll
m by the actual presence of the probe
1t which he was permitted TO solve so mu
,us to his satisfaction, Senior Anguino b
its done injustice to his own sense of huma
ity. To have sunk the Acupleco with b
rod freight of innocent lives in the execute
of of purpose for the accomplishment
o If what nothing but unlawful and invalid c
is cuses have so far Deen advanced wou
I'M have been an act of savage warfare. A
HE l am instructed by the President to s
,an that he earnestly trusts the time will new
.oii come when the course of events in Qua
md liaia VI III Gu puL Pose VI nef ult
M will constrain this government to inst
md the safety of of its merchant veSsals emit
the ing the waters of Guatemala by statione
naval vessels along the coast and oppos
the ports of that country
ust Secretary Blaine informs Mizener if,
use stead of accepting lawless and turbul,
ole, vance and consent tn surrender Rar,nnd
the he had made II the basis of a suggestion
:. Commander Reiter to offer him hospital
on board the Ranger within or without
waters of Guatemala, and with or with
men the consent of her government, his act
to would have had the sanction of humane
vas recognized precedents.
Blaine closes his letter as follows g
/. more than one occasion this governm