The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-22
Blaine to Rudini.

Secretary Blaine gave last week his
reply to the last letter of the Marquis
di Rudini regarding the New Orleans
imbroglio. 1t is strong presentation
of the case of the United States, and in
this country and generally in England
it has been received with extreme salts
faction. Dignified in tone, it states
the points at issue and the position of
the government with candor, fairness
and force. 1t will certainly tend to
make the Italian premier see that he
acted with inconsiderate haste in re-
calling Baron Fava from Washington.
The letter notes the modification of
demands shown in the two letters of
Rudini, and then points out that in his
former letter the secretary did not adj
NIT that an indemnity was due the
families of the Italian subjects who
were killed. Upon this point he says:
"The Marquis Rudini may be assured
that the United States would recon-
pense every Italian subject who might
'be wronged by violation of treaty
to which the faith of the United States
is pledged. But this assurance leaves
unsettled the important question
whether the treaty has been violated"
Then follows recital of the facts con-
nected with the attack by mob on the
Office of the Spanish consul at New Or.
leans in 1851, in which property of
| Spanish and American citizens was de-
stroyed. The case was in some re-
spects parallel to that of March ii last
In it Mr.. Webster, who was then secre-
tary of state, admitted that the consul
was entitled to indemnity, but he
asserted that private Spanish subjects
were on the same footing as American
citizens and could not claim indemnity
Mr.. Blaine says that the government
would be satisfied to rest the Italian
case on the argument and conclusion of
Mr.. Webster were it not for the fact
that in the Spanish case " the police
and other legal authorities did all that
was possible to preserve the peace and
arrest the rioters" AS is well known,
this was not done in the Italian case.
Mr.. Blaine next states the exact posi-
ton of our government in the matter.
Ehe encouragement is now endeavor-
ing to settle the question whether pro-
ceedings can be instituted in the federal
courts or the state courts have jurisdic-
ton. If the federal courts have juris-
diction, the case will be presented to
the next grand jury; but if the state
courts have jurisdiction, the president
can only urge the state officers to insti-
tute proceedings. Should the state
courts fail to take any steps toward a
trial, the government would be COM
PEELED to consider other means of re.
dress. The secretary defines in his
closing sentence the duty of the gov.
eminent in that event: l." If, therefore,
it should appear that among those killed
by the mob at New Orleans there were
some Italian subjects who were resi-
dent or domiciled in that city, agreeably
to our treaty with Italy, and not in
violation of our immigration laws, and
who were aiding the peace of the
United States and obeying the laws
thereof and of the state of Louisiana,
and that the public officers charged
with the duty of protecting life and
property in that city connived at the
! work of the mob, or upon proper notice