Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-16


In August OF that year mot IN New
Orleans demoliahei n building In
which the Office Of the Spanish Consul
was located, and ut the same time at'
tacks were made upon coffee houses
and cigar shops kept by Spanish sub
jects. American citikeus werc In.
aggregate were large. The supposed
cause Of the mob was intelligence
Of tho execution OF Snity young
Americans IN Havana and banish-
mcnt 10 the Spanish mines OF nearly
200 citizens Of the United States. The
victims were all members u the ator-
tive Lolsz expedition. In consequence
Of these deprcdations Of the mob upon
the property Of the Spanish consul, as
well ~ against Spanish subjects, Don
Calderon La parcs, Minister Of Spain,
demanded Naturalization for all
losses, both official and personal. Web.
ster admitted that the Spanish consul
was entitled to indemnity and assured
the Spanish Minister that II the Span
iah consul, Labourie, "-hall return TO
his post or any other consul to New Or.
leans shall be appointed by her Catho-
lie mnJesty's government, the officers
Of this government, resident In this
city, win he instructed TO treat him
with courtesy, and with n national
salute to the nan Of his ship, II he shall
arrive In Spanish vessel, az n demon.
stration OF respect, such M may signify
TO him and his government the sense
entertained by the government Of the
United States Of the gross Injustice
done 10 his predecessor by lawl,ss
mob,as well rs the indignity aud insult
offered by II 10 foreign State, with
which the United States are, AMI wish
10 remain, on terms Of most respectful
and pacific terms"
but when pressed by the Spanish
minister 20 afford indemnity TO the
Spanish subjects injured by the mob,
IN common with Americans, Webster
declined 10 acccde 10 the demands, aud
gave his reasons as follows: "This
government supposcs that the rights VI
the Spanish consul, public officer re-
siding here under the protection of the
United states, are quite different from
thosc Of spanish subjects who have
come into the country 10 mingio with
our citizens anu TO pursue their
private business aud objects. The for.
mer may claim special Indemnity; the
latter are entitled 10 such protection rs
N afforded 10 our own citizens. While,
therefore, the losses Of tho Individual
private Spanish subjects are greatly Ia
be regretted, yet II IL understood that
many American citizens suffered equal
losses from the same cause; aud those
private individuals, the subjects Of hei
Catholic Majesty, coming voluntarily
10 the United States, have certainly nc
cause Of complaint II they are protected
by the same laws and tho same admin
istration OF law NJ native-born citizens
Of this country have. They have, Ia
fact, some advantages over the citizen,
Of the State In which they happen "a
lie, inasinuch ~ they are enabled. until
they become citizens themselves, "a
prosecute for any injuries done 10 tbcir
persons or property In tho courts Of the
United States or State courts ut theil
election"
II IL proper, however, 10 add that
two years later Congress, IN recog
milton of certain magnanimous con.
duct on the part u the Queen OF Spain
Ia pardons bestowed ON Americans
who had unJustiflably invaded III,
island OF Cuba, enacted u Joint reso.
luton, indemnifying tho Spanish
Consul aud other Spanish subject. for
tho losses sustained. II was held mol
TO contravcpo the original position oil
Webster, shared also by President
Fillmore. The right TO Judicial remedy,
which Webster assured 10 Tie
Spnniards, u likewise assured Ia
guaranteed Ia the second section OF the
third article OF the constitution, and by
II, as Webster points out, n resident
allen has n privilege which II denied IA
the citizen. The widows aud children
Of the citizens who lost their lives by
mob violence may -uc the leaders aud
members Of the mob only In thc court,
OF the State Of Louisiana, while the
widows and children Of the Italian
subjects who suffered death have a
right to sue each member OF tho mob,
not only In tho State courts, but also
before the Federal tribunals for the
District OF Louisiana. Provision 1.
made In tho revised civil code Of
Louisiana for the redress Of such
grievances NJ the widows and children
Of victims OF n mob may plead.
Blaine here quotes from the statutes
OF Louisiana and continues: The gov
eminent Of tho United States would
feel justified In resting on the aryu.
ment and conclusion Of Webster n the
mob Of March II, 1891, did not, In
some Of its characteristics, differ from
the mob Of 1851, but II IL, In entire
candor, duo 10 this government and
due TO the government OF Italy, 10
point out certain differences OF which
the government Of the United States
In honorably bound TO take notice.
In the case OF the mob Of 1851, Web
ster asserts that "no personal injury
was offered 10 any ono;n that athe
police and other legal authorities did
all that was possible 10 preserve the
peace and arrest tho rioterr;o that "thc
mob acted In the heat Of blood and not
In pursuance OF any predetermined
plan or purpose OF injury or insult;D
that "thc mob was composed Of irrc.
sponsible persons, tho names OF none
OF whom are known 10 the govern.
ment Of the United States, nor no far
~ the government Ii Informed, TO It's
officers IN New Orleans"
promptly as possible after the In.
inevitable occurrence ut New Orleans
tbs President directed the Attorney.
General 10 cause, through his depart.
ment, u full inquiry to be made Into all
the fncts connected Herewith, and no.
licited his opinion whether Any Grim.
inal proceedings lie under the Federal
laws In the Federal courts against the
parsons charged with killing the
Italians. He has not received an Of
ficinl report.
II II be found that tho prosecution
can bc maintained under tho statutes
OF the United states, the ease win be
presented 10 the next grand Jury, nc.
cording to the usual methods OF Grim.
inal administration. But II II shall be