Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-23


LoNDoN, April 16.-The Globe and
50 James Gazette this evening publish
comments upon Mr.. Blaine's reply.
Both papers agree in the opinion that
Mr. Blaine's note is an able state paper.
The Times this morning commenting
upon the Malta society says: "We sym
States in their determination not to
allow to vile social diseases like the
Malta to take root. II is only just to re-
mind our kinsfolk however, that they
displayed very little indignation where
practices, akin to the Malta were em-
ployed here by Irish-American extremes.
WASHINGTON, April 16. = Secretary
Blaine's last letter to the Italian govern
ment has been the subject of much COM
ment to-day, Opinions regarding 1t are
varied, The most competent critics are
not disposed to pronounce II concluslNeiy
good or bad. 1t is generally admitted that
in framing the material portions of the
letter. that is to say those portions which
stand to express the amount and time OF
such satisfaction which this government
undertakes to give to the government of
Italy, Mr.. Blaine has exercised distin-
glished ingenuity. Those portions of the
letter are admirably calculated to puzzle
Americans-to puzzle even American
lawyers--and that they should puzzle, not
to say mislead, the Italian government to
to which the letter is addressed, is inevi-
table.
The question of Justice Mr.. Blaine
divides into two parts-criminal justice
and civil Justice. In each department he
seems to make concession, and indeed ne
does make a'concession, but the apparent
and the real concessions are two very diff
e., -,
Secretary, THAT the case can be prosecuted
only in the state courts of louisiana and
the usual judicial Investigation and pro-
cedure under the criminal law is not re-
sorted to, it will then be the duty of the
United States to consider whether some
other form of redress may be asked.
Now, inst what Secretary Blaine may
mean BY that passage it is too much for
an ordinary person to decide. 1t appears
on the surface to mean that il the criminal
courts Of the state should fail to give salts
facton the United States government
would find some means of administering
criminal justice to the New Orleans, mob
irrespective of the state courts and the
state laws. But when the Italian premier
comes to have the meaning of this paTtic-
ular passage finally brought home to him
he will probably find that the real mean
ing falls short of the apparent one. ~ IS
very difficult to reconcile this particular
passage with the one which Immediately
precedes It in Secretary Blaine's letter, and
Which reads as follows; But II u snail
be found, as seems probable that criminal
proceedings can only be taken in the courts
of Louisiana the President can in this
direction do no more than urge upon the
state officers the duty of promptly BRING
ing the offenders to trial" This was done
in his telegram to the governor OF LOUIS
lana as carly as the 18th.
~. ..,I.. NJ 1.
lu1es in this passage must mean redress at
criminal law, for ii is the criminal branch
Of the subject that he is dealing with ex-
eltiSively, and the question of redress by
payment of indemnity is fully discussed
by the secretary in another portion of his
letter, Comparing the one passage With
the other, ii is difficult to understand Just
what sort of criminal redress Mr.. Blaine
here promises.
Coming to the question of indemnity
the apparent concession which Mr.. Blaine
makes to the Italian governments equally
delusive Mr.. Blaine assures the Italian
government that in certain case the
President would undertake to ask Con-
gress to grant an indemnity to the fami-
lies of the Italian subjects who were killed.
The assurance as Mr.. Blaine expresses 1t,
is quite alluring at first glance, but upon
examination it appears that it is utterly
impossible to make out such case in
favor of the families of any of the victims
of March 18th as Mr.. Blaine requires.
The promise of the Presidents good
offices in favor of the payment of an in
demnity is to hold good only in case full
investigation should demonstrate that the
Italian subjects in question had not come
to this country in violation of our immi-
grafton laws and that they were good,
peaceable, law-abiding residents of New
Orleans, living in obedience to the laws of
the state of Louisiana and to the laws of
the United States.
Mr.. Blaine knows perfectly we'll that
such case cannot be made out in favor of
those members of the Malta Society who
were killed at New Orleans, and on whose
account the Italian government has inter-
fered
The promise, therefore, that Mr.. Blaine
makes of indemnity is utterly shadowy
and delusive. II is in reality no promise
at all, and the introduction of the hYpo-
thetica case into his letter is a piece of
ledgerdemain pure and simple. Mr..
Blaine's object appears to be to write
letters that the Italians cannot read.
MIR. PORTER TO LEAVE FOR THREE MONTHS.
LoNDoN, April 1.-THE Chronicles Rome
correspondence says that Mr.. Porter, the
American minister, is about to depart from
Rome on three months leave of absence.
ROME, April 1.-THE MeSsdgro to-day
Says lllub MT. blttlilb ) reply 10 tllb NldTlulS
di Rudini's last note evinces the great de-
sire of Mr.. Blaine to elude the demands of
the Italian government, to escape from
indemnifying the families of the men
lynched at New Orleans and to refrain
from acceding to the Italian governments
right to intervene in the New Orleans
affair.
The Popolo Ramona also discussing Mr.
Blaine's reply says that in view of the
tenor of Mr. Blaines answer to the Mar
quis di Rudinis note, it is difficult TO form
any idea as to how or where the matter
will end.
THE CHIEF TOPIC IN ROME.
ROME, April 17,-The reply of the U. S.
Secretary of State, Mr.. Blaine, to the Mar
quis di Rudinis last note on the subject of
the New Orleans affair." is the only import
ant subject Of conversation and news
paper comment throughout Italy. The
full text of the reply reached this city
to day. When it become known that the
reply had reached Marquis di Rudini, the
United States minister, Hon. A. G. Porter
and other persons holding positions which
would enable them to express valuable
opinions upon the New Orleans dispute were
besieged with interviewers The substance
of the opinions which the gentleman re-
ferred to were able TO express is that the
controversy is in course of adjustment
and that so far as the future negotiations
are concerned, the diplomats will seek
chiefly to establish and maintain the
corrprt cOnS truptipn of tho varinI,s poipts