Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-10
AN OUTRAGE.
The Presidents Opinion of the Alta ok at
valp ,raiso on American SaiIors-Uncle
Sam Now Awaiting the Result of an In
raeti

Sam Now Awaiting the Result of an In
vestigation.
On the 10th of October an event occurred
in Valparaiso so serious and tragic in it,
circumstances and results as to very justly
excite the indignation of our people and tt
call for prompt and decided action on the
part of this Government. A considerable
number of the sailors of the United State.
steamship Baltimore, then in the harbor OF
Valparaiso, being upon shore leave and un,
armed, were assaulted by armed men nearly
simultaneously in different localities in the
city
One petty officer was killed outright, and
seven or eight seamen were seriously
wounded, one of whom has since died. So
savage and brutal was the assault that
several of our sailors received more than
| two, and one as many as IS stab wounds.
An investigation of the affair was promptly
made by board of officers of the Baltimore,
| and their report shows that these assaults
were unprovoked, that our men were con-
Quoting themselves in a peaceable and
orderly manner, and that some of the police
of the city took part in the assault and used
their weapons with fatal effect, while few
others with some well disposed citizens en-
deavored to protect our men.
Evidences of Premeditated Assault.
Twenty-six of our sailors were arrested,
and some of them while being taken to
prison were cruelty beaten and maltreated
The fact that they were all discharged, no
criminal charge being lodged against any
one of them, shows very clearly that they
were innocent of any breach of the peace.
So far as have vet been able to learn, no
other explanation of this bloody work has
been suggested than that it had its origin in
hostility to these men as sailors of the
United States, wearing the uniform
of their Government, and not in
any individual act or personal
animosity. The attention of the Chilean
Government was at once called to this affair,
and a statement of the facts obtained by the
investigation we had conducted was sub
mitted accompanied by a request to be ad-
vised ofany other or qualifying facts in the
possession of the Chilean Government that
might tend to relieve this affair of the ap-
pearance of an insult to this Government.
The Chilean Government was also advised
that if such qualifying facts did not exist
this Government would confidently expect
full and prompt reparation.
Waiting Upon an Investigation.
1t is to be regretted that the reply of the
Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Pro-
visional Government was couched in an
offensive tone. To this no response has been
made. This Government is now awaiting
the result of an investigation which has
been conducted by the criminal court at
Valparaiso. 1t is reported unoficially that
the investigation is about completed, and
It is expected that the result will soon be
communicated to this Government, together
Ith o1o tcfon
sponse to the note by which the attention
of Chile was called to this incident. If
these just expectations should be disap-
pointed, or further needless delay intervene,
l will, by special message, bring this mat
ter again to the attention OF Congress for
such action as may be necessary. The en-
tire correspondence with the Government
of Chile will at an early day be submitted
to Congress.
renew the recommendation of my spe-
cial message, dated January 16, 1890, for the
adoption of the necessary legislation to en-
able this Government to apply in the case of
Sweden and Norway the same rule in re-
spect to the levying of tonnage duties as
the United States in 1928, under article s, of
the treaty of 1927.
suppression of the Slave Traffic.
action on the pending acts for the suppress
sion OF the slave traffic in Africa and for
the reform of the revenue tariff of the inde-
pendent State of the kongo, left this Gov
ernment unable to exchange those acts on
the date fixed, July 2, 1891. A modus
vivendi has been concluded by which the
power of the Kongo State to levy duties on
imports is left unimpaired, and, by agree
ment of all the signatories to the general
slave trade act, the time for the exchange of
ratifications on the part of the United States
has been extended to February 2, 1892
The late outbreak against foreigners in
various parts of the Chinese Empire has
been the cause of deep concern, in view of
the numerous establishments of our citi-
zens in the interior of that country. This
Government can do no less than to insist
upon a continuance of the protective and
punitory measures which the Chinese Gov
ernment has heretofore applied. No effort
will be omitted to protect our citizens
peaceably sojourning in China, but recent
unofficial information indicates that what
was at first regarded as an outbreak of mob
violence against foreigners has assumed the
larger form Of an insurrection against pub
lie order.
Ex-senator Blair's Rejection by China,
The Chinese Government has declined to
receive Mr.. Blair as the United States Min
lister on the ground that, as a participant
while Senator in the enactment of the ex-
listing legislation against the introduction
of Chinese laborers, he has become un-
friendly and Objectionable to China l have
felt constrained to point out to the Chinese
Government the untenableness of this posi-
tion, which seems to rest as much on the
unacceptability of our legislation as on that
Of the person chosen, and which, if ad-
mitted, would practically debar the selec-
tion of any representative so long as the
existing laws remain in force.
You will be called upon to consider the
expediency of making special provision by
law for the temporary admission of some
Chinese artisans and Iaborers i'll connection
with the exhibit of Chinese industries at the
approaching Columbian Exposition. 1 re-
gard it as desirable that the Chinese ex-
hibit be facilitated in every proper way.
Our Rights on the Caroline Islands.
A question has arisen with the Govern
ment of Spain touching the rights OF Amer
lean citizens in the Caroline Islands. Our
citizens there, long prior to the confrma-
tion of Spain's claim to the islands, had Sc
cured by settlement and purchase certain
rights, to the recognition and maintenance
of which the faith of Spain was pledged. l
have had reason within the past year very
strongly to protest against the failure to
carry out this pledge on the part OF His
Majesty's Ministers, which has resulted in
great injustice and injury to the American
residents
The Government and people Of Spain pro-