The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-09-30
No Trouble Apprehended, as 1t Is Believed
the Junta Will COnceds. the Demand that
Rights of Americans Must Be Respected.
Revival of RnmOrs that Commissioner
of Pensions Raum Intends to Resign.
He Called at the White House Yesterday and
Immediately the Tongues Of GOssipers Be.
gan to Wag-What lie Says About Ii.
THOROUGHLY AMERICAN.


The Presidents Action In ChilIan Affairs
Approved as Being in Line with Our Policy.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Sept 29.-At its meeting
to-day the Cabinet discussed the surround
ings of the United States legation at Santi-
ago de Chilli. The President explained
what had been done after the conference of
diplomatic and naval officers yesterday.
which. being thoroughly American and in
the direct line of the general policy OF this
administration. the Cabinet tunhesitatingly
approved, and the President was practical
ly requested 70 take whatever action he
and the State Department officials may
deem best upon q moments notice at any
time in the future. without further Cabinet
consultation.
The situation remains unchanged. 1t is
not known what effect the instructions to
Minister Egan. if they have been conveyed
to the Chilian authorities. relative to the
removal OF the menacing police
Gordon about the United States
legation headquarters. have had.
about the legation will be removed, and
there the irIotiOn will end. Last nights
advices on this subject as gwen in these
dispatches, have been corrobOrated in every
material point The instructions which
were sent to the commanders of the men
of-war Baltimore and San Francisco did
not con template the immediate transport
of the marines from the port OF Valparaiso
overland to Santiago. They were TO put
into the harbor of Valparaiso and be in
readiness 10 report at Santiago if so or.
dered. The instructions. as described last
night, were to all intents and purposes ab:
solutely correct. 1t is hoped that 1t will
not he necessary to send any of our marines
to the capital of Chilli for the protection of
American citizens or any one confined in
our legation headquarters, but that the
presence of our ships in the harbor of Val
paraiso will be a sufficient earnest OF our
intention to enforce respect for the request
which has probably been made by Minister
Egan for the removal of armed forces about
our legation, that all may have free inter-
course with our diplomatic and commercial
reDresentatIN
Acting Secretary of State Wharton called
ut the White House soou after breakfast
this morning, and talked with the Presi-
dent until the Cabinet meeting. about 10
o'clock. Returning to the Department. of
State he found cablegram from Minister
Egan in response to the one sent yesterday
asking for further information to the
situation. The dispatch was in cipher. and
after ii had been unraveled Mr.. Wharton
and Mr.. John w. Foster discussed it's con-
IL.
liberty to make public. 1t IS known that
the acute phase of the situation has been
passed and that no serious trouble is antici-
pated. Minister Egan has maintained the
dignity of his legation. and refugees re-
main under protection. But 1t Is believed
that this had been achieved through the
act tion of the junta in yielding, under pro-
test. 10 pressure brought TO bear by this
government. while insisting upon its right
to arrest political refugees. If not actually
ha ipa Of of
least in its shadow.
INTERNATIONAL LAW INVOLVED.
The contention revives an old and vexed
question of international law, which itself
is by no means an exact science. and the
President. with his advisers. in coming
the precedents in our diplomatic history,
resolved that Minister Egan should be sup
ported in every legitimate manner, with
out making a demand that could not be
justly maintained. So far as the protection
of refugees is concerned the practice of na-
items includes cases widely variant in prin-
ciple. Our own history, however, shows
that whore the refugees seeking an asylum
in d leaatlOn were not American citizens,
the United States government has uniform
~ discouraged their admission and protec-
ton. A case that appears to be pertinent
occurred in 1850. when Mr.. Clayton our
the United States Minister to Chill
said: "Acuuiescence by the government of
Chill on former occasions in the exercise OF
the hospitality OF asylum III it's larger sense
may preclude that government from OBJ
jecting to the continued granting of such
hospitality to the same extent. At the
same time. if that government makes OBJ
lection TO a granting of that hospitality to
a particular political refugee. the minister
of the United States in whose house such
refugee is sheltered should advise him that
this shelter can no longer be afforded"
Mr.. Seward and other secretaries, down to
Mr. Bayard tin a case arising in Hayti) de-
clned TO claim any right of asylum, and.
indeed. discouraged it.
But the real issue In the present case ap-
pears TO be the interference with free cOul-
munication between the legation in Santi-
ago and the outside world, and in such
cases the provisions of international law
are more explicit. Broadly stated. the
country to which q minister is accredited
guarantees that in time of peace this CON-
munication shall not be interrupted and
that the servants and attaches of legation
are not to be uolested or any act done that
may tend to impede the transaction of the
business of the legation. The United
States, in particular. has shown itself IN
tolerant of any such interference. and even
in the Franco Prussian war. protested most
effectively against the assumption by the
Germans investing Paris of the right to in
terrupt or detain Minister Washburns
mail messengers.
Although dispatches were received at the
headquarters of the Chilisn Congressional
envoy in Washington up TO 9 o'clock last
night. they contained no reference to the
reported arrest of American citizens in
Santiago. and the statlonIng of a guard of
police around the United States legation
binding there.