Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-12-17

claims were presented, was not such as
to promote calm discussion of the
questions involved, but, this may well
be attributed TO the excitement and in
dlgnation which the crime natural
ly evoked. The views of this govern
ment, as to its obligations to foreigners
domiciled here, We're fully stated in the
correspondence, As well as its purpose to
make an investigation of the affair with
view to determine whether there We're
present any circumstances that could.
under such rules of duty as we had in
dicated, create an obligation upon the
United States. The temporary absence
OF minister plenipotentiary at this
capital has retarded the further CORES
pondence, but it is not doubted that a
friendly conclusion is attainable. Some
suggestions growing out of this unhappy
incident are worthy the attention of CON
gress. 1t would, | believe. be entirely
competent for congress to make offenses
against the treaty rights of foreigners
domiciled in the United States cogniza-
BILE in the federal courts. This has not,
however, been done and the federal
officers and courts have no power in such
cases to intervene either for the
protection of foreign citizen,
or for the punishment of
HIS stay cts, IL SttIfiS 10 fite 10 IUIlOW IN
this state of law that the officers of the
state charged with the police and judi
cial powers in such cases must, in the
consideration of internatioi al uues-
tons growings ont of such incidents, be
regarded in such sense as federal agents
as to make this government answerable
for their acts in cases where it would be
answerabIe il the United States had used
its constitutional power to define and
punish crimes against treaty rights.
Relations with Chilli.
The civil war in Chill, which began
| January last, was continued, but, fortu-
nately with infrequent and not i'm
| portant armed collisions, until Aug. %,
when the Congressional forces landed
| near Valparaiso, and after bloody en-
! gagement captured that city. President
/ Balmaceda at once reco: lied that his
cause was lost, and a yvisional gov
ernment was speedily established V the
| victorious party. Our minister was
promptly directed to recognize and put
| himself in communication with this GOV
ernment so soon as it should have estab-
! lished de facto character, which was
| done. During the pendency of this civil
contest frequent indirect appeals We're
| made to this government to extend bel
|
give audience to .elr representatives..
| This was declined, a that policy was
pursued throughout, hich this govern
| ment, when wrenche by civil war, so
| strenuouSly insisted non the part of
European nations. T.. Itata, an armed
| vessel commanded by q, naval officer of
the Insurgent fleet, man ed by its sailors
and with soldiers on bt .rd, was seized
under process of the United States court
at San Diego. California, for violation
of ol1r neutrality laws. While in the
custody of an officer of the court the
J vessel was forcibly wrested from his con
troll and put to sea. 1t would have been
inconsistent with the dignity and self
respect of this government not to have
| insisted that the Itata be returned to
San Diego, to abide the Judgment of the
court. This was so clear to the Junta
of the Congressional party, established
at 1quique that before the arrival of the
! Itata at that port. the secretary of for
eign relations of the provisional govern
ment addressed Rear Admiral Brown.
commanding the United States naval
forces, a communication from which
the following is an extract:
The provisional government has learned
by The cablegrams of the Associated Press
that the transport Itata, detained in San
Diego by order of the United States for
taking on board munitions of war and in
! possession of the marshais left the port
carrying on board this official, who was
landed at a point near the coast, and there
continued her voyage. If this news be
correct, this government would deplore
! the conduct of the Itata, and as an evi-
dence that it is not disposed to support o,
agree to an infraction of the laws of the
| United States, the undersigned takes ad
vantage of the personal relations you have
been good enough to maintain with HIN
since your arrival in this port to declare
to you that as soon as she is within react
of our orders his government will put the
Itata, with the arms and munitions sht
took on board in San Diego at the dis
position of the United States.
A trial in the district court of th'
, United States for the southern district o
California has recently resulted in de
clsion holding, among other things, thai
inasmuch as the Congressional party ha,
. not been recognized as belligerent, tht
aSts done in its interest could not be {
! violation of our neutrality laws. From
this Judgment the United States has ap
pealed, not that the condemnation of til
, vessel is a matter of Importance, bu
that we may know what the presen
, state of our laws, for, if this construc
tion of the statute is correct, there is oh
| vious necessity for revision and amend
ment. During the progress of
The War in Chilli
: this government rendered its good Office
to bring about a peaceful adjustment
| and it was at one time hoped that goo
result might be reached, but in this w
were disappointed. The instructions t
! our naval officers and to our minister a
Santiago, from the first to the last o
this struggle, enjoined upon them th
most impartial treatment and absolut
5 non-interference. l am satisfied TIA
: these instructions were observed au
: that our representatives were alway
! | watchful to use their influence impd?
4 tally in the interest of humanity. an
on mere ihan one occasion did so effe,
lively
We could not forget, however, thS
i this government was in diplomatic rei,
tions with the then established goverf
ment of Chill, as it is now is such reis
n tions with tie successor of that govern
v ment. am quite sure that Presiden
d Montt, who has, under circumstances O
e promise for the peace of Chill, been III
|, stalled as president of that republic. vii
e not desire that, in the unfortunate even
|. of any revolt against his authority, tn
e policy of this government should b
l. other than which we have recently OF
IS served. No official complaint of th
= conduct of our minister or of our nava
:, officers during the struggle has bee
n presented to this government, and it
l. a matter of regret that so many of OH
IS own people should have given ear to un
% official charges and complaints that mar
ifestly had their origin in rival interest
and in a wish to pervert the relations c
:, the United States with Chill.
a. The collapse of the government OF Ba
y :, maceda brou, ht about condition whic
Ia h is unfortunately too familiar in the hi:
- tory of the Central and South Americ
. states.
!; With the overthrow of the Balmaced
"A government, he and many of his coul
~ :" sellors and officers became at once fug
- fk;x-ao. fo,- thar liyos oni on,)aa1a1 t0 III