Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-12-17

visional government was speedily established
by the victorious party. our minister was
promptly directed 10 recognize and put himself
in communication with this government as soon
as it shonld have established its de facto char
acter, which was done During the tendency
of this civil contest frequent indirect appeals
were made to this government to extend bellig-
erent rights to the insurgents and to give audi
ence to their representatives, This was de-
clined, and that policy was pursued through
out which this government, when wrenched by
civil war, strenuously assisted upon on the
part of European nations.
The Itata, an armed vessel commanded by
naval officer Of the insurgent fleet, manned by
its sailors aud with soldiers on board, was
seized under process of the United States court
at san Diego, Cal. for violation of our neu-
trality laws While in the custody of an officer
of the court the vessel was foreibly wrested
from his control and put to sea. II would have
been Inconsistent with the dignity and self re-
spect of this government not TO have insisted
that the Itaa should 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 lquique that. before the arrival
ofthe ltata at that port, the secretary of foreign
relations of the provisional government ad-
dressed to Rear Admiral Brown, comma nd
ing the United States naval forces. a
communication, from which the follow
ing is an extract: The provisional
government has learned by the cabegrams
of the Associated Press that the transport ltata.
detained in San Diego by order Of the United
States for taking on board munitions of war, and
In possession of the marshal, left the port,
carrying ON board this official, who was landed
at Il point near the coast, and then continued
her VOYAGE. If this news be correct,
this government would deplore the conduct of
the ltata and, as an evidence that 1t Is not dis
posed to support or agree to the infractlon OF
the laws of the United States, the undersigned
takes advantage of the personal relations you
have been good enough TO maintain with him
since your arrival in this port to declare TO YOU
that as soon as she is within reach of our orders
this government will put the Itata, with the
arms and munitions she took on board IN san
Diego at the disposition of the United States
A trial in the district court Of the United
States for the Southern District of California
has recently resulted In decision holding,
among other things, that, lnasmuCh rs the con-
greSsional party had not been recognized as
belligerant, the acts done i'll its interest could
not be a violation of our neutrality laws From
this judgment the United states has appealed,
not that the condemnation of the vessel is
matter of importance, but that we may know
what the present state of our law is; for, if this
construction OF the statute is correct, there Is
obvious necessity for revision and amendment
During the progress of the war in Chilli this
government rendered its good offices to bring
about Il peaceful adjustment, and it was mt enc
tme hoped that Il good result might be reached;
but in this we were disappointed. The in
structions to oul naval officers and to our mill
lister at Santiago, from the first to the last OF
this struggle, enjoined upon them the most inn
partial treatment and absolute non-interter-
ence. / am satisfied that these instructions
were observed, and that our representatives
were always watchful 10 use their influence i'm
partially to the interest of humanity, and, on
more than one OCCASION did SO effectively. We
could not forget, however, that this govern
ment was in diplomatic relations with the then
established government of Chilli. as it is
now in such relations with the successor OF that
government. ! quite sure that President
Montt, who has, under circumstances of promise
for the pence of Chill, been installed as presi-
dent of that republic, will not desire that. in
the unfortunate event of any revolt against his
authority, the policy of this government should
be other tnau that which we have recently OBJ
served No official complaint of the conduct OF
our minister or of our naval officers during the
struggle has been presented to this government;
and 1T Is n matter of regret that so many OF our
own people should have given ear to unofficial
charges and complaints that manifeSly had
their origin in rival interests and in wish to
Chilli
The collapse of the government of Balmace-
da brought about Il condition which is untor-
tuneately too familiar in the history Of the Cen
trail and South American states. With the
overthrow of the BaImaccda government, he
and many of his councillors and officers be-
came at once iugives for their lives and
appealed to the commanding olhCerC of
the foreign naval vessels in the harbor of VAL
paraiso and to tho resident foreign ministers n t
Santiago for asylum This asylum was freely
given according to my Information, by the
naval vessels of several foreign powers and by
several of the legations at Santiago. The
American minister, well rs his colleagues,
acting upon the impulses of humanity, extend
ed asylum to political refugees whose lives
were in peril. l have not been willing to direct
the surrender of such of these persons as are
still III the American legation without suitable
conditions.
1t is believed that the government OF Chill is
not in Il position, in view of the precedents
with which it has been connected, to broadly
deny the right of lum, and the correspond
ence has not thus far presented any such denial.
The treatment OF our minister for Il time was
such rs to call for II decided protest, and it was
very gratifying to observe that unfriendly
measures. which were undoubtedly the result
of the prevailing excitement, were at once re-
dad ifnh ~ xnH