Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-10

Brazifs Many Political Erup!ions,
The recent political disturbances in the
Republic Of Brazil have excited regret spc
solicitude. The information we possessed
was too meager to enable us to form a salts
factory Judgment of the causes leading tc
the temporary assumption of supreme
power bv President Fonseca; but this Gov.
ernment did not fail to express to him it.
anxious solicitude for the peace of Brazil
and for the maintenance of the free political
institutions which had recently been es.
tablished there, not TO offer our advice that
great moderation should be observed in the
clash of parties and the contest for leader.
| ship. These counsels were received in the
most friendly spirit, and the latest infor-
nation is that constitutional government
has been re-establshed without bloodshed.
The lynching at New Orleans, in March
last of II men of Italian nativity bv mob
of citizens was a most deplorable and dis
creditable incident. 1t did not, however,
have its origin in any general animosity to
the Italian people, nor in any disrespect to
the Government of Italy, with which our
relations were of the most friendly char
acter. The fury of the mob was directed
against these men as the supposed partici-
| pants or accessories in the murder of city
officer. do not allude to this as mitigat-
Ing In any degree this offense against law
and humanity, but only as affecting the in
ternational questions which grew out of 1t.
Friendly Conclusion of the Matter.
1t was once represented by the Italian
Minister that several of those whose lives
had been taken bv the mob were Italian
subjects, and a demand was made for the
punishment of the participants and for an
indemnity to the families of those who were
killed. It is to be regretted that
the manner in which these claims
were presented was not such as to promote
calm discussion of the questions involved;
but this may well be attributed to the ex-
citement and indignation which the crime
naturally evoked. The views of this Gov
ernment as to its obligations to foreigners
domiciIed here were fully stated in the
correspondence, as well as its purpose to
make an investigation of the affair with a
view to determine whether there were
present any circumstances that could, under
such rules of duty as we had indicated,
create an obligation upon the United
States. The temporary absence of a Min
lister Plenipotentiary of Italy at this cap
ital has retarded the further correspondence,
but it is not doubted that friendly con-
clusion rs attainable.
Moral OF the New Orleans Affair.
Some suggestions growing out of this un-
happy incident are worthy the attention of
Congress. 1t would, believe, be entirely
competent for Congress to make offenses
against the treaty rights of foreigners DOM
iciled in the United States cognizable in
the Federal courts. This has not, however,
been done, and the Federal officers and
courts have no power in such cases TO inter-
vene, either for the protection of foreign
citizen or for the punishment of his slayers.
Il seems to me, in this state of the law, that
the officers of the State charged with police
and judicial powers in such cases must in
the consideration of international questions,
growing ont of such incidents, be regarded
in such sense as Federal agents as to make
this Government answerable for their acts
in cases where il would be answerable if
the United States had used its constitution
al power to define and punish crimes against
treaty rights.
The civil war, in Chile, which began in
January last, was continued, but fortunately
with infrequent and not important armed
collisions, until August 2S, when the Con-
gressional forces landed near Valparaiso
and, after bloody engagement, captured
that city. President Balmaceda, at once
recognized that his cause was lost, and
provisional Government was speedily es-
by the victorious party. Our
was uiftCleu w TecOg-
nize and put himself in communication
with this Government as soon as it should
have established its de facto character,
which was done.
One Policy Adopted and Stuck To.
During the pendency of this civil cor
lest frequent indirect appeals were made to |
this Government to extend belligerent
rights to the Insurgents and to give |
audience to their representatives.
This was declined, and that policy was pur-
sued throughout, which this Government,
when wrenched by civil war, so strenuously |
insisted upon en- the part of European |
nations The Itata, an armed vessel COM |
manded by naval officer of the insurgent |
fleet manned by its sailors and with soldiers |
on board, was seized under process OF the |
United States Court at San Diego, Cal, for |
a violation of our neutrality laws. While |
in the custody of an officer of the court the |
vessel was forcibly wrested from his control |
and pnt to sea. 1t would have been incon- |
sistent with the dignity and self-respect of |
this Government not 10 have insisted that |
the Itata should be returned to San Diego |
to abide the judgment of the court. This |
was so clear to the Junta of the Congress
Sional party, established at Iquique, that, |
before the arrival of the Itata at that port, |
the Secretary of Foreign Relations of the |
Government addressed to Rear
Admiral Brown, commanding the United |
States naval forces, a communication, from
which the following is an extract:
The Itata Case in Nutshell.
The Provisional Government has learned |
by the cablegrams of the Associated Press
that the transport, Itata, detained by order
Of the United States for taking on boa I'd mu-
nitions of war and in possession of the
left the port, carrying on board |
this official who was landed at a point near
the coast ana then continued her voyage
Ii this news be correct, this Government
would deplore the conduct of the Itata, and.
rs an evidence that it Is not disposed to sup
port or agree TO the lnfraction of the laws of |
he United States, the undersigned takes ad-
vantage 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 |
1ur orders his Government will put the |
[tata, with the arms and munitions she took
On board in san Diego, at the disposition OF
5he United States
A trial in the District Court of the United |
States for the Southern district of Cali
fornia, has recently resulted in decision
holding among other things. that, mas
much as the Congressional party had not
been recognized as a belligerant, the acts
done in its interest could not be viola
lion 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 that the present state of our law is;
For, if this construction of the statute is cor
rect, there is obvious necessity for revision
and amendment
Chile and Its Internal Disruption.
During the progress of the war in Chile,
this Government rendered its good offices to
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