Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-01-29
MINERS VIGOROUS KICK.
The ex-Minister to Central America An
Nr RIa5r,


San FRANCISCO, CAL, JAM 26.-After
due deliberation, Lansing P. Miner,
ex-minister TO Guatemala, who was re-
called by Secretary Blaine because of
his attitude in the Balrundia case, has
concluded to make public his official re-
ply to Mr.. Blaine's letter of recall before
its deliverv'to the State Department at
Washington. In giving his reason for
this proceeding Mr.. Miner said: 81
consider [ am thoroughly justified in
making this document public now, III
view of the precedent established by
Mr.. Blaine himself The text of the
Secretary's letter to me was given to the
public through the newspapers three
weeks before it could possibly have
reached ne. Only on these grounds do
[ consider publication Of my letter at
this time justifable. believe it con-
tains complete review of my actions
in the matter, and will set me right be-
fore the public" Mr.. Miners official
communication is as follows:
LEGA'%oN OF THE UNITED STATES IN
CENTRAA AMERICA, GUATEMALA, Dec.
81, 1o90-The Hon. James G. Blaine, Sec
rotary of State. Washington, d. C.-SIR:
| have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your delayed dispatch 206, of the
18TH OF last month, and to report that |
have this day turned over the legation to
Mr.. Kimberly, charge d'affairs. ! am also
IN receipt of a copy of the Presidents an
nual message delivered to the present
session OF Congress, in which my official
services IN the recent establishment of
peace between these republics is approved.
conduct of a mere incident of
war, the attempted arrest of a
single person, should meet with
the Presidents diSapproVal, when it is re-
membered that the incident occurred on
the 18th of August the very day when the
first condition of the basis OF peace, toWit:
the retiring of the armies from the from
tiers in forUy-elght hours, was about TO be
carried out under my direction, as dean of
the diplomatic corps. neceSSltatlng my
constant presence at the legation to com
pose any difficulties that might arise; and,
as a matter OF fact, several complaints
were presented to me in writing by these
governments, charging bad faith, which
were arranged to the satisfaction of all.
On the 18th of August two hostile
armies estimated at 10000 on each side.
after several severe battles, confronted
each other on the frontier, awaiting the eff
forts of the diplomatic corps to effect the
President, was contaminated by the active
efforts of the representative OF the United
States, Mr.. Miner, on the next day, so
that on the 9th of August the all absorb
lag question was peace to over 100000
people: and the arrest of citizen of Guat-
emala. on one of our merchant ships,
either in time OF war or IN peace, was an
incOnSiderable matter compared with the
vast interests involved; as no one could
possible foresee that the person to be ar
rested would resist, nor could it be sup
posed that the person was armed and
would fire upon his nenefactor, the cap
tain of the ship, or that any fatality what
ever would occur.
A resolution of the lower house of Con-
gress having been passed in October. call
ing for the papers in the case, it is to be re-
GREETED that action was taken in the mat
Ter before committee had an opportunity
to report, as [ am absolutely certain that a
full investigation OF the case before that
committee, including my presence before
it. if necessary, would have explained ev
crythlng to it's entire satisfaction. 1t will
be consolation to me, cOmpenSating for the
Presidents disaDproVal of the attempted
arrest of a single person on one OF the
merchant vessels in the local waters,
whether IN war or in peace, that | was
largely instrumental IN retiring two hos
tile armies to their quiet homes, thus say
ING thousands of human lives, aVerting
and good will to nelGhbOrinG states.
Mr. Miner cites Secretary Bayard's
action in the Gomez chses, and says he
(Mizner) was ruled by that in the Bar
rundia affair, and continues:
Barrnndia was citizen and a political Of
fender against the laws of Guatemala, be-
sides being indicted for common crimes
He came voluntarily into the jurisdiction
of Guatemala on the merchant steamer
A a11fh n1-iti TO
rest him. The captain OF the ship asked
nc to instruct hini, and | advised him as
follows: ''If you ship is within one
league Of the territory Of Guatemala, and
you have on board Gen. J. NJ Barrundia,
becomes your duty under the law of the
nations to deliver him to the authorities Of
Guatemala upon their demand"
If there is any difference between the
two cases 1t is in favor of Guatemala, as it
was sought tC make the arrest on the
grounds Of his beng both political and
common crimes offender, and sustained
me in giving advice, as 1t was earnestly
sought by the master of the Acapu c.;
While in the Gomez c,.s2, the captain OF the
Honduras was silent.
Details in both the Gomez and Barrundia
cases were to have been LETT to respective
captains and to local consulS as it would
be impossible for a minister, hundreds of
miles away, to give his personal attention
In the Presidents first annual message
to Congress it was said that diplomacy
should be frank and free from intrigue"
thereby implying that it had not been so in
the past. If, as must be conceded, Guate-
maiI had the undOuDted right to arrest
Barrundia, would it have been crank; 10
have thrown any obstacles in the way of
the exercise of that right? On the CON
trary would it not have been ''intrigue' to
have abetted the captain of the Acapulco
in evading elementary international law,
as we exercise the right to arrest all kinds
of offenders on foreign merchant ships
when in our ports?
On the 18th Of July last Capt. Pitts per-
mitted the authorities Of Salvador to ar
rest Senior Delgado, the minister of foreign
relations of that republic; and take him
against his Will from the steamer
Acapulco; as Fer his affidavit sent you, it
would seem that the same privilege should
have been extended to Guatemala.