Crawford avalanche., 1891-04-23


Receded from 1hsir First Demand on
Thls Country.
Mr.. Blaine's reply to Marquis Rudini's
note OF April has been transmitted to
the Italian Government. 1t is dig
nilied and yet caustic reply to a demand
that had i'm IL too much br9vado 10 be
read with patience in this country. The
question is discussed from the standpoint
OF people indignant at the gratuitous
bumptiousness OF friendly nation,
manifesting a desire to DC fair, bat ex-
hibitiDg not the slightest inclination to
apologize. In effect Blaine takes the
Italian Ministry zip, shakes IL, and then
with show of iron-handed courtesy
shoves IT out OF tic way.
Mr. Webster's correspondence as to the
Spanish riots in New Orleans, which is
quoted in the repy, was memorable, but
Mr. Va bs,er all through his dispatches
expressed an honest desire that the
peaceful relation existing between the
United States AMI Spain might not be
disturbed. Their Is an entire absence OF
any such wish orexpression In the reply
to the Italian Government. The opinion
Is universal that ;he Italian Premier
served fully the Castigation he receives,
| yet IL is doubtful II any two great
nations not Immediately contemplating
war ever before entered upon such
| fusillade OF absurd aud unreasonable
demands on the one hand and of
| caustic irony and derisive courtesy on
| the other hand, as appear in this corre-
| spondence. Imperlalrs opening and GU
rious soft sawder, in addressing the Sec
rotary of State as "Your ExcelIency"
| almost ONershadows the admission he
| Immediately afterward makes that Ba-
ron Eaua sras MT rnoalleh. tho Rarnn
himself gave out originally, but was
| simply absent ION leave" This gives
Bla ne a chance TO get back at Imperiali
aud address him as full "charge
d'affaires," instead of being simply the
officer left ain charge of current busi-
ness" as was so sedulously stated at the
outset of the trouble.
The Italian Government has not sus-
pended diplomatic relations by recalling
its Minister. though for home effect it
has proclaimed that it has done so. The
next and even more important point
made is the showing from the exact Ian
guage OF Rudini's original dispatch how
widely different his two demands-the
one sent out from Rome and the one
now answered-were. Incidentally, Mr.
Blaine gets in sarcastic allusion to
Baron Fava's English. His quotation
shows that ten years residence in Wash
ington has mot given the Baron greater
familiarity with the language than he
seems TO have with the institutions of
the country. Noting the different terms
employed in the dispatch which he is
answering from those used In the dis
patch previously received, he says his de-
partment "has no desire to change" the
language of the original dispatch of
March "a, which was delivered to him in
person by Baron Fava, transcribed i'm
English. Then he quotes that dispatch
with its assertion Of right "to demand
and obtain the punishm mt of the mur-
derers and an indemnity for their vic
Tins" Then follows this extraordinary
sentence, which the Secretary OF State
mercilessly quotes: 81 would add that
the public opinion in Italy is justly
impatient, and If concrete provisions
were not at once taken ! should
lind myself in the painful neces-
sity o. showing openly our dssatis &C.
tion by recalling the Minister of his Maj
esty from country where he is unable
to obtain Justice" Mr. aine, of course,
cannot resist contrasting the original
demand with the subsequent cable dis
patch stating that 81 he government of
Italy has asked nothing but the prompt
institution Of judicial proceedings
through the regular channels. He does
not say that the Italian government has
failed to carry out its threat of recalling
the Minister, but he addresses his reply
to Imperiali as charge d affaircs. show
ing that he takes cognizance of the fact,
and then he proceeds to analyze other
portions of the Italian Minister second
dispatch
1t seems that the summary as given
out from Rome. in violation of all diplo.
matte usage, was correct in stating that
Rudini assumed the Secretary of state
had promised indemnity for the families
of the victims. Mr.. Blaine shows that
he had only recognized the "principle or
inde emnity" TO those who had suffered in
violation of treaty obligations. Finally,
he puts 1t that II any of the persons
killed by the mob in New Orleans were
really "Italian subjects who were resi-
dent or domiciled in that city, agreeably
to our treaty with Italy and not in vio-
lation of our immigration laws, and who
were abiding in the peace of the United
States and obeying the laws thereof"
impossible conditions for the Italian
Government to show-then, In case the
State authorities lad failed to prop
erly pre- I ect them, the president would
under such circumstances feel that
case was established that should
be submitted to the consideration
OF Congress" Only this and nothing
more. 1t is very strongly suspected that |
the preliminary abstract Of the report |
prepared by United States District At |
torney Grant, of New Orleans, will dis |
close that all the men killed except two |
or three were naturalizcd citizens, and |
that these two or three were Italian ban |
dit who had come here in violation OF |
our naturalization laws, and for whom the |
italian Government has therefore no right |
OF reclamation. This correspondence |
will leave the Rudini ministry in o criti- |
cal position before its own people. but IL |
Is generally conceded here that the |
italian Government has brought the |
situation upon itself by bluff and buster
and jingoism What effect the publica-
tion Of this correspondence may ,haYe i
upon the critical, Threatening attitude |
OF several OF the European powers 10
each other, including those in alliance |
with Italy, is fruitful theme for con-
lecture The much talked. OF letter will |
not give much comfort In Italy.
LIFE, Ike war, Is series OF mistakes,