New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-01


sational twist was given to-day to the diplomatic
tangle growing out of the New-Orleans lynching
by the announcement to the State Department
by Baron Fava, the Italian Minister here, of his
peremptory recall by the home Government and
the consequent severance of all serious diplomatic
relations between the two countries as far as
the capital is concerned. This unexpected and
apparently over-hasty step was taken, the Baron
explained, because Of the Italian Governments
extreme dissatisfaction with the only remedies
which this country seemed able TO offer for the
injury done to Italian subjects by the New
Orleans mob
Baron Fava it is understood, did not go so far
as to demand his passports this afternoon from the
State Department. Such step could only be
construed as one of pronounced hostility, which
is taken only in case Of threatened war and the
danger Of personal violence to the Minister who
| requires this guarantee Of safe conduct. Baron
Fava simply stated that he had been ordered home,
and that the Legation here would be turned over
to charge d'affaires. Marquis 1mperial, who
would continue to conduct only routine and cur
| rent business. 1t is expected that Baron Fava
will sail for Italy very shortly, unless through
Government is brought to see the unreasonable
| ness of the step it has taken and asks for
restoration of the status quo.
II had been generally supposed that the 1tal-
ian Government would at least await the action of
the New-Orleans Grand Jury which is charged
with an investigation of the bloody episode at
the New Orleans jail. 1t appears. however, that
the information received from its representatives
must have led that Government to the conclusion
that the Grand Jury investigation would fail to
result In the punishment, or even Indictment OF
any person connected with the killing OF the
Italians. The letter of Governor Nichols in reply
to Secretary Blaine was also, it is thought, re-
garded as evasive of the real point at issue-re
paration for an alleged wrong-and the Governors
| assurance that further bloodshed would not fol
| low unaccOmpanied by any excuse for the failure
Of the State municipal authorities to take pre-
cautions to prevent the killing, was, it is said,
| regarded by the Italian Government with extreme
dissatisfaction II appeared to it that the United
States Government had exhausted its resources.
( The relations between tb" National Government
and the Governments of the States were so fixed
by the American Constitution that when the
Italian Minister, obeying the commands of his
Government, sought for some assurance that the
persons concerned in the killing of its subjects
would be punished, it not possible for the
General Government to give any definite assurance
of the kind. 1t could and did point to the fact
that the Grand Jury was the American provision
for calling before the bar of justice the persons
who had violated the law of the land. But this
particular Grand Jury was called together un-
der the laws Of the sovereign State of Louisiana,
and whether or not it would punish according to
the Italian idea of justice was something that no
| national official from the President down could
guarantee.
The Italian Government was not satisfied with
such views. With the relations between the
State and National Governments, and the peculi-
arites of our constitutional system of govern
ment 1t had nothing to do. But it was necessary,
according to its views, that Italian citizens in
foreign countries should have the full
measure of protection fixed by the laws
of these countries. Here was case
where. according to the statements Of the
Minister the Italian subjects had been arrested
on a charge of crime and acquitted by an American
jury according to the forms of American law.
These men. declared innocent by a judicial
tribunal. had been slain by an angry people. The
Italian Government could not go behind the
verdict of the American court, and notwithstand-
ing it was stated in some quarters that the men
were really guilty of foul assassination, and had
been acquitted by means of bribery, in the eye
of the Italian Government they were innocent
Italian subjects. In their violent killing the
Italian people had been outraged and insuted.
The National Government of the United States
had as stated, failed to give any definite assurance
that reparation would be made There was but
one recourse. and that was token to-day, when
the Italian Minister notified Secretary Blaine
that he had been recalled because his Government
was dissatisfied with the negotiations This is the
Italian view Of the matter.
The view taken by the Administration. as it is
understood is that this Government has done
all that could be done in the matter. Even If it
had complete legal jurisdiction in the case, it could
snly assure the Italian Government that it would
prosecute the persons guilty of the attack on the
Italians at NewIOreans. 1t could not assure
the Italian Government that it would punish
them as Italy desires-that would be
for grand and petty iuries to determine.
The Italian Government has been told that the
President deplores the abhOrrent occurrence" and
that this Government has taken steps to inyestl-
gate the matter Part of this investigation was
the ascertainment Of the nationality OF the ltal-
ians who were killed, and this has not yet been
learned. There is no proof whatever before the
President or the Secretary Of State that single
Italian citizen was among the victims, and such
proof is an absolutely necessary preliminary to
fair demand for reparation. The officers OF the
DEPARTMENT of Justice are still inquiring into this
and other branches of the case.
There was a commotion among the State De-
partment officials when the fact became known
that Baron Fava hid been recalled They did
not know it ofiically-save Secretary Blaine-be-
fore the close or Office hours, for the Secretary
was confined TO his home again by recurrence
Of his old maady, the gout and did not send
word TO his lieutenants in the Department Of
State. But he did manage to get into bis carriage
about 4 o'clock and drive over to the White
House, where he told the President all that had
occurred and discussed the future prospects. lie
STAYED with the President for an hour, and when
he returned to his home he refused to see callers