Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-10

|
States for taking on board munitions OF
left the port, carrying on beard this
official, who was landed at a point
near the coast and then continued
her voyage. If this news is correct this
government would deplore the conduct
of the Itata, and as an evidence that it
is not disposed to support or agree to
the infraction 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 the junta will put
the Itata, with the arms and munitions
she took at San Diego, at the disposition
of the United States"
A trial in the district court OF California
recently resulted in decision holding
among other things that inasmuch as
the congressional party had not been
recognized as belligerents, the acts done
in its interest could not be violation
of our neutrality laws. From this judg-
ment 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
statutes is correct there is an obvious
necessity for their revision and amend
ment.
| NEUTRALITY STRICTLY OBSERVED.
During the progress of the war in Chile
this government rendered its good Offices
to bring about a peaceful adjustment,
and it was at one time hoped that good
result might be reached, but in this we
were disappointed. The instructions to
our naval officer and to our minister at
| Santiago, from the first to the last of this
struggle, enjoined upon them the most
impartial treatment and absolute nom
interference. am satisfied that these
instructions were observed, and that our
representatives were always watchful to
use their influence impartially in the
interests 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
Chile, as it is now in such relations with
the successor of that government. l am
quite sure that President Montt, who
has, under circumstances of promise for
the peace of Chile, been installed as
president of that republic, will not de-
sire that in the unfortunate event of any
revolt against his authority, the policy
of this government should be other than
that which we have recently observed.
No official complaint of the conduct of
our minister or of our naval officers dur
ing the struggle has been presented to
this government, and it is matter of
regret that 80 many of our people should
have given ear to unofficial charges and
cop, loip to fhof voonifoof1u bod thai,
origin in rival interests, and in wish to
pervert the relations of the United States
with Chile.
THE RIGHT OF ASYLUM.
The collapse of the government of
Balmaceda brought about a condition
which is unfortunately too familiar in
the history of the Central and South
American states. With the overthrow
Of the Balmaceda government he, and
many of his counsellors and officers, be-
came fugitives for their lives and ap-
pealed to the commanding officers of the
foreign naval vessels in the harbor of
Valparaiso and to the resident foreign
ministers at Santiago, for asylum. The
officers acting under the impulse of hu-
manity, extended this asylum freely to
political refugees whose lives were in
peril. have not been willing to direct
the surrender of such of these persons
as are still in the American legation,
without suitable understandings. 1t Is
believed that the government of Chile
is not in position, in view of the pre-
cedents in which it has been connected,
to broadly deny the right of asylum,
and the correspondence has not thus far
presented any such denial. The treat
- o+nr Co. y,
as to call for decided protest, and it
was very gratifying to observe that the
unfriendly measures, which were un
doubtedly the result of the prevailing
excitement, were at once rescinded, or
suitably relaxed.
THE BALTIMORE OUTRAGE.
On the 10Th of October an event oc-
Cured in Valparaiso SO serious and
tragic in its circumstances and results
as to excite the indignation of our peo-
Pile, and to call for prompt and decided
action on the part of this government.
A considerable number OF the sailors of
the United States steamship Baltimore,
then in the harbor of Valparaiso, being
upon shore on leave and unarmed, were
assaulted by armed men nearly stimuli
taneously in different localities in the
city. One petty officer was killed out
right, and seven or eight seamen were
seriously wounded, one of whom has
died. So savage and brutal was the as
sault that several of our sailors received
more than two and one as many as eight
wounds. An investigation of the affair
was promptly made by board of officers
of the Baltimore, and their report shows
that these assaults were unprovoked;
that our men were conducting them
selves in a peaceable and orderly manner,
and that some of the police of the city
tookspart in the assault and used their
weapons with fearful effect, while other
somewhat better disposed citizens en-
deavored to protect our men. Thirty-six
OF our sailors were arrested, and some of
them, while being taken to prison were
cruelty beaten and maltreated. The fact
that they were all discharged, no GRIM
inal charge being lodged against them,
shows very clearly that they were inno-
cent OF any breach of the peace. So far
as have been able to learn no explana-
ton of this bloody work has been sug-
gested other than that it had its origin
in its hostility to these men as sailors of
the United States, wearing the uniforms
OF their government, and not in any in
dividual or personal animosity. The
attention of the Chilean government
was at once called to this affair and
statement of the facts obtained by the
investigation we had conducted was sub
l IL