The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-10

tornatl0nal questions CROWN. out oi
such incidents, DO regarded in such
sense as federal agents as to make this
government answcrable for their acts in
cases, where II would be answerable II
the United States had used It's constitu,
tlonal power to, define and punish
crimes against treaty rights.
THE WAR IN CHILE.
The civil war in Chile, which began
in January last, was continued, but for.
~tunately with i~nircquent and not i'm
portant armed collisions, until August
IS, when tho COMPRESSION lforCeslandcd
near Valparaiso, and, after Il bloody on.
g%agcinent, captured that city. Ifesi'
dent Balmaceda at once recognized that
his cause was lost, and n provisional
government was specdilycsfahliahed by
the victorious party. Our minister was
promptly directed to recognize and put
himself in communication with this
government so 500 as 1t should have
established its dc iacto character,
which was done. During tho pending
OF this civil contest frequent indirect
appeals were made to this government
to extend belligerent rights to the in
surgcnts and to give audience to Their
representatives. This was declined. and
TINT policy was pursued throughout,
which disagreement, when wrcnched
by civil war, SO st%renuously insisted
upon on the part Of European nations.
Tho ltata, an armed vessel, COM
mandcd by II naval officer OF the insur-
gent 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 tho custody
OF IN officer OF the court the vessel was
forcibly wrcstcd from his control and
put 10 sea. 1t would have been incon.
sistcnt with the dignity and sclf-rcspect
OF this government to have insisted
that the ltata should be returned to
San Diego to abide the judgment OF the
court. Thiswas so clear TO the junta OF
the Congressional party established ut
lquique that before the arrival OF tho
ltata at that port the secretary OF for
eign relations OF tho provisional gov.
eminent dressed to Rear Admiral
Brown, commanding the United States
naval forces. n communication from
which the following Is an extract:
The provisional government has
learned BY the cablegrams OF the AS
ISOLATED Press that that the transport
ltata, detained in San Diego by order
OF tho United States for taking on
board munitions OF wal and in pos
session OF the marshal, left the port
carrying on board this official who was
landed at 4 point near the coast and
then continued her voyage. II this
news be correct, this government
would dcplore the conduct OF the 1tata
as ii an evidence that it is not dis.
posed to support or agree to the in
fraction OF tho law OF the United
States. The undersigned takes advan-
tagc OF the personal relations you have
been good enough to maintain with
him since your arrival in this port to
declare to you thatassoon as she is with
in reach OF IL orders his government
will put the Itata, with the arms and
munitions she took on board in San
Diego, at the disposition OF the United
States.
4 trial in the district court OF the
United States for the southern district
OF California has recently resulted in q
decision holding, among other things,
that inasmuch as the congressional
party had not been recognized as q
billigerant the acts done in its interest
could not be a violation OF our neutrality
laws. From this judgment the United
States has appealed. Not that the con.
domination OF the vessel is n matter Of
Importance, but hat We may know
what the present state OF u law is;
for, ii this construction OF the statute
is correct, there is obvious necessity ior
revision and amendment. During the
progress OF the war III Chile this gov.
ernmcnt rendered its good offices to
bring about a peaceful adjustment, and
it was at II time hoped that 4 good
result might be reached. The instruc.
tons to our naval officers and to our
Einister at Santiago; from the first to
the last OF this struggle, enjoincd upon
them the most impartial treatment and
absolute non-interfcrence.
| am satisfied that these instructions
were observed, and that our representa-
tives were always watchful TO use their
influence impartially in the interest OF
humanity, and on more than one occa-
sion did so effectively. We could not
forget, however, hat this government
was in diplomatic relations with the
then established government OF Chile,
rs it is now in such relations with the
successor OF that government. l am
quite certain that President Montt, who
has under circumstances OF promise to
Chile, been installed as president OF that
republic, will not desire that in the un-
fortunate event OF any revolt against
his authority the policy OF this govern.
ment should be other than that which
VIC have recently observed.
no OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS.
No official complaint OF the conduct
OF our minister or OF our naval officers
during the struggle has been presented
to this government, and it lisa matter O
regret that so many OF our own people
should have given ear to unofficial
charges and complaints that manifcstly
had their origin in rival interests and in
q wish to prevent the relations OF the
United States with Chile.
The collapse Of the government OIL
Balmaceda brought about q 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 councillors and officers be.
came at nee fugitives Tor their lives
and appealed to the commanding Off
GERS OF the foreign naval vessels in the
harbor OF Valparaiso and totho resident
foreign ministers at Santiago for asylum
This asylum was freely given, according
to my information, by the naval YES
soils nj Snvnrol iornipn Spownra and IA,