The Forrest City times., 1891-12-11
lore the eonnuel ot tne rt.t. npd .. .n nr,.

dence that ft ie not dfspoeed to support or aeree States. the undersigned takes advsrta e of the personal relations you have been good enough to maintain with him since your sr1yal fin t6is port to declare to you that soon as she is within reach of our orders this Government will put the ltata. with the arms and munitions she took on board in San Diego, at the disposition of the United States"
 A trial in the District Court ot the United states the Southern Dis net of California has recently resulted in a decision hold ng. an. ong other things that. fnasfnu h as the ( on- gressional pa ty had not been rec guized as a belligertn mt, the acts done fin it's interest could not be violation Of out neutrality laws From tbis judgment the Unitei States has appealed, not ct tue condemnation of the vessel is a matter Of imports Dce but that may know what the present state of our law for, fl this construction of the statute is correct, there is obvious necessity for revision and amendment
 DUrtng the pr gr. ss of the in Chfi this Goverbmert tenaered it's good offices to bring abou1a peaceful adju tment, and it was at one tiisyhoped that good result might be reached : bat fin this we were disappointed.
 The instructions to our naval officers and to oar Minister at ssntiago. from the first to the last Of this struggle. enjoin upon them the most impartial treatment and absolute non- interference. am satisfied that these instruo- lions were observed and that our representa- uves were always watch iul Co use their innu- ence impartialiy In ths interest of humanity and on more than one occasion did SO effect ively. We could not forget, however, that tlis Government was in diplomatic relations with the then establish Government Of |. hili, as it is now in such relations with the succs ssor of that Government. l am quite sure that President Mont, who ha under circums stances of promise Tor the peace oi Chill. been install ed as President of that Republic, will not desire at, In the unfortun te event of any revolt against Dis authority, the policy of this Govern Inent should be tner than that vi hich have recently observed.
 No official complaint of the conduct of our Minister or our maya: officers during tn, strus- gls has been presented to this Dovernln. ns al | it Is a mate oi regret that so many of our peo- pie have giyeI tar to unofficial arges and complalntst at manifestly had heir origin in rival interests and fin a wish to peryert the re- lations Of the Uni cd State with Chill
 The col apse Of lhe govef fnInent of Balmseeda brought about condition which Is uniortu- nately too familiar In the his ory of the Central and south American StaIes. With the throw O. the BalmRceda Government, be 6 d many Of his council ITS and officers became a5 once fugi ivs for their lives and appealel to the commanding officers o the foreign naval vessels in the harbor of Val paraiso and to the resident foreign ministers at Santiago for asylum. This asylum was freely givsn n. according to my infor- nation by the naval vessels of seseral foreign tiago.
 leagues. acting upon the impulses of hum anity, extended as yum to political refuge es whose hves were in peril have not been willing to direct he surrender of such of these persons as are still m the American Legation without suit able conditions.
 It is believed that the Government of Chili fs uOt III b position, III Nl5W or LQe pItccuenbb Ntln which it has been connected to broadly deny the right of asylum, and the correspond ence has not thus far presented any ,uch de- uial. The treatment of our Minister for time was such as to call for 6 decided protest. and 1t was very gratifying to observe that unfriendly measures. which ere undoubtedly the result Of the prevailing excitement, were ct once rescind- ed or suitably relaxed.
 On the l6,h of October an event occurred in Valparaiso so serious and tragic in it's circum- stances and results as to very justly excite the indiQnatiop if mi n nd n cal and det ided action on the part Of this Govern ment. considerable number Of the sailors of the ha bor of Nalpara also, being upon shore leave and unarmed. were assaulted by armed men nearly simultaneously fin different locali- ties in the city
 One petty officer was killed outright and SC yen or eight seamen were seriously wounded one of whom has since died. Do savage and ors received more than two, and one as many as eighteen ab wounds. An investigation Of the affair was promptly made by a board of officers of the Baltimore. and their report shows that these assaults were unpro- voked. that our men were conducting themselves in peaceable and orderly k part in the assault and used their weapons ~ith fatal fleet, while few others with some well-disposed citizens endeavored to pro ect our men. Ihirty-six Of our sailors were arrested and some of them, while being taken to pr. son, were cruel y b aten an aitreated. The last thai they were all discharged, no criminal c large being lodged against any one or them, shows very clearly that they were innocent of any breach of the peace.
 So far as l have yet been able 10 learn no other explanation of this bl ody work has been sugges ed than that it had its origin in hostility to these men ssilors of the United States, wearing the uniform of their gov. rnmcnt and net in any indivi ual act CT personal animoslty. The attention ofthe Chilian government was at once called to this affair. and statement of the facts obtained by the invesiiga ion we had con- ducted submitted accompanied by re- quest to be advised of any other or qualifying facts in the posses sion of the Chilian govern ment that might tend to relieve this affair of the appearance of an insult to this Government. Tne Chilian government was also advised that if such qualifying facts did not exist tbis Gov ernment couid confidently expect full and prompt reparaffon.
 1t ia to be regretted that the reply of the sec- retery of Foreign Affairs of the provisional government was couched in an offensive tone. To this no response has been made. Our Gov vsstigation which has been conducted by the Criminal ouIt at Valparaiso. 1t is reported unofiicially that the investigation is about com pleted, and it is expected that the result will soon De communicated to this Government. to- gether with some adequate and satisfactory re- sponse to the note by which the attention of Chilli was called to his incident.
 II thss It expec atioDs should be disap- pointed or further needless d, lay intervene, will, by 5peci l mesa e, bring this mat CT az in to the attention of Congres such action as may be necessary The entire corre- spondence with the Gov rnneu of Chilli W. II ct an early day be submitted to Congress.