The sun., 1891-07-11
THE CASE OF THE ITxT<.
VIII she Prove nm Elephant en- osr
Handse

Handel
WASHINGTON, July 1O.-The release Of tho
Robert and Minnie by judicial decision has
unquestionably improved the chances Of the
Itnta Tor escaping condemnation In her turn ;
and should she 80 escape. tho lne OF $500 i'm
posed upon her for having cleared from San
Diego without . Custom House permit will
seem trlfling pen atty By comparison.
But tho cry raised In some quarters against
the action Of the Government In pursuing and
bringing her back is not only premature but
groundless. Whatever her status, che commit
ted two unduestionable offences against our
laws One was running away without q per-
nit; the other kidnapping United States
Marshal They were committed. too. under
circumstances that did not mako 1t ex pedient
to submit to them with impunity. The atom
tion OF the country had been fastened upon tho
suspected intention OF the Chilian vessel to
break our neutrality laws. and the Government
had acted strictly within its preroeatire and
duty. SO that 1t could not afford to suffer the
grave indignity she committed to pass with
out remedy.
Tho question whether the Itata really did
contemplate q deliberate violation OF our
neutrality laws was not necessarily concerned: {:
1t was enough that the lawful authority OF the
Government was dened Had the Itata be-
longed to Government Acknowledged by the
Washington authorities, and with which It
was in diplomatic communication. the long
chase OF the Charleston. 1t ia true. might have
been spared. But since this was not tho case.
1t became advisable to take the very unusual
course OF pursuit on the high seas and into
foreign port since otherwise there might be
no redress. Even should the present proceed
inRs against the Itata on the ground Of volat-
Ing our neutrality laws fail to be sustained by
the courts that would not show thas the pur-
suit was mistake. She was surrendered and
brought back; and the country is now not put
IN the position Of being outwl,ted and having
Its port RE-, regulations sue %suGcessfully defled.
OF dollars ponded In the cruise OF the Charie.-
nne which hns been imposed on the Itat,. II
dnat were tne pr, proper way OF reckoning. We
Charleston, 10 colnmissio at ali. The MORAL
elect OF his PROMPT remedy for an indignity
was worth moro than the extra cost OF the
CharlcstonS 4 voyage over routine service.
admitted that there is a doubt whether Tie
ity laws ltis doubt that exist d when our
an1Ihorltes nIrnil originally seiIsd Inc ltnta The
hetween lit ing out an armed expedition In
our ports against n Govetnment with which
we are a. peace and tho pursnMing Of commerce
articles has b tecome very great. and It is quite
independtnt OF political considerations or
LoSuV " Aoip oHS puily UT tIe OtueI WnoTo
hand. II the most inefficient of merchantmen
is ted out In our ports as a cruiser with u
coure OF small cannon for the purpose OF
making hostile descent upon the commerce
or ports OF friendly power. that Is a violation
OF good faith and in .ernatonal law.
that the Robert and Minnie was released. Sho
was an ordinary merrhantman. engaged to
carry n cargo OF arms. as many other Ameri-
can vessels are engaged. Like every other
such vessel: she would have run the risk OF
capture aud condemnation had she UNDER
taken TO enter u mort which hal been declared
closed by q foreign Government ca able OF
maintaining an effective blockade. Accoi ding.
~ she mnde an arrangement by which the
ltatn. a vessel chartered for the purpose.
should run whatever risk there was Yet 1t may
ne questioned whether the reception OF the
Hobert and Minnie's cargo on the Itata at San
clement lsand was any more a violation OF
our neutrality laws thnn the Robert and Min
fitted out in orr ports as hostile cruiser but
was employed for carrying cargo.
Whether ~ will be possible to show from
other facts OF coDcealment. conduct. and char
a"ter that she was more liable to condemna-
Iion To- breach Of the neutrality laws than tn.
kobert and Minnie remain to he seen. 1t
would cause no great surprise should she es:
care like her American consort The libel
against her ia for fl ting out az war vessel at
San Clement Island to cruise against the re-
public OF Chilli. But apparently she ,ii,i not nt
as war vessel there. and only received by
transshipment merchandise that might be
used by land troops for war purposes Still,
decision OF tho courts; the Go, ernment has the
satisfaction OF bringing Unck the Itata and
conn elling her to undergo the judicial exRmi-
nation which she attempted to escape