New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-09
THE STEAMER CITY OF PlNAMA,
POLITICAL EXTRADIuoN IN sPANIsH'AMERloA
"A MINISTERIAL ORGAN IN SALVADOR ON
THE EMBARGO OF THE VESSEL.

In relation the affair of the illegal detention OF the
Pacific Mail steamer City Of Panama IT may be use
full to cite recent fact which shows that, even IN
Spanish American countries political refugees are not
delivered up by the Governments under whose nag
they have sought protection. The American ship City
Of Panama has suffered injuries and loss Of valuable
time because her captain refused to surrender to the
salvador Government General Letona and other
political exiles who passengers his vessel In
Peru the courts have Just gone still further, In ex-
tending the right Of asylum TO persons charged
with political murder. Tho Minister Of Ecuador at
Lima, in the name of his Government, had requested
the extraditon of Roberto Andrade accused OF being
one OF the murderers Of Garcia Moreno former pres
dent Of the Ecuadoran Republic. The Attorney Gen
eral, Fiscal" of the Supreme Court In Peru. did
not stop to discuss whether or not the charge Of
murder was justified He based his argument merely
some legal and constitutional echnicalities, and con-
cluded by saying THE extraditiOn Of the accused
Won Roberto Andrade for the assassination Of Senior
Garcia Moreno. requested by the Legation of Ecuador
cannot be granted and the prisoner should be set at
liberty, immediately"
In regard to the City Of Panama, the Government
Of Salvador has finally understood that it could not
base It's complaint against the steamer the ground
that the latter was carrying political refugees. An
organ OF that Government Ell Correo Nacional" in
long leading article intended to defend the conduct Of
the SalvadOrean officials, says:
"The refusal of the captain Of the City OF Panama
to surrender General Letona inexcussble as 1t is can
be explained by the fact that he wanted guarantee
that the law would be applied to the General without
passion Of any kind and without any other motives
than those of pure justice. But the fact that he
left the port without permit cannot be explained
except by an intention of dsrcspect toward the mari
time authorities. . Those Of La Union took i'm
medaely the necessary steps to pronounce sentence
in conformity with Article 253 of the Maritime law
thus applying vigorously the principle followed by the
Government of the United States in the affair OF the
steamer Itata of the Chilian insurgcnt navy, which
sailed without permit from the Californian port of
san Diego"
1t useless to observe here TINT the two cases are
decidedly different The City Of Panama was an eX-
clusively merchant and mail steamer, whose captains
first duty was to navigate her according TO the schedule
time and TO insure the safety Of his passengers, with
out allowing himself to be delayed by the caprces or
nefarlous designs Of petty officials in the ports at
which he had to call on his regular trips. There Is
in the salvadorean Ministerial organ an assertion
which will need investigation. 1t SAYS thai at La
IIbertad another port of call the captain OF the City
of Panama weighed anchor without any permit ana
this time In disobedence of the positive order OF the
United states Consul at that capital who had told the
captain to remain in port until the Consul Should have
received instructions from Washington"