The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-04-16
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,


Marquis InlperiGH, Charge a. Afaires, etc.
etc:
Slr-I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt OF your note dated Thursday,
April 2, 1891. 1t contains second tele-
gram from Marquis Rudini, part of
which here quote: "The government
OF the King of Italy has asked moth
ing beyond the prompt institution of judicial
proceedings through the regular channels.
1t would have been absurd to claim the pun
ishment of the guilty parties without the
warrant of regular judgment. The Italian
government now repeats the same demand.
Not until the Federal government shall have
explicitly declared that the aforesaid pro
ceedings shall be promptly begun, can the
diplomatic incident be considered closed"
This government certainly had no desire
whatever to change the meaning of the Mar
quis Rudini's telegram of March "a. 1t was
delivered at the State Department by Baron
Fava in person, written in his own hand,
and expressed in the English language.
The full text of the telegram Is:
ROME, March "a, 1891.
italian Minister, WaShington
Our requests to the Federal government are
very simple. Some Italian subjects, acquitted by
American magistrates, have been murdered Ia
prison while under the immediate protection of
the authorities. Our right therefore to demand
and obtain the punishment of the mttrderers and
indemnity for their victinas Is ataquesttOno6le
wish to add that public opinion in Italy is justly
impatient, and, IL concrete provisions are not at
once taken, should find myself in the painful
necessity of showing openly our dissatisfaction by
recalling the minister of His Majesty from
country where he is unable to obtain justice.
[Signedl RUDINI.
The words underscored are precisely those
L quoted in my former note and am directed
by the President to express the satisfaction
Of this government with the very material
qualification of the demand made by the
Marquis Rudini on behalf Of the Italian gov
ernment You quote in your note another
part of the Marquis kudini's telegram of
April In these words, Meanwhile His
Majesty's government takes note of the de-
claration whereby the Federal government
recognizes that indemnity is due the families
of the victims in virtue of the treaty In force
between the two countries" Ii the Marquis
Rudini will carefully examine my nete of
April /, he will discover that 1 did not rec
ognize that indemnity is due the families of
the victims in virtue of the treaty in force
between the two countries" What did say
was In answer to Baron Fava's assertion that
the United States government refused to take
this demand for indemnity into cOnsidera-
tion. l quote my reply: "The United States,
SO far from refusing, has distinctly recog-
nized the principle Of indemnity to those
Italian subjects who may have been wronged
by the violation OF the rights secured them
under the treaty with the United States con-
cluded February &c, 1871" The MARQUIS
Rudini maybe assured that the United States
who might "De wr0nged by the violation of
a treaty" to which the faith of the United
States is pledged. But this assurance leaves
unsettled the important question of whether
point the President, with sufficient facts
placed before him, has taken full time for bis
decision. He now directs that certain con-
siderations on the general subject be submit
ted to the Judgment OF the Italian govern
ment.
AS d precedent of great value, to the case
under consideration, the President recalls
the conclusion maintained by Mr.. Webster
in 1851, when he was Secretary of State nm.
der President FlllNore; In August. Of that
building in which the office of the Spanish
consul was located. at the same time. at
tacks were made upon coffee houses aud ci-
gar stands kept by Spanish subjects. .Amer-
lean clLlZ6uS W6I0 lnVOlN6u In the losses
which, in the aggregate, were large. The
supposed cause of the mob was the iptelli-
gence of the execution of 30 young Ameri.
cans in Havana, and the banishment to tha
Spanish mines of nearly 200 citizens of the
United States. The victims were all mem.
bers of the abortive Lopez expedition. In
consequence of these depredations of the
mob upon the property of the Spanish con.
sui, as we'll as against the Spanish subjects.
Don Calderon de la Parca, the min,
lister of spain, demanded indemniication
| for all losses, official and personal.
Mr.. Webster admitted that the Spanish
consul was entitled to indemnity, and as-
sured the Spanish minister that il the in
| jured consul, Mr.. Laborde, 'shall return to
his post, or any other consul for New Orleans
shall be appointed by Her Catholic Maiestv,s
government, the officers of this goyernment
resident in that city will be instructed to re-.
ceiye and treat him with courtesy. and with
| a national salute to the flag of bis shin If he
| shall arrive in Spanish vessel, as demnno
| stration of respect, such as may signify IN
| him and his government the sense enter,
| tanned by the government of the United
| States Of the gross injustice done his prede-
cessor by lawless mob, as well as the in.
| dignity and insult offered by 1t to a foreign
state with which the United States wish e1-
er to remain, on terms Of the most respectful
| and pacific intercourse.
When pressed by the Spanish minister tn
| afford Indemnity to Spanish subjects injured