The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-11
MR.. BOUTsLLE CRITICIzES TRACEY.
He Would Not Have Written TO COM
mander Reiter.
And Certainly Would Not Have Pub
Iished the Letters.
A Rusy Day In Both Houses OF
Congress.
Especial to the Press.1

the House today was taken up by very
brilliant debate upon the Barrundia affair.
1t will be remembered that Barrundia was
Guatemalan revolutionist who, as fugitive
from his country was a passenger on the
American merchant steamer Acapulco. In
the Guatemala harbor of San Jose, the Qua
temalan authorities, with the approval of
the American Minister, Mr.. Miner. attempt
ed to arrest Barrundia, whom they charged
with murder, enlightenment and treason.
Barrundia resisted arrest and was shot Our
State Department recalled Miner for not
protecting Barrundia from arrest, and the
Navy Department censured Commander
Reiter, who was present with an American
war vessel, for not taking Barrundia and
carrying him safely upon the high seas.
The arguments today centered upon tile
question whether a fugitive from law.
whether he be political refugee or not. Is
safe from arrest In foreign merchant ves-
sci lying In the harbor OF the nation whose
laws hAse G been violated.
Mr.. Dalzell of Pennsylvani made most
brilliant and convincing argument to show
that, by the law of nations, as well as by
the precedents Of American diplomacy, the
Guatemalan authorities had the right to
maze the arrest and therefore that both
Miner and Reiter had been uDjustly CEN
sured.
Mr.. Lodge, who, as a member of the
naval committee wished to defend the Navy
Department, In return replied, and finally
Mr.. Boutelle of Maine closed this most bril-
liant debate Of the session with striking
citation of naval precedent Mr.. Boutele
said he did not consider it the duty of the
naval committee to voice the opinion of the
department on all occasions, and while he
had the highest respect for the present Sec
retary of the Navy be had not felt 1t his du-
ty today to assume perfunctory champion
ship OF the department In matter entirely
outside of its relations with the House or its
committees. He regretted that he could not
approve the action of the department in the
case of Commander Reiter. Continuing,
Mr.. BOutelle said: 81 have, therefore, risen
to simply say that, looking at the subject
from my own point of view, influenced by
such information as have been able to OBJ
tain in the light of experience on the navy
and otherwise, should not have written the
letters addressed by the Secretary
to Commander Reiter, and If l had
DnbsRed %5itsR them eSsm nas %Osd ,naS not ds have
cry. will not discuss the legal aspect Of
the question as to the power of the Secretary
of the Navy to administer a public repri-
mand to an officer. but my opinion upon that
point would not be entirely controlled by the
fact that such power may have been sOme-
times assumed by such heads of depart
ments. l am very clearly of the opinion
that the whole text and spirit of the stat
utes for the conduct Of the naval service are
adverse to the arbitrary exercise of authori-
ty to condemn or to punish"
After speaking of the right of an officer to
trial BY court martial. which should be as sa-
cred right to the officer as the right of trial
by Jury to the citizen, and Of the excellent
record of Commander Reiter in his thirty
years of service, Mr.. Boutelle said: "I GER
iainly regard it as very serious thing for
man who has devoted himself to profess
sion in which he Is called upon TO Offer
his country not only his best service
but at any moment to offer his life In its be-
ishei or his career destroyed by the swift
judgment of the head of a department. 1t
seems to me serious matter II any adminis-
trative r;.s officer temporarily connected
with branch of the military or nav
al service can, under the spur of sudden pub
lie excitement, or any of the influences that
swiftly ebb and flow in the stress of official
and political life can wipe out with a stroke
OF the pen the reputation which 1t may have
been the pride aud ambition Of good office
to build up during long and faithful public
service"
"In regard to the territorial jurisdiction in
the Barrundia case will only ask members
TO consider this question. Ii the British
mail steamer Trent instead of being boarded
by Captain Wilkes on the high seas in 1862,
had steamed into New Y ork harbo with Ma
son and Slidel on board, do you think the
U Unlted States government would have hesi-
tdtCQ dOuub DOdIuluS HtT anu dTTGSLlQR Tue
Confederate emmisaries, or that the action
of our authorities in such case would have
been modified by the presence OF a Britis b
man-of-war In that harbor at the time? And
II as such British war ship should have
interfeTed with the exercise of
our authority on board British mercban {
ship in the East river of New York, how
long do you think that interference would
have been tolerated by the American govern
ment or its people? l think of another case
that even more strikingy illustrates the
punctitious respect of our government for
the territorial jurisdiction Of friendly ma
tions, that of the captain of the Confederate
cruiser Florida, in the harbor of Bahia,
Brazil, by the U. S. steamer Wachusett.
That was an accident that occurred In the
midst OF the excitement of great civil war
In our own country, and its audacious and
chivalrous deeds recalls those traditions of
Ing. aham's exploits and the other examples
OF Yankee pluck that have
our patriotic blood. Commander Ma
poleo2 Collins of the Wachuset had been for
months chasing the Rebel pIivateer Florida,
which mad been preying upon our commerce
and rendering great aid to the efforts for the
overthrow Of the government. That armed
the port of Bahia. Captain Collins, with an
impulse as brave as that of In lraham,
seized her In the harbor and towed his prize
TO sea. regardless Of the guns Of the Brazil
tdu pOIt. DuL We W6ll IcIleIuDcE LUdL JQ1S
act, performed amid the stress of war. was
Instantly disavowed by our government, and
that Captain Collins was deprived of his
command and vessel Of the United States
was sent t0Bahia to offer salute to the Bra
lillian flag as an apology and amende for the
plauseI.
In conclusion. l desire to say that have
little sympathy with the idea that the princi
pal function of the United States Navy
Is to send Its ships around the globe
reyolutionists and nihilists of other coun-
tries In order to aid them 10 their attempt to
overthrow established and orderly govern
ments, or to protect them from the just pun
isnment OF their crimes, not only against
dTiendiy nations, but against humanity
nat sort OF business does not seem to me
Inc most glorious to which we can devote the
American flag. | am constrained to remark
tnat while we are so constantly, and have
been so recently reminded of the inability
or indispositiOn of the United States Gov
zens, living beneath its own flag, on its own
SOIL, rendering full allegiance. any protection
In the exercise of their inalienable and con-
stitutlonal tights, or even to protect them
from political murder within sight OF its
own court houses, 1 think we had better
moderate the spread-eaglelsm and bunc0mbe
OF the assumption that 1t Is our duty to
maintain asylums in the haIbOrs OF the
world for the political aud criminal refugees
OF foreign lands, and extend the eager hos-
pitality of this country to all the disOrdeIly
and ungovernaDle elements of mankind"
The Senate Talks About Warships.
WASHINGTON, February 10.-In the SEN
ate today, the naval appropriation bill was
taken up. and Mr.. Hale made statement as
to its provisions, He said the apprOpria-
aAArA Ahah Nhnv
of the Navy Department, aside from the
construction Of new ships, were between
100000 and 100000 less than the appropri
ations for last year. The bill as reported
onnrOnriatae R2t h61 O00 Mr. Hala iid not