The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-04-07

First: The official assurance by the
Federal Government that the guilty
parties should be brought to justice.
Second. The recognition, in prln-
ciple, that an indemnity is due to the
relatives of the Victims"
The first demand thus stated by
Baron Fava is slightly changed in
phrase from that employed by him in
his many verbal requests based on a
telegram from the Marquis Rudini
which he left with me. The Marquis
Rudini declared that "ItGIy's right to
demand and to obtain punishment of
the maurderers and an indemnity for
the Uictims IS unqWestjOnGbLe."
It is inferred that Baron Fava's
change of phrase meant no change of
demand.
l have endeavored to impress upon
him in the several personal interviews
with which he has hOnOred me, that
the government of the United States is
utterly unable to give the assurance
which the Marquis Rudini has de-
manded. EVENT. the National Govern
ment had the intire jurisdiction over
the alleged murderers, it could not
give assurance to any foreign power
that they should be punished. The
President is unable to see how any
government could justly give an a s
surance of this character in advance
of a trial and a verdict of equity"
In the constitution of the United
States it is declared that sin all,crimi-
nalprosecutions the accused shall enjoy
the right to speedy and public trial by
an impartial jury of theState and dis
trict whereinthe crime shall have been
committed"
1t needs no argument to prove that
a jury could not be impartial if it were
in any sense or to any degree bound
before the trial of the accused by an
assurance which the President of the
United States had ventured to give to
a foreign power.
in the constitution Of the State of
Louisiana, under whose immediate
jurisdiction the crimes were commit
ted, substantially the same provision
is found, so that the Governor of that
State would be as unable to give a
pledge in advance for the result of a
trial under State law as the President
would were it practicable to try the
leaders of the mob under the laws of
the United States.
In Baron Fava's second point he de-
mands the recognition in principle,
that an indemnity is due to the relatives
of the victims. He is assuredly under
a grave error when h declares that the
United States Government declined to
take this demand into consideration,
and I shall regret if he has cOmmuni-
Gated such a conclusion to your gov
eminent. 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 a violation of. the
rights secured to them under the treaty
with the United States, of February
26, 1871. ~sa"t.
1 have repeatedly given to Baron
Fava the assurance that, under the
direction of the President, all the facts
and incidents connected with the un-
happy tragedy at New Orleans, on the
18th of March last, should be most
thoroughly investigated. have also
informed him that in a matter of such
gravity the government of the United
States would not permit itself to be
unduIy hurried; nor will it make
answer to any demand until every
fact essential to a correct judgment
shall have been fully a~scertained
through legal authority. The impa-
thence of the aggrieved may be natural,
but it's indulgence does not always
secure the most substantial justice.
Accept, sir, the assurance of my
high consideration,
S. JAMES G. BLAINE.
FOREIGN NEWS.