Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-01-29
For the Ellsworth American.

1t may not be presumption for me to ex-
press my opinion with regard to protection
of foreigners sailing under the American
flag. 1t is generally supposed that politi-
cal fugitives are entitled to protection un.
der the flaRof any foreign nation, and are
not subject to arrest or Imprisonment, un-
less found in the country against which
the crime has been committed
No nation in the world has shown 50
much clemency toward political offenders
as the United States. 1t has been the asy-
lum of the oppressed and down-trodden of
every race from the foundation Of the Gov
ernment. | cite the case of General Bar
rundia, the Guatemalan revolutionist who
was murdered on board the American
steamer Acapulco, at San Jose, last Sep
tember. 1t will be remembered that Gen
eral Barrundia was political fugitive " ho
had escaped from his own cou.try and
taken passage on board an American
steamer at a port outside of Guatemala
aud was carried nvoluntarily into Guat-
emalan port, with no intention OF landing
or remaining there. AS soon. however,
as the steamer arrived in Guatenalan wa.
tiers, the authorities claimed him as their
prisoner and attempted to take him off the
steamer General Barrundia resisted ar
rest and in so doing lost his life. 1t is
important to note that Barrundia was not
a common criminal. He did not escape
from Guatemalan territory 10 an Ameri-
can steamer in Guatemalan port he did
not seek to land from that steamer on
Guatemalan territory to engage in revolu-
ton or foment trouble. The captain of
the Acapulco took no measures TO protect
his passenger from arrest but allowed the
! Guatemalan officials to board lis ship and
murder General Barrunda. 1t will he re-
membered that Commanter Reitcr of IL,
steamer Acapulco was naval officer who
I should have known, or at least, have some
idea Of his duty TO protect a passenger
who Wa. no criminal. who had committt d
no crime, who was III every sense Of the
word only political fugiti,c fleeing his
I country to escape punishment.
/ The American minister at Guatemala
: jistiiisd the commander in allowing the
/ officials to come on board of his ship and
arrest General Barrundia. during which
the General lost his life. International
I Law is not a written code, in the sense that
statutes are. 1t is not enacted by lecisla-
tures; it Is only in part made by judicial
decision and international treaties: it j.
mostly based on recognized principles, and
these principles are largely bu, preced-nts,
the stand taken by one nation and conccd-
ed by others precedent to-day is
principle to morrow. II i certainly TO be
regretted that a government first in rank
among the nations of the earth should
have a representative abroad 50 ignorant
of international law as to justify the act
OF General Barrundias murder. II this is
not direct insult to the American flag by
the most inferior nation of the globe,
pray tell me what worse could be done to
make it one:
The right to arrest a passenger, not
criminal, whose only offrrse is political
one and in the prosecution of which he j.
murdered, is Ccrtainlv an unhcard Of pre-
cedeut. Gov. kp>>uth, the great IIunga-
rian exile, found an asylum in the United
States. The Austrian Government never
attempted TO molest him while en- route
down the Mediterranean. If he were safe
on English or American soil as he proved
to be. He was equally safe as a political
fugitive when on board Of an American
steamer. 1t matters not whether She be
an armed vessel of the Government or the
property Of a private company, she flies
the American flag, which The government
is bound to protect as much when iiyiug
over private company's or corporations
ship as il /, when il Il ,atS over an armed
vessel Of the United States navy. Protec-
ton TO all those who may seek an asylum,
aud especially for all political offyn>e>, with
in the jurisdiction or under the nag Of the
stars and stripes. is the fundamental plin-
ciple of the Government To make no re-
slstance. but allow half bred race of In
dian officials to come on board the Acapul
co a, her commander did and murder pas
senger in an attempt to arrest him, is an
insult and disgrace to the American flag
Had Commander Reiter of the Acapulco
done his duty and shown one half the
pluck that General BarIunda exhibited,
no lives would have been sacrificed and
no arrest or murder would have occurred
Blind as may have been the judgment of
Commander Reitcr in allowing Indian OIL
cial- to take charge Of his ship there can
be no excuse for the American minister
[Mizner) at Guatemala in jnstifying the
course of the commander of the Acapulco
in not protecting General Barrundia. Oh,
blind and incapable men, not to know that
right signifies nothing without might, that
the claim without the power of enforcing
it, is nugatory and idle.
l see that court martial is to be con-
vened to inquire whether Commander Rel
ter is not in fault. 1t ought not to take
the Government of the United States four
months to come 70 a conclusion whether
General Barrundia was really entitled to
protection or not, or whether the COM
mander was justified in allowing the Guat-
emalan authorities to board the Acapulco
and arrest passenger who had boarded
the steamer at a Mexican port. If the
conrt martial justities the commander in
taking no measures to protect General Bar
rundia, it must condemn the course taken
by Secretary Tracy in administering re-
buke to the American minister at Guate-
mala and a reprimand to Commander Reiter
in not taking measures to protect his pas
senger before entering Guatemalan waters.
1t is not matter Of opinion whether, in
fact, the Guatemalan officials had legal
right to board an American steamer in
their waters and murder passenger in an
attempt to arrest him, or whether they
had any right to board the ship at all in
search of political fugitive who had tax
en- passage outside of the territory against
which the offence was committed. The
law of nations, however chronic rebellion
may be among the inferior states, must
condemn the lax method of Commander
Reiter in allowing foreign power to send
officials on board of his ship, over which
| hOated The American fac and arrpst q