The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1892-01-30

B rity from the mob BY such complete O
partial changes in their dress as woul,
conceal the fact of their being sea
men OF the Baltimore and found i
then possible to walk the streets with
out moleststion. These incidents con
4 clusively establish that the attack wa
upon the uniform and the nstionalit,
and not upon the men,"
The president considers the origin O
this feeling came from the Itata inoi.
dent He shows by the official ant
press reports that the several attacks
3 were simultaneous, and says:
"As to the participation of the police
the evidence of our sailors shows that
our men were struck and beaten by the
police officers before and after the ar
rest, and that one at least W.,
dragged with a iasso abon,
his neck by q mounted policeman.
That the death Of Riggan was the result
of rife shot fred BY policeman or &
soldier on duty is shown directly by th.
testimony of johnson, in whose arm.
he was at the time, and by the evidenc.
of Charles Langen, an American sailor
not then q member of the Baltimore.
crew, who stood close by and saw the
transaction. The Chili.n authorities
do not pretend to FIX the responsibility
of this shot upon any particular person,
but svow their ability to ascertain who
fred it.
After summarizing the correspondence
up to q certain point he says: 1.-THE
communications of the Chilian govern.
ment in relation to this cruel and dis.
astrous attack upon our men. as will
appear from the correspondence, have
not in any degree taken the form of
manly and satisfactory expression of
regret much less of apology. The event
was OF 30 serious q character that if the
injuries suffered by our men had been
wholly the result of an accident in the
Chilian port, the incident was grave
enough to have called for some public
expression of sympathy and regret from
the local authorities. 1t is not enough
to say that the affair was lamentable, for
humanity would require that expression
even if the beating and the killing of our
men had been justifiable. It is not
enough to say that the incident is re-
gretted. coupled with the statement that
the affair was not an infrequent OCCUR.
ence in ports where foreign sailors are
accustomed to meet. It is not for the
government to seek for words of small
or equivot ate meaning in which to con-
vey to the friendly nation an apology for
the offense so strocious as this. In our
note of Dot. % last, after receiving the
report of the board of officers appointed
by Captain Schley 10 investigate
the sffair, the Ohilian gov
ernment was advised of the aspect
which it then assumed and called upon
for any facts in its possession that might
tend to mooify the unfavorable impres
sions which our report had created. II
is very clear from the correspondence
that before the receipt Of this note the
examination was regarded by the police
authorities as practically closed. It was,
however, reopened and protracted
through Q period of nearly three months
We might justly have complained of
this unreasonable delay, but in view of
the fact that the government of Ohili
was still provisional, and with dispo-
sition to be forbearing and hopeful
OF friendly termination, I have awaited
the report. which has but recently been
made. On the twenty first instant, I
caused to be communicated to the gov
ernment of Chill by the merican min
lister at Santiago the conclusion Of this
government, after full consideration of
all the evidence and of every suggestion
affecting this matter, and to these conclu.
sions ! adhere. They were stated as fol-
lows:
First That the assault is not
relieved of the aspect which early in.
formation of the event gave it, viz: That
of the attack upon the uniform of the
United States navy, having its origin
and motive in the fseling of hostility to
this government and not in any act of
the sailors or any of them.
Second-Tbat the public authorities
of Valparaiso fagrantly failed in their
duty to protect the men end that the
police and Ohilian sailors were them.
selves guilty of unprovoked assaults
upon our sailors before and after the
arrest. He (the preeident) thinks the
preponderance of evidence and inherent
probabilities lead to the conclusion that
Riggin was killed by the police or SOL
diers.
Third-Tbat he (the president) is
therefore compelled to bring the case
back to the position taken by the gov
+rnmeDt in the note of Mr.. Wharton of
Oct. 23 last. and to ask for suitable
apology and for kome adequate repara
ton for the injury done to this govern.
ment.
In the same note the attention of the
Cbilian government was called to the
fftnkive character ofthe note addressed
by Malta, ex- minister of foreign sffAirs
to Montt its minister at this capital, OIL
the 11th ult This dispatch was not of
ficislly communicated to this govern
meut, but as MOntt was directed to
translate it and give it to the press Of
this country. it seemed tine that il
could not pass without official notice
1t was not only undiplomstic, but
grossly insulting to our naval
tficers and to the executive depart
ment as it directly imputed an untrntb
and insincerity to the reports of the
naval officers and to the official COT mu
Dications made by the executive depart.
ment to congress. 1t will be observed
that I have notified the Chilian govern
ment that unless this note is at once
withdrawn and an apology as public as
the Cfenee made, I will terminate the
diplomatic relations. The request for
the recall of Egsn upon the
ground that he was not persona
grata was unaccompanied by
any suggestion that could properly be
used in support of it and l infer that
the IT quest is based upon the official
acts of Minister Egsn, which have re
ceived the approval of this government.
But, however that may be, I could not
consent to consider such 9 question
until it had first been settled whether
our correspondence with Chill could be
conducted upon the bands of mutual
respect, In submitting these papers
to congress, for that grave end
patriotic consideration which the
questions involved demand, desire
10 say that am of the opinion that the
demands made on Chill by this govern.
ment should be adhered to and enforced.
If the dignity as we'll as the prestige
aud influence of the United States are
not to be wholly sacrificed We must pro
tect those who in foreign ports displsy
the flag and wear the colors of this gov.
eminent sgainst the insult. brutality and
death, inflicted in resentment of acts OF
this government and not for any
fault Of their own. 1t has