The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-26
UNCLE SANS CASE.
The Presidents Message on the
Chilian lmbroglio, and the
Correspondence.
Insults Heaped Upon the Repre-
sentatives of the United
States in Chill.
Our Soldiers Wantonly Murdered
in the Streets OF Valparaiso
Without Provocation.
The Outrage Committed With the
Connivance and Aid Of
the Officers.
Chilians Of High and Low Deg rec
Join in the Exhibition
Of Hatred.
The President and the Navy De.
partment Grossly Insulted
by Minister Malta.
Of-War Not q Necessary Con-
sequcnce-The Message.

tives: In my annual message. delivered to
congress at the beginning of the present
session, after brief statement of facts
then in the possession OF this government
touching the assault in the streets of Val
paraiso. Chill. upon sailors of the United
States steamship Baltimore. on the evening
of the 10th of October last. said: This
government is now awaiting the result of
the investigation which has been conducted
by the criminal court at Valparaiso. 1t is
reported unotficially that the investigation
is about completed and is expected that
the result will soon be communicated to
this government, together with some ade-
quats and satisfactory response to the note
by which the attention of Chill was called
to this incident. If these just expectations
should be disappointed, or further needless
DELAY intervene, l will by special message
bring this matter again to the attention Of
congress for such action as may be neces-
sary."
In my opinion the time has now come
when should lay before congress and the
country the correspondence between this
government and the government of Chill
from the time of the breaking out of the
revolution against Balmaceda, together
with all other facts in the possession of the
executive department relating to this mat
ter. Tbs diplomatic correspondence is here
with transmitted, together with some COR
respondence between naval officers for the
time in command in Chilian waters and the
secretary of the navy, and also the evil
deuce taken at Mare Island navy yard since
the arrival of the Baltimore at San Fran
cisco. do not deem it necessary in this
communication to attempt any full analy-
sis of the correspondence or of the evil
denoe. A brief restatement of the inter
national questions involved and the rea-
sons why the responses of the Chilian gov
ernment are unsatisfactory, is all deem
necessary. It may be we'll at the outset to
say that whatever may have been said in
this coun try or Chill in criticism of Egan,
of this exciting period in Chilian affairs,
from the outbreak of the revolution until
this time, discloses no act on the part of
Egan unworthy his position, or that could
Justly be the occasion of serious animad-
version or criticism. He has, ! think. on
cunstances with dignity, discretion and
courage, and has conducted his correspond
ence with ability, courtesy and fairness.
1t is worth while, also, at the beginning,
to say that the right Of Egan to give shell
ter in the legation to certain adherents of
the Balmacedan governments. who applied
to him for sylum, has not been denied by
the Chilian authorities, nor has any de-
mand been made to surrender these refu-
gees. That there was urgent need of asy-
lum is shown by Egan's note of Aug. "a,
1891 describing the disorders that pre-
vailed in Santiago, and by the evidence Of
Capt. Schley as to the pillage and violence
that prevailed at Valparaiso. The corre-
spondence discloses, however. that the re-
quest of Egan for safe conduct from the
country in behalf of these refugees was
denied. Preoedents cited by him in the
correspondence. particularly in the case of
the revolution in Peru in 1865, didnot leave
the Chilian government in position to de-
ny the right of asylum to political refu
gees and seemed very clearly to su. port
Egan's contention that safe conduct to
neutral territory is q necessary and ac-
knowledged incident of asylum. Thess
refugees have very recently, without for
NAL safe conducts, but by the acquiescsnce
of Chilian authorities. been placed on
board the Yorktown and are now being
conveyed to Calloa, Peru.
This incident might be considered wholly
closed but for the disrespect manifested
toward this government by the close and
offensive police surveillance of legation
premises, maintained during the most of
the period of the stay of the refugees
therein. After the date of my annual mes
sage, aud up to the date of the transfer Of
tho refugees to the Yorktown. the legation
premises seem to have been surrounded by
police in uniform. and police agents or de-
tectives in citizens dress, who Extensively
scrutinizsd persons entering or leaving the
legation, and on one or mote occasions ar
rested members of the minister's family.
Commander kEvRns who by direction re-
Gently visited Egan at Santiago, Ill his tel
egran to the navy department described
tho legation as u "verltable prison." and
states that police agents or detectives were,
Ufter his arrival. Withdrawn during his
stay.
It appears further. from note of Egan
of Nov. 20, 1891, that OH one occasion at
least these police agents. whom he declares
to be known to him, invaded the legation
premises, pounding ON it's windows and
using insulting threatening Language
toward persons therein. This breach of
the right of a minister to freedom from po-
lice espionage and restraint seems to be
fragrant. The Argentine minister, who was
dean of the diplomatic corps, having OBJ
served it, felt called upon to protest against
II to the Chilian minister OF foreign affairs.
The Chilian authorities have, as will be
observed from the correspondence, charged
refugees and inmates of the legation wit h
insulting the police; but It seems to me in
credible that persons whose lives were IN
jeopardy, and whose safety could only be
secured by retirement and Quietnesa should
have sought to provoke q collision which
could only end in their destruction, or to
uggrayate their condition by intsnsifying