The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-01-28
MUST APOLOGIZE,
President, Harrison's Message on
! the CHILEAN 1mbroglia.

4 , b :. r.. : . =
Minister Egan's Acts Upheld-The
acknowledgements Insist
ed Upon.
TEXT OF THE MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-The follow
Ing is President Harrison's message on
the Gillian Situation sent to congress
to-day:
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENT
ArlvEs: In my annual message, delivered to
congress ut the beginning Of the present SEES
sion after y brief statement Of the facts then in
the possession Of this government touching the
assault In the streets OF Valparaiso, Chilli upon
the sailors Of the United States steamship Bal
timore on the evening Of the 10th Of October
last, said This government is now awaiting
the result OF an investigation which has been
conducted by the criminal conrt at Valparaiso.
1t Is reported unoficially that the Investigation
IL about completed, snd 1t is expected that the
result will soon be- communicated to this gov
eminent, together with some adequa9e and sat-
isfactory response to the note by which the atten
ton OF Chilli was called to this incident. II
these just expectations should be disappointed,
or further needless delay intervene, will, by
special message bring this matter again to the
attention OF congress for such action as may be
necessary.
In my opinion the time has now come when I
should lay before the congress and the country
tho correspondence between this government
and the government Of Chill, from the time OF
the breaking out OF the revolution against Bal
maceda, together with all other facts in the
possession OF the executive department relat-
ting to this matter. The diplomatic CORE
Spondence Is herewith transmitted, together
with some correspondence between the naval
officers for the time In command in Gillian wa
tiers and the secretary of the navy and also the
evidence taken ut the Mare Island navy yard
since the arrival OF the Baltimore ut San Fran
cisco. do not deem it necessary in this COM
munication to attempt any full analysis of the
correspondence or of the evidence A brief re-
statement OF the international questions in
volved and OF the reasons why the responses Of
the CHILEAN government are unsatisfactory il all
that deem necessary.
It may be well, at the outset, to say that
whatever may have been said in this country or
IN Chill In criticism Of Mr.. Egan, our minister at
Santiago the true history of this exciting period
in Gillian affairs, from the outbreak Of the rev.
Olut1On until this time, discloses act on the
part Of Mr.. Egan unworthy of his position or
that could justly be the occasion Of serious an
the whole, borne himself, in very trying circum-
stances, with dignity. discretion and courage,
and has conducted the correspondence with
ability, courtesy and fairness.
1t Is worth while also at the beginning to say
that.the right OF Mr.. Egan to give shelter in the
legation to certain adherents Of the Balmaceda
government who applied to him for asylum has
not been denied by the Gillian authorities, nor
has any demand been made for the surrender Of
these refugees. That there was urgent need of
asylum is shown by Mr.. Egans note OF August
-, 1891, describing the disorders that prevailed
in Santiago, and by the evidence Of Capt.
Schley as to the pillage and violence that pre-
a E.lln iQn no MD 1io.
closes, however that the requestof Mr.. Egan for
safe conduct from the country, in behalf Of these
refugees, was denied. The presidents cited by
himi the correspondence, particularly the case
Of the revolution in Peru inl S65, didnot leave the
Gillian government in position to deny the
right OF asylum to political refugees and
seemed very clearly to support Mr.. Egan's con-
tentiOn that q safe conduct to neutral territory
was q necessary and acknowledged incident of
the asylum These refugees have very recently,
without formal safe conduct, but by the &C.
qutescence OF the Gillian authorities been
placed on board the Yorktown and are now
being conveyed to Callao, Peru. This Incl
dent might be considered wholly closed, but
for the disrespect manifested toward this gov
eminent by the close and offensive police sur.
vellance OF the legation premises which was
maintained during most OF the period Of the
stay Of the refugees therein. After the date
OF my annual message and up to the time OF the
transfer Of the 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
scrutinized persons entering or leaving the
casions, arrested members OF the
minister's family. Commander Evans, who
by my direction recently visited Mr.. Egan at
Santiago, in his telegram to the navy depart
ment described the legation as "a veritable
prison" and states that the police agents or de-
a. l;,r
ing his stay. 1t appears further, from the note
Of Mr.. Egan Of November 20, 1891
that on one occasion at least these
police agents, whom he declares to be
known to him, invaded the legation premises,
be observed from the correspondence, charged
pounding upon its windows and using insulting
and threatening language towards persons
therein. This breach Of the right OF ministe,
to freedom from police espionage and restraint
seems to have been so fragrant that the Argcn
tine minister, who was dean Of the diplomatic
corps, having observed it, felt called upon tc
protest against it to the Chiien minister Of for
eign affairs The Chilean authorities have, as will
the refugees and the inmates OF the legation wit
insulting the police: but it seems to me incredi
BILE that men whose lives were in jeopardy and
whose safety could only be secured by retire
ment and quietness should have sought to pro
woke collision which could only end In their
destruction, or to aggravate their condition by
40 threatened the legation as to require Mr.
Egan to appeal to the minister Of foreign at
fairs.
But the most serious incident disclosed by the
correspondent is that Of the attack upon the
sailors Of the Baltimore in the streets of Val.
paraiso on the Is Of October last In my annual
message speaking upon the information then In
my possession, said: $50 far as 1 have yet
been able to learA no other explanation of this
bloody work has been suggested than that 1t had
its origin in hostility to these men sailors OF
the United States. wearing the uniform Of thei,
government, and not in any individual act OF
personal animOSity.'
We have now received from the Gillian gov
eminent an abstract of the conclusions OF the
fiscal general upon the testimony taken by the
Judge Of crimes in an investigation which was
made to extend over nearly three months.
very much regret to be compelled tc
say that this report does not enable
me to modify the conclusion announced in my
annual message I am still of the opinion
that our sailors were assaulted, beaten, stabbed
and killed, not for anything they or any one o.
them had done, but for what the government O
the United States had done, or was charged
with having done, by its civil officers and nava
commanders. II this be the true aspect Of the
the injury was to the government of the
United States, not to those poor sailors who
were assaulted in a manner so brutal and Sc
cOwardly.
Before attempting to give an outline OF thu
facts upon which this conclusion rests, 1 thinl
it right to saya word or two upon the lega
aspect Of the case. The Baltimore was in tn
harbor OF Valparaiso by virtue Of that gener"
invitation which nations are held to ex
tend to the war vessels Of other pow
ers with which they have friendl!
relations. This invitation, think, must b.
held ordinarily to embrace the privilege O
such communication with the shore as is rea
sonable, necessary and proper for the comfor
and convenience Of the officers and men Of sucl
vessels. Capt. Schley testifies that when hi
vessel returned to Valparaiso on September IA
the city officers, rs Is customary, extended tn
Inequalities of the city to his Officers and crew
1t is not claimed that every personal collision
= or injury in which sailor or officer Of sucl
naval vessel visiting the shore may be involved
raises an international question, butt am clearl.