The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-01-30
TELEGRAPHIO NEWS.
The Presidents Message.


WARRINGTON, Jan. 25.-The president
to day submitted the Cbiliau correspon
dence to the senate and house of repre-
sentatives accompanied by a message in
which he says:
In my annual message, touching the
assault in the streets of Valparaiso upon
the sailors of the United States, said:
"This government Is now awaiting the
result of an investigation which has been
conducted by the criminal court at
Valparaiso. 1t is reported unoficially
the Investigation is about ompleted."
If these expectations we're not realized.
promised by special message to bring
the matter again to the attention of
congress by laying before congress and
the country the correspondence, from the
time of the breaking out of the revolution
against Balmaceda to the present.
It may be well at the outset to say that
Minister Egan has, think. on the whole,
borne himself, in very trying circum-
stances with ability. courtesy and firm
ness.
In regard to the delay in the Baltimore
investigation by Chlli, the president says:
In view of the fact that the govern ment
of Chill was still provisional. and with
disposition to be fOrbearing and hopeful
of friendly termination, have awaited
the report which had but recently been
make on the 21st inst. I caused to be
communicated to the government of
Chill, by the American minister to San
tiago. the conclusions of this govern
ment, after full consideration of all the
the evidence and every suggestion affect
ing this matter. and to these conclusions
1 adhere. They were stated as follows:
First-That the assault is not relieved
CT the aspect which early information of
the event gave to 1t, viz: That of an at
tack upon the uniform of the United
States navy, having its origin and motive
ment, and not In any act of the sailors or
any one of :hem.
Second-That the public authorities of
Valparaiso flagrantly failed in their duty
to protect our men and that some of the
police and CHILEAN soldiers and sailors
were themselves guilty of unproyoked
assaults upon our soldiers before and
after arrest.
He, the president, thinks the prepon-
derance of evidence and inherent
probabilities tend to tho conclusion that
Riggen was killed either by police or
soldiers.
Tbird-That he, the president, is
therefore compelled to bring the case
back to the position taken by this
government in note of Mr.. Wharton of
October 90 last, and to ask for suitable
apology and for some adequate reparation
for the injury done to this government.
In the same note the attention OF the
Chilian government is called to the
offensive character of a note addressed by
Malta, the ex minister at the capital
on the 11th ultlmo. This dispatch was
not only undiplomatic but grossly
Insulting to our naval officers and to the
extensive department, as it directly
imputed untruth and incincerity to the
reports of the naval officers and to official
communications mads by the executive
department to congress. 1t will be
observed, / have notified the Cbiliap
government that unless this note is at
once withdrawn and apology as public as
the offense, is made, l will terminate all
diplomatic relations. The request for
the recall of Egan upon the ground that
hels not person agratia, was sunaccompanied
by any suggestion that could possibly be |
used in support of it.
With regard to Patrick Shields, the |
fireman of the American steamer Kee,oee
mao, an Irishman and probably British |
subject, the president says: "The
evidence shows that the treatment received
by him was brutal, and claim for re-
parstion should be made IN his behalf.
While he was not citizen of the United
States, hold the circumstance that the
vessel is American as evidence that the
seamen on board are such, and in every
regularly documented merchant vessel
the crew will find their protection in the
flag that waves over them."
The following is the concluding portion
Of the presidents message on the Chllian
question: After summarizing the CORES
pondence up to certain point he says:
The communication of the Chilian
government. in relation to this cruel and
disastrous attack upon our men, as will
appear from the correspondence, has not
n any degree taken the form of a manly
md satisfactory expression of regret,
much less apology. 1t is not enough to
ay that the incident is regretted. coupled
With the statement that the affair is one
If Enot an unusual character in ports
where foreign sailors are accustomed to
meet. 1t is not for generous and sin
ere government to seek for words of
mall or equivocal meaning in which to
onvey to friendly power an apology
or an ofense SO atrocious as this. have
S yet received no reply to our note of
he 21st instant, but in my opinion 1
ught not delay longer in bringing these
matters to the attention of congress for
uch action as may be deemed appro-
'riate.