Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-02-04

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PRESIDENT HARRISON.
Factory response to the note by which the at
9ention of Chilli was called to this incident. If
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
8ecesSary."
In my opinion the time has now come when
should lay before the congress and the country
She correspondence between this government
and the government of Chilli, from the time of
the breaking ont of the revolution against Bal
maceda, together with all other facts in the pos
session of the executive department
relating to this matter. The diplo-
aaatic correspondence is herewith trans
hitted, together with some correspondence be-
tween the naval officers for the time in COM
mand in Gillian waters and the secretary of the
navy, and also the evidence taken at the Mare
Island navy yard since the arrival of the Balti-
more at San Francisco. I do not deem it neces-
sary in this communication to attempt any full
analysis Of the correspondence of the evil
dence brief re-stat~ment OF the information
al questions involved and the reasons why the
response of the Gillian government is unsatis-
factory is all deem necessary.
1t may be we'll at the outset to say that what
ever may have been said in this country in
Chill in criticism of Mr.. Egan. minister at
Santiago the true history of this excited period
IN Gillian affairs, from the outbreak of the rev.
olution until this time, discloses no act the
part of Mr.. Egan unworthy Of his position
that could justly be the occasion of serious ami
Gadversion criticism He has, I think, on
the whole. borne himself, in very trying circum-
stances, with dignity, discretion and courage,
and has conducted the correspondence with
obility, courtesy and fairness.
II is worth while also at the beginning to say
that the right of Mr.. Egan to give shelter in the
legation to certain adherentS to the Balmacedan
government who applied to him for asylum has
not been denied by the Gillian authorities nor
demand
render of those refugees. That there was
urgent need Of asylum is shown by
Mr.. Egan's note of August "a, 1891, describ-
ing the disorders that prevailed in Santiago,
and the evidence OF Capt Schley to the pill
lage and violence that prevailed at Valparaiso.
The correspondence discloses, however that
che request Of Mr.. Egan for safe conduct from
She country, in behalf Of these refugees, was de-
3ied- The precedents cited by him in the cor
Eespondence, particularly in the OF the
revolution in Peru in 1865 did not leave the Chill
tan government in q position to deny the right OF
asylum to political refugees and seemed very
clearly to support Mr.. Egans contention that
Q safe conduct to neutral territory was neceS-
sary and acknowledged incident of the asylum.
These refugees have very recently, without
formal safe conduct but by the acquiescence
Of the Gillian authorities, been placed on board
the Yorktown, and are now being conveyed to
Callao, Peru.
closed but for the disrespect manifested toward
this government by the close and offensive pO-
lice surveillance Of the legation premises. which
vas 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
Co have been surrounded by police
IN uniform and police agents or detectives in
eitiZens' dress. who extensively ScrutiniZed per-
Sons entering or leaving the legation and on one
or two occasions arrested members Of the min
listers family Commander Evans, who, by
Mt
Santiago in his telegram to the navy
department described the legation as ga
veritable prison" and states that the
police agents or detectives were, after his
rival, withdrawn during his stay 1t appears,
further, from the note Of Mr.. Egan of November
10 1881, that, on one occasion at least these DO
Hice agents, whom he declares to be known to
him, invaded the legation premises, pounding
On its windows and using insulting and threat
0n1ng language towards persons therein This
breach OF the right of a minister to free
dom from police espionage and restraint
seems to have been fragrant that the Argen-
tine minister, who was dean of the diplomatic
corps, having observed it, felt called upon to
protest against it to the Gillian minister of
foreign affairs The Gillian authorities have,
us will be observed from the correspondence,
charged the refugees and the inmates
ut the legation with insulting the
Police; but it seems to incredible that
men whose lives were in jeopardy and whose
safety could only be secured by retirement and
QuietneSs, should have sought to provoke q col
USlOn winch cOulO only END In their QeStruc ton,
8 or 10 aggraVate their condition by intenSifying
popular feeling that at one time so threatened
She legation to require Mr. Egan to appeal to
Vhe minister OF foreign affairs.
But the most serious incident disclosed by the
correspondence is that of the attack upon the
sailors Of the Baltimore in the streets of Val
paradise on the 10th of October last. In my an
nual message, speaking upon the information
then in my possession, said:
$50 far as have yet been able to learn no
0ther explanation of this bloody work has been
suggested than that II had its origin in hostility
to these men as sailors OF the United States,
wearing the uniform Of their government and
not in any individual act personal animos
fly"
We have now received from the Gillian gov
ernment an abstract Of the conclusions of the
fiscal general upon the testimony taken by the
judge of crimes in an in vestigation which was
made to extend over nearly three months.
very much regret TO be compelled to say that
this report does not enable me to modify the
conclusion announced in my annual message
am still Of the opinion that our sailors were
assaulted bea ten stabbed and killed, not for any,
thing they or any one of them had done,
but for what the government of The United
States had done, or was charged with having
done, by its civil Officers and naval commanders
If that be the true aspect OF the case, the injury
was to the government of the United States
not these poor sailors who were assaulted in a
manner so brutal and SO cowardly.
Before attempting to give outline Of the
facts upon which this conclusion rests, think
1t right to say word or two upon the legal as
pert of the case.
a4e Baltimore was in the harbor of Valpa-
lraiso by virtue OF that general invitation which
nations are held to extend to the war vessels
of other powers with which they have friendly
relations This invitation, think. mnst be
held ordinarily to embrace the privilege Of such