The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-26

course not admit, but such. he thought, was
Ihe explanation Of the assault at that time.
several OF our men sought security from the
mop by Such CONF lete or partial changes in
their dress as would conceal the fact of their
oelng seamen of the Baltimore and found it
then possible TO walk the streets without
InoIeStation. These incidents conclusively
estaollsh that the attack was on the uniform,
nationality, and not on the men. The origin
OF thls feeling was probably found in the re-
lusal OF TINS Government to give recognition
TO the Congressional party before il had
established itself, in the seizure OF the Itata
Iof alleged violation of the neutrality law, in
the cable incident, and in the charge that
Admiral Brown conveyed information to
Valparaiso Of the landing of troops at Quin-
teroS.
II is not my purpose to enter here any de-
tense of the action of this Government in
THESE matters. 1t is enough for present pur-
poses 10 say that if there was any breach of
international comfy or duty ON our part it
should have been made the subject of an
ofhclal complaint through diplomatic chan
nels, or OF reprisals for which responsibility
was assumed. We cannot consent that these
1ucidents and these perVersions of truth shall
be used TO excite a murderouS attack upon
our unOnendlng sailors, and the Government
OF chile 10 go acquitted OF the responsibility.
In fact the conduct of this Government dur
ing the war in Chile pursued those lines OF in
JernatIonal duty which we had so strongly in
sisted upon on epart o. other nations when
! this country was in the thToes OF a civil con-
h1ct: We continued the established diplo-
matte relations with the Government in
| power until it was overthrown, and promptly
and cordially recognized the new Government
when 1t was established. Tie good Offices OF
! the Government were offered 10 bring about a
peaceful adjustment and the interposition of
Egan to mitigate the severity and shelter ad-
herents OF the Congressional party We're effect
! I've, and the frequent caaIge against Admiral
Brown too base to gain credenCe with anyone
who knows his high personal character.
recurring TO the evidence of our sailors, I
! think II Is SHOWN that there were several Gis-
tinct assaults, and nearly simultaneous. so as 10
/ show that tley did not spread from one point
Inc press summary of the report OF the Fiscal
shows evidence OF the Chilean officials and
! others 10 be ia conflict as to The place OF lis
! origin, several places being named by differ
/ ent witnesses as the locality where the first
/ oulofeak occurred. This, ii correctly re-
/ lorted, shows that there were several distinct
outbreaks and SO nearly AZ the same time as
I TO cause this confusion. La I1utgja III the
same issue from which have already quoted,
/ after describing the killing OF H gsin and the
! hight, which from that point extended TO the
moe, says: AT toe same time in other
! streets OF the port the Yankee sailors fought
hereby with the people of the town, who be-
lieyed to see in them incarnate enemies of the
/ Chilean Navy
! The testimony of Captain Jenkins of the
American merchant ship keweenaw, which
! had gone TO Valparaiso Tor repairs. and who
was Il witness OF some part of the assault on
the crew of The baltimore, IS strongly corrobo-
ratINe Of The testimony of our own sailors
When he avs he saw Chilean santrieS drive
back q s. anian seeking shelter upon the mob
that was pursuing aim. The officers and
]
most conclusive testimony to the in
dlgnltes practlced on our Ameri-
cans in Valparaiso. When American
sailors, even OF merchant ships, can only Sc
/ cure their safety by denying their nationality
/ it must be time to readjuSt our relations WITH
| u Government that permits such demonstra-
! lions.
AS to the participation of the police. the
/ evidence of our sailors shows that our men
! We're struck ana beaten by the police officers
! before and after the arrest ana that one at
! least was dragged with a IaSso about his neck
| by mounted policeman; that the death of
/ kiggin was the result OF rife shot fired by a
! policeman or soldier on duty is shown di-
rectly by the testimony OF Johnson, in whose
arms he was at the time, and by the testimony
! of Charles Langor, an American sailor, not
/ then q member OF the Baltimore crew who
Chilean authorities 90 rot prett nd TO Tx the
! responsibility ofthis shot upon any particular
pei son, but avow their inability TO ascertain
who fired 1t, further than that ii was fired
from the crowd. The character of the wound
as described by one OF the surgeons of the
Baltimore, clearly supports his opinion II
was made by rIIie ball, the orihce of exit
being as much as an inch or inch and quar-
ter in width. When shot the poor le low was
! unconscious and in the arms OF his comrade
who was endeaVorlng to carry him 10 d neigh
boring oTug store for treatment The story of
the police, that in coming up the street they
passed those men and left them behind them
is inconsistent with their own statement as to
the direction of their approach, and with their
duty to protect them, and was clearly dis
| proven Oh. III ldcl, 1LiSSln was not behind.
| but in front of the advancing force, and not
| standing in the crowd, but unconscious and
! supported in the arms of johnson when shot
! After summarizing the CORES pOndence up
! to a certain point the President says: The
/ communications of the Chilean Government
| in relation to this cruel and disastrous attack
! upon our men, as will appear from the cores
] pOndence, has not in any degree taken the
| form of manly and satisfactory expression
! of regret, much less an apology. The event
| was of SO serious a character that if the injury
| CtrS a " WI lao
! ofaccident IN a Chilean port, the inciden. is
! grave enough to have called for some pub. .ic
! expression of sympathy and regret from he
! local authorities. 1t is not enough To say that
! the incident is regretted coupled with q state
/ nent o. an affair not of an unusual Character
! in ports where foreign sailors are accustomed
| TO meet. 1t is not for "a generous and sincere
/ Government to seek for words OF small or
| equiVocal meaning in which to convey to a
] friendly power an APOLOGY for an oiiense 50
atrOclOuS as TINS. III the case OF the assault Dy
"a mob in New Orleans upon the Spanish Cen
! Sulate in 1851, Webster wrote to the spanish
! Minister, CaldeTon. that the acts complained
/ oil were ''diSgraceful and a fragrant breach of
| duty and propriety," and that his Govern
ment regrets tnenl as deeply as Minister Cal
deron or his Government could poss bly, do;
! that these acts have caused tie President
great pain, and he thinks Il proper acknowl-
edgment due to her majesty" He invited
the Spanish Consul to return to his post guar
anteemg protection, and offered to salute the
Spanish nag if the Consul should come in q
Spanish vessel. Such treatment by tie Gov
eminent OF Chile OF this assault would have
been more credltabe To the Chilean autnOri-
| ties, and much less can hardly be satisfactory
TO q Government that values its dignity and
honor.
In our note of October Esd last, which APP
pears in the correspondence, after receiving
the report of the Board of Officers appointed
! by Captain Schley TO investigate the affair,
! the Chilean Government was advised OF the
aspect which it then assumed, and called
! upon for any facts in its possession that might
tend to modify the unfavorable impressions
iaiaC q t1d ..la
from the correspondence that, before the re-
! ceipt of this note, the examination was re-
garded by the police authorities as practically
! closed. 1t was, however, reopened and pro-
| tracted through q period of nearly three
months. We might justly complain of this
unreasonable delay, but in view of the fact
i that the Government OF Chile was still provi-
sional, and with a disposition to be forbear-
ing and hopeful of a friendly termination I
have awaited the report which has but re-
Gently been made.
On the 2Ist inst. / caused to be commune
Gated TO the Government of Chile by the
American Minister at Santiago, the conclu-
SiCnS of this Government after q full consid-
GRAFTON OF all the evidence and every sugges-
tion affecting this matter, and to these con-
illusions l adhere. They were stated as fol-
lows:
"First, that theassault is not relieved of the
aspect which early information of the event
gave to it, viz, that OF an attack upon
the uniform of the United States Navy, hav-
ing its origin and motive in q feeling of hos
tility to this Government, and not in any act
OF the sailors or any OF them second, that the
public authorities of Valparaiso f1agTantly
failed in their duty to protect our men, and
that some of the police and Chilean soldiers
and sailors were themselves guilty of unpro-
voked assault upon our sailors before and
after arrest. He (Presidentl thinks the pre-
ponderance of evidence and inherent prob
abilities lead to the conclusion that Riggin
was killed by the police or soldiers; third
that he (Presdent) is compelled to bring the
| case back to the position taken by this Gov
ernment in the note OF Mr.. Wharton, of Octo-
Der 23d last, and to ask for suitable apology
and for some adequate reparation for the
injury done this Government"
In the same note the attention of the Chill
can Government was called to the offensive