The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-02-06

/ Nncn tne country was In tne tnrOeb OF aCtlV0
conflict. We continued the established dplo-
| matte relations with the government In power
until II was overthrown, and promptly and cor
was established The good offlces OF this gov
| ornment was offered 10 bring about peaceful
adjustment and the interposition OF Mr Egan to
| mitigate seventies and TO shelter adherents OF
| the congressional party were effective and fire.
quent The charge against Admiral Brown 10
| too base TO gain credence with anyone who
knows his high personal and professional char
| acter.
Referring to the evidence OF our sailors,
think It is shown that there were several dis
| tinct assaults and so nearly smul taneous as TO
show that they did not spread from one point
shows that the evidence Of the Chilean officials
and Others was In conflict TO place OF origin,
several places being named by different wit.
outbreals occurred. This, il correctly re.
ported, shows that there were several
same time rs to cause this confusion. The La
Patria, in the same issue from which have al
ready quoted, after describing the killing OF Rig
gin and the fight which from that point extended
| to the Mole, says: "At the same time in other
streets OF the port the. Yankee sailors fought
iercely with the people of the town, who be-
lieved TO see in them incarnate enemies of the
Chilean navy" The testimony OF Capt. Jen-
lsins of the American merchant Seweenaw,
which had gone to Valparaiso for repairs, and
who was witness OF some part Of the assault
upon the crew of the Baltimore, is
our own sailors when he says that he saw
Chilean sentries drive back seaman seeking
Snelter upon q MOD tnAt was pursuing htm. Inc
officers and men OF Capt jenkins ship furnish
the most conclusive testimony as to the indlgni.
ties when were practiced toward Americans Ia
| Valparaiso When American sailors even OF
merchant ships can only secure their safety by
denying their nationality, IL must be time TO re-
adjust our relations with government that per-
mitS such demonstrations. AS to tho participa'
| tion OF the police, the evidence of our sailors
shows that our men were struck and
beaten by police officers before und after
arrest and that one, at least, was dragged with
| lasso about his neck by mounted policeman.
That the death OF Riggin was the result Of a
| Is shown directly by the testimony OF Johnson,
in whose arms he was at the time, and by the
evidence of Charles Langen, nm American sailor
not then member of the Baltimores crew, who
stood close by and saw the transaction
The communications of the Chilean govern
ment in relation to this cruel and disastrous at
tack upon our men rs will appear from the cor
respondence, have not In any degree taken the
form of mighty and satisfactory expression of
regret, much less OF apology.
The event was OF so serious q character that,
II the injuries suffered by our men had been
wholly the result Of an accident in q Chilean
port, the incident was grave enough to have
called for some public expression of sympathy
and regret from the local authorities. 1t is not
enough TO say that the AFFAIR was lamentable,
for humanity would require that expression, even
il the beating and killing OF our men had been
iustitlable. 1t is not enough to say that the
incident is regretted, coupled with the state
mcnt that the affair was not Of en- usual
character in ports where the foreign sailors are
accustomed to meet. 1t is not for u generous
and sincere government to seek for words OF
| small or eQuiNOCul meaning IN WnlCn 10 con-
vey to friendly power an apology for
an offcnse SO atrocious us this. In the case OF
the assault by mob, in New Orleans, upon the
Spanish consulate in 1851, Mr.. Webster wrote tc
the Spanish minister Mr.. Calderon, that thu
acts complained of were "a disgraceful and fla
: grant breach OF duty and propriety'' and thai
'his government deplores them us deeply as
r Minister Calderon and his government could
possibly do;" that these acts have caused the
president great pain and he thinks proper ac-
) encouragement is due to her malestys govern
ment"
He invited the Spanish consul TO return TO ms
post guaranteeing protection, and offered to sa
| Lutte the Spanish flag il the consul shonld come
in q Spanish vessel such treatment by the
government OF Chile of this assault would have
been more creditable to the Chilean authorities
9 and much less can hardly be satisfactory TO a
! government that values It's dignity and honor.
, In our note Of October % last, which appears
g in the correspondence after receiving the re
I port of the board OF officers appointed by Capt
v Schley to investigate the affair, the Chilean
+ government was advised of the aspect
2 for for any facts in r., its possession, thar
n pressions which our report had created
I II is very clear from the correspondence
/ that, before the receipt of this note the
examination was regarded by the police
o authorities as practically closed. 1t was
t however, reopened and protracted through 8
G period of nearly three months. We might justly
l. have complained of this unreasonable delay. bu
Il in view of the fact that the government of Chile
g be forbearng and hopeful of "a friendly termi
/. nation, have awaited the report which has bu
l. recently been made. On the 2lst inst. caused
= to be communicated to the government of Chile
i by the American minister at Santiago the con
u cluSionS of the government after u full eXamina
!: tion of all evidence and every suggestion affect
$ ing this matter, and TO these conclusions ad
# here. They were stated as follows:
o "First-That the assault is not relieved OF th'
Q aspect which the early Information of the event
: gave to it, viz: that of an attack upon the uni
form of tine Unitci States navy having its origil
e and motive in feeling OF hostility to this gov
0 ernment and not in any act of our sailors or o
@ any of them.
r 'iSecond-That the public authorities of Val
d paraiso tiagrantly failed in their duty to protec
o our men and that some of the police and some o
: the Chilean soldiers and sailors r wer
t arrest. arrest He (the PRESIDENT thinks tn,
u preponderance of the evidence and the inheren
$ probabilities lead to the conclusion that RlggiI
d was killed by the police or soldiers.
"Thrd-That he (the presdcnt) is therefore
+ compelled to bring the case back TO the position
n taken by this government by the note of Mr.
g able apology and for some adequate reparatior
G for the injury done to this government"
o In the same note the attention OF the Chilean
: government was called to the offensive char
e acter OF note addressed by Mr.. Matta il
It minister Of foreign affairs, to Mr., Montt, it
d minister at this country, on the l1th ultimo
9 The dispatch was not Officially communicates
$ to this government but as Mr.. Montt was di
rected to translate it and give 1t to the press
@ this country il seemed to me that it could no
y pass without cficial notice 1t was not only un
y diplomatic, but grossly insulting 10 our nava
s directly imputed untruth and instncerity 10 thu
d reports OF naval officers and to the official com
@ munications made by the executive department
d to congress. 1t will be observed that L haV
s notified the Chilean government that unless thi
l. note is at once withdrawn and apology is pub
Q lished as the oflense is made | will terminal,
e diplomatic relations. The request for the recall
t of Mr.. Egan upon the ground that he was no
Q persona grata was unaccompapied by any sug
e gestion that could properly be used i'll support
Il ii and infer that the request is based upol
J. official acts Of Mr., iIgan which have received
NNFn1 nf < nr1rn mi ant hfaN
g ever that may be, could not consent TO con
slider such question until it had first been SET
o tied whether our correspondence with Chill
Z could be conducted upon basis of mutual re
IS Spect III submitting these papers 10 congreS
II for that grave and patriotic consideration whc
c the questions involved demand, desire 10 sa,
= that am of the opinion that the demands mad
II of Chile by this government should be adhered
d to and enforced. If the dignity as well as tn
G prestige and influence OF the United States ar
9 not TO be wholly sacrificed we should protec
g those who in foreign ports display the flag 0
j. wear the colors of this government against in
h suit brutality and DEATH inflicted in "eSentmcn
II of the acts of their government and not for an.
% fault Of their 1t has been desired in ever,
l. way to cultivate friendly and intimate relations
d withall the governments Of this hemisphere w
l. do not cpYet their territory we desire thel
d peace and prosperity. We look for no advan
Il tage in our relations with them eXcep
i TO increase exchange of commerce upo
e basis Of mutual benefit we re
Q peace and paralyzes their development, and ar
Il always ready to give our good offices for tn
l. restoration OF peace. II must, however, be un
y derstood that this government, while exercising
n the utmost forbearance toward weaker powers
viii extend its strength and adequate protection
to its citizens to its officers and 70 ITS humbes
}; sailor when made the victims OF wantonness ant
4, cruelty in resentment not OF their personal mis-
r conduct, but of the official acts OF their govern
&c ment