The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-01-29
INsULTED The FLAG.
HARRISON ON THE CHILL AFFAIR.

Uent, IN his UleSSdSC W COuS iCoo, StdtSo
that the time has come in his opinion,
when he should submit to that body
the diplomatic correspondence with
Chill. After complimenting the
course pursued by Minister Egan
throughout the trouble, the president
refers to the unwarrantable espionage
maintained over the United States lie.
CATION at Santiago, thereby showing
the grossest disrespect to this nation.
The president continues "This
breach of the right of a minister to
freedom. from police espionage and
restraint seems SO tlagrant that the
Argentine minister, who was dean of
the diplomatic corps. having observed
it, felt called upon to protest against
it to the Chilian minister of foreign
affairs. The Chlian authorities have,
as will be observed from the cores
pondence, charged the refugees and
the inmates of the legation with insult
ing the police, but it seems to me in
credible that men whose lives were IN
jeopardy and whose safety could only
be secured by retirement and quiet
ness should have sought to provoke a
collision which could only end in their
destruction, or to aggravate their con
ditlon by intensifying a popular feeling
that at one time SO threatened the le
CATION as to require MIR. Egan to ap
peal to the minister of foreign affairs"
MARTYRS TO THEIR FLAG.
In referring to the murder of the
sailors of the Baltimore, the president
says: "We have received from the Chill
ian government an abstract Of the con-
clusions 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 to
say that this report does not enable
me to modify the conclusion announced
in my annual message. l am still Of
the opinion that our sailors were as
saulted, beaten, stabbed and killed,
not for anything they or any one of
them had done, but for what the gov
ernment of the United State had done,
or was charged with having done, by
its civil officer and naval commanders.
If that be the true aspect of the case,
the injury was to the government Of
the United States, not to these poor
sailors who were assaulted in manner
so brutal and so cowardly.
'.Itis not claimed that every person
al collision or injury in which sailor
or officer of such naval vessel visiting
/. the shore may be involved raises an
international question; but am clear
.ly of the opinion that where such sail
,ors or officers are assaulted by resi-
dent populace, animated by hostility
to the government whose uniform these
sailors and officers wear, and in resent
ment Of acts done by their govern
ment, not by them, their nation must
take notice Of the event as one involv-
ing an infractlon Of its rights and dig
nifty, not in a secondary way as where
citizen is injured and presents his
claim through his own government, but
in primary way, precisely as if its
minister or consul or the flag itself had
been the object of the same character
or assault"
A BRUTAL OUTRAGE.
The president then recites the as
sault Of the mob upon the United
States, and continues :
ssNo amount if evasion or subterflge
is able to cloud our clear vision of this
brutal work. 1t should be noticed, in
this connection. that the American
sailors arrested, after an examination
were, during the four days following
the arrest, every one discharged, nc
charge of any breach Of the peace Oh
other criminal conduct having been
sustained against single one of them.
"The communication of the Chiliar
government in relation to the crue
and disastrous attack upon our men
as will appear from the correspondence
have not in any degree taken the form
of manly and satisfactory expression
of regret, much less of apology. The
event was of so serious characte
that if the injuries suffered by our mer
had been wholly the result of an acci
dent in a Chilian port, the inciden
was grave enough to have called TO
some public expression of sympath.
z and regret from the local authorities
1t is not enough to say that the affai
was lamentable, for humanity woul'
require that expression even If tn
beating and killing had been justifiable.
"It is not enough to say that TIT
incident is regretted, coupled with tn
statement that the affair was not OF al
unusual character in ports where for
eign sailors are accustomedto meet !