The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-26
A MESSAGE ON CHILE.
President Harrison Lays the
Case Before Congress.
TEXT OF LATE CORRESPONDENCE
Maffa's Insulting Sote-Ben Buffer
Thinks We Should Insist ON Repairs
ton without Arbitration

honses % congress today:
To the Senate AID House 81 Representatives: In
my annual nesesgs, delivered 10 congress az
ira begfnniug OF the present session, after
brief statement Of tie facts then il the posses
sion Of this government touching the assault IN
the streets of Valparaiso, Chile. upon sailors o.
the United states steamship Baltimore OF the
evening Of October ls last said:
TaIs governments IL now awaiting TIE resri,
of the Investigation wnieh has been condueted
bv TIE criminal court st Valparaiso. IL - re-
ported unoffeia!Ey that the Investigation -
about completed, sad II 10 expecs@o tass rs
result will soon Be communicated 70 his gov
eminent together with some adequate ana
fstisfaetory response 70 the note By which tie
attention Of Chile wss called 70 tbs niece 11
rosntsd or further needless Delay iEterFeBs,
will By special naeSssgs bSisg this matter
again % tire attention OF congress, lor sucn
action may BE necessary.
In nv opinion the time has now come when
should lay before congress and the country the
correspondence between this government and
the government Of Chile from the time OF tas
breaking out OF the revolution against Balma-
ceds together with ali other facts in possession
OF the executive department relating 70 this
matter. The diplomatic correspondence De-
tween the naval officers for the time in CON-
rnand In Chilean waters and the secretary oil the
navy and also the evidence taken Ct the Mare
Island navy yard sines the arrival Of the BaIt-
more at San Francisco. do not deem IN neees-
sary in this comm gnieation 10 attempt sny iuA
analysis Of tie correspondence OF the eyidence
A brief statement OF the international questions
involved and the reasons why the responses OF
the Chilean government are unsatisfactory, 10
al deem necessary.
II may be well 81 the outset to say that what
ever may have been said In this country or Chile
IN criticism OF Egan, our minister al santiago,
the true history OF this exciting period In Chilean
affairs from the outbreak OF the revolution IN
til this time diacloses no action the part Of
Egau unworthy his position, or that could Just
IL occasion seriozs aniTnsdversicn or criticism
He has, think, On the Whole, borne himself in
very trying circumstances with dignity,
courtesy and fairness. Is is worth while also,
at the beginning, to say that the right Of MIN
ister Eyan 10 give shelter in the legation to GER
tain edherents OF Balmaeedss govern
Tnent who spilled 70 him for assist
snce could no: be denied By the
Chilean authorities, nor has any demand
been made for the surrender OF these refugees
That there was urgent need OF asylum was
shown By Minister Egsn's note Of August "A,
1891. describing the disorders that prevailed in
Santiago, and by the evidence OF Captain
schiey as TO the pillags and violence that pre-
We led OF Valparaiso. The correspondence dis
cl 81, however, that tas request OF Minister
e for sale conduct from the country in be-
hall Of these refugees was denied. Presidents
cited BY him In the correspondence, particularly
I'm the case OF the revolution IN Peru IN 1865 did
not leave the Chilean government in position
20 deny tbe right OF asylum 10 political refugees,
and seemed very clearly to support Minister
Egan's contention that safe conduct 10 neutral
territory YVES . necessary and acknowledged in
cidsnt OF the asylum. These refugees were
given very recently. without formslity, safe con-
ducts, and by the acquisscence OF the
Chilean authorities were placed on board
the Yorktown and are now being conveyed TO
Cailso, Peru This incident might be eonsid-
krts. 80 49, t.
ffested toward this government By the close and
offensive police surveillance OF the legation
premises 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 trans
fer OF the refugees 10 the Yorktown, the lega-
ton premises seem to have been surrounded by
police in uniform and police agents and detect
ives In citizens dress, who extensively scruti-
nized persons entering or leaving the legation,
and on more than one occasion arrested mem
bers OF the minister's family. Commander
Evans, who by direction recently visited Minis
ter Egan at Santiago, In his telegram to the
navy Department. described the legation as
veritabie prison, and stated that the police
agents detectives were, after his arrival, with
drawn during bis stay. Itsppears further, from
q note 10 Minister Egan, on November l, that
on one occasion at least these police agents,
whom he declared to be known 10 him, invaded
the legation premises. pounding on its windows
ward persons therein. This breach OF the min
listers right OF freedom from espionage and re-
strsint seems 20 be fragrant. Tie Argentine
minister. who was the dean OF the diplomatic
CORPS, having observed II, felt called upon to
protest sgainst it 10 the Chilean minister OF for
elgn affairs. The Chilean authorities have, as
will DO observed from the correspondence,
charged the refugees and inmates with insult
ing the police, but IL seems 20 me incredible that
those whose lives were ia jeopardy and whose
safety could only be secured by retirement and
quietness should have sought 10 provoke a COL
lis0n, which could only end in their destruc.
ton, or to aggraFate their condition by intensl-
flying popular feeling, that at time so
threatened the legation as 10 require Egsn TO
appeal 20 the minister OF foreign affairs.
But the most serious incident to be discussed
BY this message Is that of the attack the sail
ors OF the Baltimore IN the pors OF Valparaiso
on October l6 In my annual message. speak
ing on the information then IN my possession,
said that as far as had been able 10 learn, no
other explanation OF this bloody work had been
suggested than that il had It's origin in hostility
60 these men as sailors Of the United States,
wearing the uniform of their government, and
not in any individual act or luminosity. We
have now received from the Chilean govern
ment an abstract Of conclusions OF the procura-
tor upon the testimony taken by the Judge Of
crimes. The investigation made 20 extend
over nearly three months. very much regret TO
does not enable me TO modify the conclusion
announced in nay annual message. I am still of
the opinion that our sailors were assaulted,
beaten aud stabbed, not for anything 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 II that be true,
the aspect OF tho ease Is that the injury was
done to the government of the United states,
not 20 these poor sailors, who were assaulted in
smauner both brutal and cowardly.
Before attempting 10 give out the line of facts
upon which this conclusion rests, think Ii
right 20 say a word or two upon the legal aspect
Of the case. The Baltimore was IN the harbor of
Valparaiso by virtue OF the general invitation
which nations are held 10 extend 10 war vessels
az other powers with which Trey have friendly
relations This invitation, / think, must
ordinarily embrace the privilege Of such
communication win the shore as Is reason
ably necessary ana proner FOR the eomgor {
and convenience Of the officers and rneu OF the
vessel. Captain Sehley tes,ifes that his vessel
returned Valparaiso on september IL The
city oGie ais, as is customary, extended the
hospitalltses 81 the city 10 his officers and crew
u is not claimed that every personal insult or
injury in which the sailors and oficers Of such
navsi vessel visiting the shore may he involved
raises an international question. but I am
clearly of the opinion that where such sailors
or officers are assaulted Icy the resident Don.
ulses. animated by hostility to the government
whose uniio5m these sailors ant officers wear.
snd ia resentment Of acts done by their govern
nnent and not by them, their nation must take
notice OF the event one involving a. infrae-
ton OF It's rights snd dignity; not N s secondary
way, IS where citizen lie injured and presents
his claim through his Own government. but
ia primary wsy, precisely IS il its min ster, Or
the consular tag itself had been subjected 70
the same eAavsetcr Of ssS&ult The ofhoers and