The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-02-10
MATTA's OFFENSIVE NOTE
Full Text of the Chilean Minister'S
Insulting Missive.


One Of the gravest issues in the contro-
versy between the United States and Chile
has been the Malta note to Chilean Ministers
abroad. This was ssnt by Malta, at that
time Foreign Minister to Chile, to the Chill
can Minister at Washington with the sane
tion of the President Of Chile, was read in
the Chilean Senate. and pa nlished in all the
Chilean papers. Its text In full Is as .foi'
lows:
.:Having read the portion Of the report OF
the Secretary Of the Navy and Of the mes
sage OF the President Of the United States,
think proper to inform you that the state
ments on which both report and message are
based are erroneous or deliberately incor-
rect, With respect tu the persons to whom
an ASYLUM has been granted, they have never
been threatened with cruel treatment, nor
has it been sought to remove them from the
legation, nor has their surrender bsen asked
for. Never has the house Or ehn person OF
the Pleninotsnt;ary, notwithstanding indis-
cfetions and deliberate provocations been
subjected to any offsnse, as is proved by the
eleven notes Of September, October and No.
vember.
with respect to the seamen OF the BaltI-
more. there is, moreover, no e1actness or
sincerity in what is said at Washington.
The occurrence took place in bad nelghbor-
hood Of the city, the Maintop OF Valparaiso.
and among people who are not models OF
discretion and temperance. Wnen the po.
lice and other forces interfered and calmed
the tumult, there were already several hum
drei people there and it was ten squares or
more from the place where it had begun.
s.Mr, Egan sent on the 26th Of October, a
note that was aggressive in purpose and
yirulent in language, as is sean by the copy
and the nots written in reply on the S7th.
ION the 18th the preliminary examination
had already been commenced; it had bean
DELAYED owing to the non-appearance OF the
officers of the Baltimore and owing to undue
pretentions and refuSals OF Mr.. ESan MIN:
self. No provocation has ever been accepted
or initiated by this department.. Its atti-
tude, while it has ever been one OF hrmness
and prudence, has never been one OF ag2res.
siyeness. nor will it ever be one OF humilia-
ton, whatever may be or has been said at
Washington by those who are interested IN
iustifying their conduct or who are blinded
by errcneous views
The kilograms, notes, and latters which
have been sent to you contain the whole
truth, in connection with what has taken
place in thess matters, in which ill will and
the consequent words and pretensions have
not emanatsd from this department. MIR.
Tracy and Mr. Harrison have been led into
error in respect to our people and Govern
ment: the instructions recommending I'M
partiality and friendship have not
been complied with, neither now nor before.
II no official complaint has been made
against the minister and naval officers, it is
because the facts, public and notorious both
In Chile and the United States, could not,
although they were we'll proved, be urged
by our confidential a2ents. Proof OF this Is
furnished by the demands OF Balmaceda and
:he concessions made in June and July. the
whole Itata case the San Francisco at Quin.
zero, and the cable companies. The state.
nent that the North American seaman were
attacked in various localities at the time is
deliberately incorrect
"As the preliminary examination Is not
yet concluded, it is not yet known who and
how many the guilty parties are. You no
ioubt have the note OF November 9, written
N reply to Minister Egan. in which
request him to furnish testimony which
he would not give, although he mad said
hat he had. evidence showing who the
murderer was and who the other guilty
parties OF the 10Th OF October were. That
ind all other notes will be published here.
You will publish translation Of them in the
United States Deny in the meantime every
thing that does not agree with these state
nents, being assured OF their e1actaess, as
We are Of the right, the dignity, and the
inal success OF Chile, notwithstanding the
ntrigues which pro,ee from so low Ia
,ource) and the threats which came from so
nigh Il source.W