Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-01-30

do 1issf d S5 b ~ - ttiis Ls'tsa-
snunicasicn ii ssEsaislpt any full analysis
of the corresnos u siace or Of the evidence;
a brief restateins Ell of the INTERNATIONAL
questions involved aisd Of the reasons for
which tharesponses OF the Chilean gov
eminent are l1nsatisfs ,ctnry IS al that 4
deem necessary.
Egan's Course Cotusfielsded-
II NAV be well at the outset to say
fiat. whatever may have been SAID N
this country or in Chile in criticism OF
Mr.. Egan, our minister to Sal image, the
true history Of this existing perloa IN
Chilean affairs, from the outbreak OF the
revolution until this time, disc lose no
act on the part of Mr.. Egan INV or
of his position or that could justly etne
occasion Of serious animadversion or
criticism. He has. think, on the who e,
borne himself, in very trying circum-
stances, with dignity. discretion and
courage. and has conducted the CORE
spondence with ability, courtesy and
fairness.
It is worth while also at the begin
ming to say that the right of Mr.. Egan
to give shelter in the legation to certain
adherents Of the Balmaceda government
who applied to him for asylum has not
been denied by the Chilean authorities,
nor has any demand been made for the
surrender Of these refugees.
That there was urgent need of asylum
is shown by Mr.. Egan's note of Aug. "A.
1891, describing the disorders that pre-
vailed in Santiago, and by the evidence
of Captain Schley as to the piliage and
violence that prevailed at Valparaiso.
The correspondence discloses, how
ever, that the request of Mr.. Egan for a
safe conduct from the country in behalf
of these refugees was denied. The pre-
cedents cited by him in the correspond
ence, particularly the case of the revolu-
ton in Peru in 1866, did not leave the
Chilean government in a position to
deny the right of asylum to political
refugees, and seemed very clearly to
support Mr.. Egan's contention that a
safe conduct to neutral territory was a
necessary and acknowledged incident of
the asylum.
These refugees have very recently,
without formal safe conduct but by the
acquiescence of the Chilean authorities,
been placed ON board the Yorktown and
are now being conveyed to Callao, Peru.
Disrespect to Our Legation.
This incident might be considered
wholly closed but for the disrespect man.
Tested towards this government by the
close and offensive police surveillance of
the legation premises which was mani
Tested 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 transfer of the
refugees to the Yorktown the legation
premises seem to have been surrounded
-,
or detectives, in citizens dress, who of
fensively scrutinized persons entering or
leaving the legation and, on one or more
occasions, arrested members of the min
ister's family.
Commander Evans, who, by direction,
recently visited Mr. Egan at Santiago.
in his telegram to the navy department,
described the legation as ''a veritable
prison" and states that the police agents
or detectives were, after his arrival,
withdrawn during his stay.
1t appears further, from the note of
Mr.. Egan of Nov. 90, 1891, that on one
occasion at least these police agents,
whom he declares to be known to him,
invaded the legation premises, pounding
upon its windows and using insulting
and threatening language towards per-
sons therein.
The Chilean authorities have. as vii
be observed from the correspondence,
charged the refugees and the inmates of
the legation with insulting the police:
but it seems to me incredible that men
whose lives were in jeopardy and whose
safety could only be secured by retire
ment and quietness, should have sought
to provoke collision which could only
end in their destruction.
The Attack on Our Sailors
But the most serious incident disclosed
by the correspondence is that of the at
tack upon the sailors of the Baltimore in
the streets of Valparaiso on October is
last
We have now received from the Chill
can government an abstract of the con-
illusions 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.
| am still of the opinion that our sail
ors were assaulted, beaten, stabbed and
killed, not for anything they or any one
OF them had done, but for what the gov
eminent of the United States had done,
or was charged with having done, by
its civil officers 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 a manner so brutal
and so cowardly.
The Baltimore was in the harbor of
Valparaiso by virtue of that general in
vitation which nations are held to extend
to the war vessels of other powers with
which they have friendly relations.
This invitation, think must be held
ordinarily to embrace the privilege of
such communication with the shore as
is reasonable, necessary and proper for
the comfort and convenience of the Off
GERS and men of such vessels.
Captain Schley's Testimony.
Captain Schley testifies that when his
vessel returned to Valparaiso on Sept.
IA, the city officers, as is customary,
extended the Inequalities of the city to
his officers and crew.
1t is not claimed that every personal
collision or injury i'll which sailor or
officer of such naval vessel visiting the
shore may be involved raises an inter-
national question.
But am clearly of the opinion that
where such sailors or officers are as
saulted by resident populace, animated
by hostility to the government whose
uniform these sailors and officers wear,
and in resentment of acts done by their
government, not by them. their nation
must take notice of the event as one in
volving an infraction of its rights and
dignity.
The officers and sailors of the Balti-
more were in the harbor of Valparaiso
under the orders of their government,
not by their own choice.
They Were upon the shore by the i'm
piled invitation Of the government of
Chile, and with the approval of their
commanding officer
And it does not distinguish their case
from that of consul that his stay is
more permanent or that he holds the
express invitation of the local govern
ment to justify his longer residence.
Nor does it affect the question that the
injury was the act of mob