River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-01-28
MUST APOLOGIZE.
President Harrison's Message on
the CHILEAN Imbroglia.
Minister Egan's Acts Upheld-The
Observation-Disclosures Insist
ed Upon.
TEXT OF TIE MESSAGE.

ing is President Harrison's message on
the Gillian situation sent to congress
to-day:
To THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENT
ATIvEs: In my annual message, delivered 10
congress at the beginning of the present seq
Sion after a brief statement of the facts then in
the possession Of this government touching the
assault in the streets of Valparaiso, Chilli, upon
the sailors OF the United States steamship Bal
tmore on the evening of the 10th OF October
last, l said This government is now awaiting
the result OF an investigation which has been
conducted by the criminal conrt at Valparaiso
Ii is reported unofficially that the investigation
Is about completed and IL is expected that the
result viii soon be communicated to this gov
ernment together with some adequaie and sat
isfaetory response 10 the note by which the atten
tion OF Chilli was called to this incident IL
these JUS expectations should be disappointed,
or further needless delay intervene, viii, by a
special message, bring this matter again TO the
attention Of congress for such action as may be
necessary.
In my opinion the time has now come when
should lay before the congress and the country
the correspondence between this government
and the government of Chilli, from the time OF
the breaking out OF the revolution against Bal
maceda, together with all other facts in the
possession OF the executive department relat-
ting 20 this matter. The diplomatic CORE
spondence is herewith transmitted, together
with some correspondence between the naval
officers for the time in command in Gillian wa
tors and the secretary Of the navy and also the
evidence taken at the Mare Island navy yard
since the arrival Of the Baltimore at San Fran
cisco. i do not deem il necessary in this com
munication 10 attempt any fun analysis Of tho
correspondence or Of the evidence. brief re-
statement of the international questions in
volved and OF the reasons why the responses OF
the Gillian government are unsatisfactory is all
that deem necessary.
II may be well, at the outset, 70 say that,
whatever may have been said in this country or
In Chilli in criticism of Mr.. Egan, our minister at
Santiago, the true history OF this exciting period
in Gillian affairs, from the outbreak OF the rev.
olution until this time, discloses no act on the
part Of Mr.. Egan unworthy OF HIS position or
that could justly be the occasion Of serious an
imadversion or criticism lie has, think, on
the whole, borne himself, in very trying cifcum-
stances, with dignity, discretion and courage,
and has conducted the correspondence with
ability, courtesy and fairness.
tits worth while also at the beginning TO say
that the right of Mr.. Egan to give shelter in the
legation TO certain adhereuts OF the,Balmaceda
government who applied TO him for asylum has
not been denied by the Gillian authorities, nor
has any demand been made for the surrender OF
these refugees. That there was urgent need OF
asylum is shown by Mr.. Egans note OF August
"a, 1891, describing the disorders that prevailed
in Santiago, and by the evidence c; Capt
Schley as TO the pillage and violence that pre-
vailed at Valparaiso. The correspondence dis
closes, however, that the requestof Mr.. Egan for
safe conduct from the country, in behalf of these
refugees, was denied. The precedents citedby
him in the correspondence, particularly the case
OF the revolution in Peru nlsG5, didnot leave the
Gillian government in a position to deny the
right OF asylum TO political refugees and
seemed very clearly to support Mr.. Egan's con-
tention that 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 ac-
quiescence OF the Gillian authorities, been
placed on board the Yorktown and are now
being conveyed TO Callao, Peru This Incl
dent might be considered wholly closed, but
for the disrespect manifested toward this gov.
eminent by the close and offensive police sur.
veillance OF the legation premises which was
maintained 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 10 the Yorktown the
legation premises seem to have been surrounded
by police in uniform and police agents or de.
tectives in citizens dress who extensively
scrutinized persons entering or leaving the
legation and on one or more oc-
casions, arrested members OF the
minister's family. Commander Evans, who
by my direction recently visited Mr.. Egan at
Santiago in his telegram to the navy depart
ments ueScrlDeu the leEdtlOu as "a NtilidDle
prison" and states that the police agents or de.
tectives were, after his arrival, withdrawn dur
ing his stay. 1t appears further, from the note
of Mr.. Egan OF November 20, 1891,
that on one occasion at least these
police agents, WHOM he declares TO be
known TO him, invaded the legation premises,
be observed from the correspondence, charged
pounding upon its windows and using insulting
and threatening language towards persons
therein. This breach OF the right OF a minister
to freedom from police espionage and restraint
seems to have been so fragrant that the Argen'
tine minister, who was dean of the diplomatic
corps, having observed ii, felt called upon &c
protest against it to the Chilien minister Of for
eign affairs. The Chilean authorities have, as will
the refugees and the inmates OF the legation with
insulting the police: but it seems to me incredi
bic that men whose lives were in jeopardy and
whose safety could only be secured by retire
ment and quietness should have sought to pro
woke a collision which could only end in their
destruction, or TO aggravate their condition by
intensifying popular feeling that, at one time,
so threatened the legation as to require Mr..
Egan TO appeal 10 the minister of foreign az
fairs.
But the most serious incident disclosed by the
correspondent is that OF the attack upon the
sailors Of the Baltimore in the streets Of Val
paraiso on the IS Of October last. In my annual
message, speaking upon the information then IN
my possession, said: $50 far as l have yet
been able TO learn, no other explanation of this
bloody work has been suggested than that il had
its origin in hostility 10 these men as sailors OF
the United States, wearing the uniform Of their
government and not in any individual act of
personal animosty."
We have now received from the Gillian gov.
eminent an abstract of the conclusions Of the
fiscal general upon the testimony taken by the
Judge OF crimes in an investigation which was
made 10 extend over nearly three months. /
very much regret 10 be compelled 10
say that this report does not enable
me TO modify the conclusion announced in my
annual message. / am still OF the opinion
that our sailors were assaulted, beaten, stabbed
and killed, 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 this be the true aspect Of the
case the injury was TO the government OF the
United States, not to those poor sailors who
were assaulted in q manner so brutal and so
cowardly.
Before attempting to give az outline Of the
facts upon which this conclusion rests, think
IL right 10 say word or two upon the legal
aspect of the case. The Baltimore was in the
harbor Of Valparaiso by virtue OF that genera
invitation which nations are held TO ex-
tend 10 the war vessels OF other pow
ers with which they have friendly
relations This invitation, think, must be
held ordinarily TO embrace the privilege az
such communication with the shore as Is TCa-
sonable, necessary and proper for the comfort
and convenience of the officers and men OF such
vessels Capt. Schley testifes that when his
vessel returned TO Valparaiso on September IA,
the city officers, as is customary, extended the
Inequalities OF the city 10 his officers and crew
It is not claimed that every personal collision
or injury in which o sailor or officer OF such
naval vessel visiting the shore may be involved
raises an international question, butt am clearly
OF the opinion that where such sailors and OH
GERS are assaulted by resident populace, aui-
mated by hostility TO the government whose
uniforms these sailors and officers wear and
in resentment Of acts done by their government,
not by them, this nation must take notice OF the
event as one involving an infraction OF its
rights and dignity; not in a secondary way, as
where a citizen is injured and presents his claim
through his own government, and in primary
way precisely as IL its minister or consul or the
flag itself had been the object OF the same char
acter OF assault The officers and sailors OF the
Baltimore were in the harbor Of Valparaiso IN
der the orders OF their government not By their
own choice. They were upon the shore by the
implied invitation OF the government Of Chill
and with the approval OF their commanding OH
Ger; and it does not distinguish their case from
that OF consul that his stay IS more
permanent or that he holds the express invita-
ton OF the local government TO justify his long
resistance. Nor does il affect the question that
the injury was the act OF mob. II there had
been no participation by the police or military
in this cruel work and no neglect on their pari
TO extend protection, the case would still be one,
in my opinion, when its extent and character
are considered, involving inter ational rights
The incidents of the affair are. briefly, as fol-
lows:
On the 10th of October last Capt Sehley, com.
mani ms the United Gfufpz stparnshfO Ralfi-