The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-01-29


Must Be Observation-Disclosures Egant
Course Sustained by President Harri
son-Pith of the Correspondence Con
corning Egan's Relations with TIL,
Chilean Government.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-The presidents
message on Chile was received at the
house Monday at 12:47. The call of states
was suspended, and there was silence
throughout the chamber Every member
was in his seat. The message of the
president was lisened to with profound
attention At the conclusion of the read
ing there was loud applause at the
American sentiments it contained. This
applause was general on both sides of the
house, and the message was referred with
out discussion to the committee on
foreign Affairs. Pending the reading
General Cogs;Yell rose to the question of
privilege and called attention to the fact
that the reading clerk had skipped the
prge which contained the ultimatum.
The following is the message and the
the correspondence:
The Message.
To THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESEN-
TATIvEs:
In my annual message, delivered to con-
gress at the beginning of the present ses-
sion, after brief statement of the facts
then in the possession of this government
touching the assault in the streets of
Valparaiso, Chile upon the sailors of the
United States ship Baltimore on the even
ing of the 18th of October last, l said:
'"This government is now awaiting the
result of an investigation which has been
conducted by the criminal court at Val
paraiso. 1t is reported unofficia1ly that
the investigation is about completed, and
1t is expected that the result will soon be
communicated to this government, to-
gether with some adequate and satisfac-
tory response to the note by which the at
tention of Chile was called to this Incl
dent If these just expectations should
he disappointed or further needless delay
intervene, | will by special message
bring this matter again to the attention
of congress for such action as may be
Our Minister to Indignations.
The president then goes on to recite
cases where our representative had been
because he choose to give asylum
to certain adherants to the Balmaceda
government; that the legation was a
veritable prison, surrounded by Gillian
and spies; that they invaded the
precincts of the legation; but the most
serious incident disclosed by the cor
of our minister was that of
the attack upon the sailors of the Balti-
81 1-I,,x ,..f VI.
l6 last In my annual message, speaking
npon the information then in my posses
sion, ! said: so far as | have yet been
able to learn, no other explanation of ti1is
bloody work has been suggested than that
t had its origin in hostility to these mer
Is sailors of the United States, wearing
he uniform OF their government, and not |
II any individual act or personal an
mostly
A Brief Statement of the Case.
In my opinion the time has come when I
hould lay before the congress and the
ountry the correspondence between this
government and the government of Chile,
rom the time of the breaking out of the
evolution against Balmacena, together
With all other facts in the possession of the
Xecutive department relating to this mat
er. The diplomatic correspondence is
erewith transmitted, together with some
between naval officers for
he time in command in Chilean waters,
nd the secretary of the navy, and also the
whence taken at the Mare Island navy
ard since the arrival of the Baltimore at
IAN Francisco. | do not deem it necessary
n this connection to attempt any full ana
ysis of the correspondence or of the evil
ence. A brief restatement of the inter
ational questions involved and of the rea-
ons which the responses of the Chilean
overnment are unsatisfactory is all that
deem necessary 1t may be well at the
utset, to say that. whatever may have
cen said in this country or in Chile in
riticism of Mr. Egan, our minister at
antiago. the true history of this exciting
eriod in Chilean affairs, from the out
reak of the revolution until this time
iscloses no act on the part of Mr.. Egan
nworthy of his position or that could
nstly be the occasion of serious animal
ersion or criticism.
The Government Insulted.
We have now received from the Chilean
overnment an abstract of the conclusions
I the fiscal general upon the testimony
ak en- by the judge of crimes in an investi-
alton which was made to extend over
early three months. very much regret
D be compelled to say that this report does
OF enable me to modify the conclusions
In my annual message l am
jill of the opinion that our sailors were
beaten. stabbed and killed, not
,r anything they. or any one of them,
ad done. but for what the government of
ne United States had done, or was charged
18th having uone, by its civil officers and
avail commanders. If that be the true
spect of the case. the injury was to the
overnment of the United States, not to
le poor sailors who were assaulted in a
Ianner so brutal and 50 cowardly.
Brief Incident of the Affair.
The incidents of the affair are briefly as
Flows: On Oct rs last. Captain Schley,
the United States ship
altimore, gave shore leave to III petty
Ulcers and sailors OF his ship. These
len left the ship about 1880 pm. No in |
dent of violence occurred; none of our
len were arrested; no complaint was
dyed against them; nor did any COLI
on or outbreak occur until about 6
clock p. m. Captain Schley states that
2 was himself on shore and about the
reefs of the city until $3.50 p. m; that he
let very many Of his men who were
pom leave; that they were sober and
ere conducting themselves with pro- |
-iety, salHtiug Chilean and other officers