New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-26
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
OUR CASE AGAINST CHILLI
AMERICAS just CLAIMS STATED AND I HEIR
ENFORCEMENT URGED.

ADHtkfU ~ NND fsNFOWt~b'
The Presidents Message 10 tho Congress. trans-
hitting the correspondence of the State Depart
mont regarding the Chilian controversy, is here
with made public. The President tcrsely re-
views tho entire case comments tho con iuct
Of the United States Minister to Chill denounces
the annoying police surveillance Of The Legation
lt Santiago; rehcarSos 9nd discusses the story
of the Baltimore outrage, declaring II 10 ha'e
been an assault upon the Government ~ the
United States even more than upon the injured
sailors pronomccs the conduct OF the Gillian
Government in the matter unsatisfactory re-
states the American demands, as expressed IN
his communication Of January II. and urges that
they be adhered to and enforced.
TEXT OF THE MESSAGE
TO the Senate and House Of Representatives,:
In my annual message, delivered 20 Congress 81
the beginning Of the present session. after bner
statement Of the facts then in the possession OF ths
Government touching the assault, in the streets OK
Valparaiso. Chilli upon the sailors Of the unfed
States steamship Baltimore on the evening OF tho
10Th of October last. said:
This Government is now awaiting the result or
an investigation which has been conducted by the
criminal court AT Valparaiso. IL is reported un-
officially tha. the Investigation is about competcds
and n Is expected 1ndt rlp TFsuli VIII Sopu Vt ''H-
muncatrd 70 this Government. together with some
ADEQUATE and satisfactory response IN the note
bv which the attention Of Chill called 10 this
incident. II these just expectations should he dis
appointrd or further needless delay intervene, I
will. by special message bring this matter again
10 the attention of Congress for such action rs may
bc recessary'
in my opinion the time has now come when !
should lay before the Congress and the country te
correspondence between this Government and TIE
Government Of Chill from the time Of the breaking
out Of the revolution against Balmaceda, together
with all other facts in the possession OF the Exec
utve Department relating to this matter. The
diplomatic correspondence is herewith transmitted.
together with correspondence between the
naval officers for the time in command in Gillian
waters and the Secretary Of the Navy and also tho
evidence taken the Mare Island Navy Yard since
the arrival of the Baltimore at San Francisco. do
not deem it necessary in this communication to at
tempt any full analysis of the correspondence or of
the evidence brief rr-statemcnt Of the interna-
tional questions involved and Of the reasons why
the responses Of the Gillian Government unsat-
isfact0ry. is all that deem necessary.
MIR. EGAN's CONDUCT APPROVED.
1t may be well, at the outset, To say that, what
ever may have been said in this country or in Chill
in criticism OF Mr.. Egan. our Minister at Santiagol
the true history of this exciting period in Chiian
affairs, from the outbreak of the revolution until
this timc disccscs no act on the part OF Mr.. Egan
unworthy OF his position or that could Justly be tho
occasion Of serious animadversion or criticism. He
has, think, on the whole, borne himself in very
trying circumstances, with dignity, discretion. and
courage, and has conducted the correspondence with
ability, courtesy and fairness
II il worth wbie also at tho hprinning n
say that the Fight of Mr. Egan to give shelter
in the Legation to certain adhercnts of the Bnl-
maceda Government who applied 70 him for
asylum has not been denied by the Chilian au-
thoritcs. nor has there any demand been made
for the surrender Of these refugees That there
was urgent need Of asylum shown by Mr..
Egans note of August ~ 1891, describing tho
disorders that prevailed in Santiago, and by the
evidence of Captain Schley as 10 the plage and
violence that prevailed at Valparaiso. The cor
respondence discoseS. however. that the request
of Mr. Egan for a safe conduct from the country,
in behalf of these refugees. was denied The prec-
edcnts cited by him in the correspondence. par
ticularly the case of the revolution in Peru in
1865. did not leave the Chian Government in Q
position to deny the right of asylum TO political
refugees and seemed very clearly to support Mr..
Egans contention that a safe conduct TO neutral
territory was a necessary and acknowledged in-
cidrnt Of the asylum. These refugees have very
Gently. without formal safe conduct. but by the
acaniescence of the Chan authorities, been placed
ON board the Yorktown, and are being con,
veyed to Callao. Peru.
POLICE SURVEILLANCE OF THE LEGATION.
This incident might be considered wholly closed:
but for the disrespcct manifested toward this
Government By the close and offensive police
surveillance Of the Legation premises, which
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 to the Yorktown, the Legation
premises seem to have been surrounded by police.
in uniform. and police agents or detectives, IN
citizens dress, who extensively scutinizcd persons
entering or leaving the Legation and, on one or
more occasions. arrested members of the Minister'S
family Commander Evans. who. by my dlrectioh'
recently visited Mr. E2an at Santiago, in his telc'
gram 20 the Navy Department, described the ieg;'-
ton "a vcritlble prison. and states thal 'ne
police agents or detectives were, after his ARRIVAL
withdrawn during his stay.
II appears further. from the note of Mr.. Egan
of November 20. sol, that on one OCCASION Az
least these police agents. whom he declares TO
be known TO him. invaded the Legation premises.
ponndiIg upon lis windows and using insulting
and threatening language towards persons therein
This breach OF the right of Minister to freedom
from police espionage and restraint seems 20 nave
been 80 fragrant that the Argentine Minister. WHO
was dean of the Diplomatic Corps. having oo-
tprved IT, felt called upon 10 protest agaiiie. u
to the Chilian Minister of Foreign Afair'. Inc
Chilian authorities have. will NJ observed
from the correspondence. charged the refugees
and thc inmates of the Legation with insulting
the police: but it SENS TO me incredible taat
mon whose lives were in jeopardy. and whose
sofe,v could only be- secured by retire nent and
,uostion should have sought Ia provoke col
Iision which could Only end IN their destruction,
or 10 accravate their condition by intensity ing
nopuar feeling that, at one time 80 Threatened the
legation as to require Slr Esan to appeal to the