The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1892-01-29
MESSAGE To CONGRESS
The President Sends the Promised
Chill Communication.
The Message Promptly referred to tho
Committee on Foreign AnEIrs Of the
House and Taken Under Inn
mediate Confederation.

to-day:
To THE SENATE AND HOUSE or RnPREsRsrA-
TTvEs-Ln my annual message. delivered to con-
gress at the beginning Of the present session,
possession Of the government touching the as
sault in the streets of Valparaiso, Chill upon
the sailors o. the United States steamship Balti-
more on the evening Of the 10th OF October
last, said: This government is now awaiting
the result Of an investigation which has
Valparaiso. IL II reported unoficiaIly that the
Investigation is about completed. and It il ex-
pected that tho result win soon be communi-
Gated TO this government. together with some
adequate and satisfactory response, to the
note by which the attention of Chill was called
be disappointed. or further needless delay in
tervene, WILL, ~ special message bring fhis
such action. as may be necessary"
In my opinion the time has now come when
should lay before the congress and the country
and the government Of Chill from the time OF
the breaking ont of the revolution against Bal
maceda together win ali other facts IN the pos
session Of tie erccutiye denartment relating 10
this matter. The diplomatic correspondents is
herewith transmitted, together with some cor
respondence between the naval officers for the
time in command IN CHILEAN waters and the sec
Rotary OF the navy, and also the evidence taken
at Jns M sh Island navy yard since the ar
not deem il necessary in this communication to
attempt any full analysis Of the correspondence
or of the evidence. brief restatement of the in
ternational questions involved. and Of the rea-
sons why the responses Of the Chilian govern
ment are unsatisfactory, is all that / deem
It may be we'll at the outset, to say that,
whatever may have been said i'm this country or
in Chill IN criticism OF Mr.. Egan, minister
at Santiago the true history OF this exciting
period IN Gillian affairs, from the outbreak of
on the part Of Mr. Egan unworthy Of his posi-
ton that could Justly be the occasion of seri
Gus animadversion or criticism. He has,
think. borne himself, in very trying circum
stances, with dignity. discretion and courage,
and has conducted the correspondence with
ability, courtesy and fairness.
1t IL worth while, also. at the beginning to say
that the right of Mr.. Egan to give shelter in the
legation 70 certain adherents OF the Balmaceda
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 IL shown by Mr.. Egan' note of August
-. 1891. describing the disorders that prevailed
in Santiago, and by the evidence of Capt. Schley
at Valparaiso. The correspondence dis
Closes however, that the request of Mr.
Egsn fog safe conduct from the country
precedents cited by him in the correspondence,
particularly the case Of the revolution in Peru
position to deny the right for asylum to polit-
ical refugees, and seemed very clearly to sup
port Ny kgan : contention that a safe conduct
TO neutral territory was a necessary and &C
knowledged incident OF the asylum. These ref
ugees have very recently, without formal safe
conduct. but by the acquiescence OF the Chilian
authorities. been placed ON board the Yorktown,
and are now being conveyed to Callao, Peru.
This incident might be considered wholly
closed. hut for the disrespect manifested toward
this government by the close and offensive po-
lice surveillance 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 70 the York
town. the legation premises seem 20 have bsen
surrounded by police IN uniform, and police
agents or detectives, in citizens dress, who Of
fensively scrutinized persons entering or leav
lpcaflOu
sions, arrested members Of the minister's
family Commander Evans, who by my dircc-
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 APP
pears further, from the note OF Mr.. Egan of
November % 1891. That on one occasion, at
least, those police agents, whom he declares to
he known 10 him, invaded the legation premises
pounding upon its windows and using insulting
and threatening language towards persons
This breach Of the right of minister to free
dom from police espionage and restraint seems TO
have been so fragrant that the Argentine minis
ter. who was dean OF the diplomatic corps, hav
ing observed 1t, felt 0alled upon to protest
against il to the Gillian minister of foreign af-
fairs The Chilian authorities have ms win be
observed from the correspondence, charged the
refugees and the inmates of the legation with
insulting the police; but II seems 70 me incred-
liable 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 tns legation as to require Mr..
Egan to appeal to the minister Of foreign affairs
But the most serious incident disclosed by the
correspondents is that OF the attack upon the
sailors OF the Baltimore in the streets of Val
paraiso ON the 18th of October last. In my an
nual message, speaking upon the Information
have yet been able to learn, no other
explanation of this bloody work has
origin in hostility to these men as sailors of-the
United States. wearing the uniform Of their
government, and not In any individual act or
from the CHILEAN government abstract of the
conclusions of the fiscal general upon the testi-
vestigation which was made to extend over
nearly three months / very much regret TO
be conpeleo 70 say that this report does
sion announced IN my annual message.
I still Of the opinion that our
sailors were assaulted, beaten. stabbed and
irilied not for anything they or any one OF
chem 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 that be the true aspect OF the
case the injury was to the government of the
were assaulted in manner 50 brutal and so
cowardly.
u SPsnn the legal aspect of the case ssc
Taf ~ Virtue e that nS on
winch nations are held 90 extend 20 the war
vessels Of other powers with which they have
friendly relations. This invitation, / think,
must be held ordinarily to embrace the privi-
lege Of such communication with the shore as is
reasonable, necessary and proper for the COM
such vessels. Capt. Schley testifes that when
his vessel returned 10 Valparaiso, on September
IA. the city officers, as Is customary, extended
the inequalities of the city TO his officers and
crew.
or injury which sailor or oficer Of such ma
val vessel visiting the shore may be involved
raises an international question; but am clear
IN Of the opinion that where such sailors or OFF,
GERS are assaulted by resident populace. ami
uniform these sailors and ofhcers wear, and in
resentment OF acts done by their government,
not by them, this government must take notice
Of the event rs one involving an infraction
Of its rights and dignity; not in q
secondary way, as where citizen Is
injured. and presents his claim through his own
government. but m primary way, precisely IS
II its minister or consul or the flag itself had
been the object Of the same character Of assault.
The officers and sailors OF the Baltimore were
in the harbor OF Val paraiso under the orders of
their government not by their own choice.
They were upon the shore by the implied invita-
ton of the government Of Chilli and with the ap-
proval Of their commanding officer; and IL
does not distinguish their case from that of
consul that his stay Is more permanent or that
ne nolos tne exprsss invit9tlon OF the local gov
does 10 affect the question that the injury was
the act of N mob. III there had, been no PARTED
work. and no neglect OF their part 10 - extend
protection. the case would stin be one, In my
opinion. when its extent and character are con-
sidered. involving international right. The in
Cideats OF the affair are. briefly, as follows:
On the 10th Of October last, Capt. Schley com
Mandinz the United States steamship Balti-
sailors Of his ship. These men LETT the ship
about 30 p. m No incident OF violence occur
red; none OF our men were arrested; no com