The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-01-26

lection this case would still be one, in
my opinion, when its extent and char
acter were considered, involving inter- |
national rights
The president then tells the story OF |
the attack on the sailors of the Baltimore |
as related in the testimony of Captain |
Schley and others at the Investigation,
showing the sailors were sober and be-
having themselves, as is evidenced |
further by tina fact the Chilian police |
made no arrests, and says it is remark
able the protracted investigation of the
judge of crimes did not enable him to
assign any more satisfactory account of
its origin than between drunken sailors.
He then quotes the testimony of Ap-
prentice Talbot that the trouble origi-
mated in Chilian sailors splitting in
Tafbott's face, for which Talbot
knocked him down, Then followed
general attack on Talbot and Riggin,
with the result already known.
Continuing he graphically describes
the scene in which according to Chilians
pursue defenseless and unarmed Ameri
can sailors, who, if they retaliated, did
mate whose life was in greater danger.
The following is the concluding por-
ton of the presidents message on the
Chilian question:
After summarizing the correspond
ence up to certain point, he says:
The communications of the Chilian
government, In relation to this cruel at
tack upon our men, as will appear from
the correspondence, have not in any
degree taken the form of manly and
| satisfactory expression of regret, much
less apology. The event was of SO seri-
GUS character that if the injuries suf-
fered by the men be wholly the result of
accident in a Chilian port, the incident
is grave enough to have called for some
public expression of system and regret
from the local authorities. 1t is not for
enough to say the incident is regretted,
! coupled with d statement that the affair
| is not of unusual character in ports
where foreign sailors are accustomed to
meet. 1t is not for generous and sim
cere government to seek for words of
small or equivocal meaning in which to
convey a friendly power an apology for
an offense so atrocious as this. In the
case of the assault by a mob in New Or
leans upon the Spanish consulate, in
1851, Webster wrote to the Spanish
minister, Calderon, that the acts COM
| planned of were a ''disgraceful and fla
grant breach of duty aud propriety," :"
and that his government regrets them
as deeply as Minister Calderon, or his
government could possibly do; that
these acts have caused the president
great pain. and he thinks the proper ac-
knowledgement due to her majesty
I He invited the Spanish consul to return
to his post guaranteeing protection and
offered a salute to the Spanish flag if the
consul should come in Spanish vessel.
! Such a treatment by the government of
Chill OF this assault would have been
more creditable to the Chilian authori-
ties, and nothing less could be satisfac-
tory to government that values it's dig
nifty and honor.
In our note of October % last, which
appears in the correspondence, after re-
ceiving the report of the board of officers
appointed by Captain Schley to investi-
gate the affair the Chilian government
was advised of the aspect which it then
assumed and was called upon for any
facts in its possession that might tend to
modify the unfavorabe impressions
which our report had created. 1t is very
clear from the correspondence that be-
fore the receipt of this note, the exami-
nation was regarded by the police au-
| thorities as practically closed. 1t was,
! however, reopened and protracted
through a period of nearly three months.
! We might Justly complain of this un-
reasonable delay, but in view of the fact
the government of Chill was still pro-
yisional. and with disposition to be
| forbearing and hopeful of friendly term
ination, l have awaited the report, which
has but recently been made. The 21st
inst. | caused to be communicated to
the government of Chill by the Ameri-
can minister to Santiago the conclusions
of this government, after full consider
alton of all the evidence, and every sug-
gestion affecting this matter, and to
these conclusions | adhere. They are
as follows:
| First-That the assault is not relieved
of the aspect which early information of
the event gave to it, viz: That the at
! tack upon the uniform of the United
States navy and it's origin and motive in,
a feeling of hostility to this government
and not in any act of the sailors or any
of them.
Second-That the public authorities of
Valparaiso flagrantly failed in their duty
to protect our men, and that some of the
| police and of Chilian soldiers and sail
ors were themselves guilty of unprovoked
assaults upon our sailors before and af-
ter the arrest. He [the president)
thinks the preponderance of the evidence
and the inherent probabilities tend to
the conclusion that Riggin was killed
by the police or soldiers.
Third-That he {the presidentl is
therefore compelled to bring the case
back to the position taken by this gov
i ernment, and stand by the note of Mr..
Wharton, of October % last, and to ask
for suitable apology and for some ade-
quate reparation for the injury done to
this government.
Cleveland wnl Accept.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-Henry c.