The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-02-04


to the wounded in the hospitals. The
son of Chilean army officer of high
rank was under his care. and. when the
father discovered it he few into pes
sion. and said he would rather have his
son die than nave Americans touch hlln.
and at once had him removed from the
ward.
This feeling is not well concealed in
the dispatches of the foreign office. and
had quite open expression in the ,!isre
spectful treatment of the American le-
cation.
The Chilean boatmen in the bay re-
fused, even for large offers of money. to
return our sailors, who crowded the
Mole, to their ship when they were en-
deavoring to escape from the city on the
night of the assault.
The market boats Of the Baltimore
were threatened, and even quite re-
Gently the gig of Commander Evans, of
the Yorktown, was stoned while wait
ing for him at the Mele.
Chile's Discourteous Delays.
The evidence of our sailors clearly
shows that the attack was expected by
the Chilean people, that threats had
been made against our men, and that in
one case somewhat early in the after
noon the keeper of one house, into which
some of our men had gone, closed his
establishment in anticipation of attack,
which he advised them would be made
upon them as darkness came on.
The communications of the Chilean
government in relation to this cruel and
disastrous attack upon our men, as will
appear from the correspondence, have
not in any degree taken the form of
manly and satisfactory expression of re-
gret, much less of apology.
The event was Of so serious charac-
ter that if the injuries suffered by our
men had been wholly the result of an
accident in Chilean port, the incident
was grave enough to have called for
some public expression of sympathy and
regret from the local authorities.
It is not enough to say that if the
affair was lamentable, for humanity
would require that expression even if
the beating and killing of our men had
been justifable.
1t is not enough to say that the Incl
dent is regretted, coupled with the state
ment that the affair was not of an unus-
ual character in ports where foreign
sailors are accustomed to meet.
1t is not for generous and sincere
government to seek for words of small
or equivocal meaning in which to con-
vey to friendly power an apology for an
offense so atrocious as this.
What Chile Should Have Done
In the case of the assault by a mob in
New Orleans upon the Spanish consulate
in 1851 Mr.. Webster wrote to the Span
: ish minister, Mr.. Calderon, that the
=: acts complained of were "a disgraceful
and hagrant breach of duty and pro-
priety."
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 proper &C
acknowledgement is due to her majesty"
He invited the Spanish consul to re-
turn to his post, guaranteeing protection,
and offered to salute the Spanish flag if
the consul should come in Spanish
vessel.
Such treatment by the government
of Chile of this assault would have been
more creditable to the Chilean author
tiles; and much less can hardly be salts
factory to government that values its
dignity and honor.
! The president then refers to the delays
by Chile in investigating the affair, and
uClOScS Ills communication 10 OQ1le CI
last Thursday, as follows:
The Presidents Demands.
! On the 21st inst, caused to be COM
municated to the government of Chile,
by the American minister at Santiago,
tho conclusions Of this government after
q full consideration of all the evidence
and of every suggestion affecting this
matter, and to these conclusions l ad-
here. They were stated as follows:
''First-That the assault is not re-
ieved of the aspect which the early in
formation of the event gave it, viz. ::
That of an attack upon the uniform of
the United States navy, having its origin
and motive in feeling of hostility to
this government and not in any act of
the sailors or of any of them.
''Second-That the public authorities
of Valparaiso tiagrantly failed in their
duty to protect our men, and that some
of the police and some of the Chilean
soldiers and sailors were themselves
guilty of unprovoked assaults upon our
sailors before and after arrest. He (the
president) thinks the preponderance of
the evidence and the inherent probabili-
ties lead to the conclusion that Riggin
was killed by the police or soldiers.
''Third-That he (the president) is
therefore compelled to bring the case
back to the position taken by this gov
ernment in the note of Mr.. Wharton of
Oct. % last and to ask for a
suitable apology and for some adequate
reparation for the injury done to this
government" .' g.
Matta's Offensive Note.
In the same note the attention of the
Chilean government was called to the
offensive character of q note addressed
by Mr.. Malta, it's minister of foreign af-
fairs, to Mr.. Montt, its minister at this
capital, on the 11th ult.
This dispatch was not officially COM
municated to this government but as
Mr.. Montt was directed to translate it
and give it to the press of this c.untry
it seemed to me that it could not pass
without official notice.
It was not only undiplomatic fut
grossly insulting to our naval officers
and to the executive depal tment. as it
directly imputed untruth and insincerity
to the reports of the naval officers and
to the official communications made by
the executive department to congress.
1t will be observed that I have notified
the Chilean government that unless this
note is at once withdrawn and an apol-
ogy as public as the offense made | will
terminate diplomatic relations.
The request for the recall of Mr.. Egan
upon the ground that he was not per-
soma grata was unaccompanied by any
suggestion that could properly be used
in support of it, and 1 infer that the re-
quest is based upon official acts of Mr.
Egan which have received the approval
Of this government.
But, however that may be. 1 could not
consent to consider such question until
il nad first been settled whether our
corresp ondence with Chile could be
conduct ed on basis of mutual respect.
In submitting these papers to congress
for that grave and patriotic considera-
ton which the questions involved de-
mand, desire to say that am Of the
opinion that the demand made of Chile
by this government should be adhered
to and enforced.
Uphold the Nations Dignity.
If the dignity as well as the prestige