The Republican journal., 1892-01-28

tack upon the uniform of the u S. navy,
having it's origin and motive in a feeling
of hostility to this government, and not in
any act of the sailors OF Of any of them.
A FLAGRANT FAILURE.
2. That the public authorities of
Valparaiso fagrantly failed in their duty
to protect our men. and that some OF the
police and of the Chilian soldiers and sail
ors were themselves guilty Of unprovoked
assaults upon our sailors before and after
arrest. He (the President thinks the pre-
ponderance of the evidence and the inher-
ent probabilities lead to the conclusion
that Riggin was killed by the police or
soldiers.
,. That he (the President is there
fore compelled TO bring the case back to
the position taken by this government 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.
MATTAs INSULTING NOTE.
| In the same note the attention OF the
| Chllian govcrnmant was called to the Of
| fensiVe character OF a note addressed by
Malta, its minister of foreign affairs to
| Mr.. Montt. its minister at this capital, ON
! the l1th ult. This despatch was not Off
| cially communicated to this government,
F., but Mr.. Montt was directed to TRANSLATED it
and give it to the press of this country. 1t
seemed to me hat it could not pass with
out official notice. 1t was not only undip-
lomatic, but grossly insulting to our ma
! val officers and to the executive depart
ment, us it directly imputed aintruth and
insincerity to the reports of tie naval Of
| t,,t thn ial
made by the executive department to CON
| greSs.
CUT OFF RELATIONS.
TT will be observed that | have notified
| the Chilian government that unless this
note is at once Withdrawn and an apology
as public as the offence made | will ter
inmate diplomatic relations. The request
for the recall of Mr.. Egan, upon the
ground that he was not persona grata,
was unaccompanied by any suggestion
that could properly be used in support of
it, and | infer that the request is based
upon official acts of MI Egan which
have received the approval of this govern
ment, But, however that may be, | could
not consent to consider such a question
until it had first been settled whether our
correspondence with Chill could be con-
Quoted upon a basis Of mutual respect.
In submitting these papers to Congress
| for that grave and patriotic consideration
which the questions involved demand. /
/ desire to say that | am OF the opinion that
+ the demands made of Chill by this GOV
! ernment should he adhered to and en-
| forced.
WE MUST PROTECT ALL oIR PEOPLE.
If the dignity as we'll as the prestige
| and influence of the United States are not
to be wholly sacrificed, we must protect
| those who. in foreign ports, display the
| flag OF wear the colors of this government
against insult. brutality and DEATH i'll
| tlicted in resentment of the acts of their
| government. and not for any fault of their
own. 1t has been my desire in every way
t" cultivate intimate and friendly rela-
tions with the governments of this hemis-
| phere. We do not covet their territory
We desire their peace and prosperity. We
| look for no advantage in our relations
with them. except the increased eN-
changes of commerce upon a basis of
mutual benefit. We regret every civil con-
test that disturbs their peace and para
| lNzes their development, and are always
ready to give our good Offices for the res
t"ration of peace. II M, = .,.uwever. he
understood that this government. while
exercising the utmost forbearance to-
| wards weaker powers. will extend its
| strong and adequate protection to its citi-
| zens. To its officers. and to its humblest
| sailor. when made the victims of wanton-
| ness and cruelty. i'll resentment. not Of
| their personal misconduct but Of the of
| fetal acts OF their government.
BRUTALITY AND SAvAGEEY.
Upon information received that Patrick
| lri Md R,,it
| ish subject but at the time fireman OF
| the American steamer keweenaw in the
| harbor of Valparaiso for repairs, had been
| sub jected to personal in uries in that city,
! largely by the police. | directed the at
| tOrney- general to cause the evidence of
! the officers and crew of that vessel to be
taken upon its arrival in San Francisco :;
and that testimony is also herewith trans
mitted. The brutality and even savagery
| of the treatment of these poor men by the
! Chilian police would be incredible if the
evidence OF Shields was not supported by
other direct testimony and by the dis
tressng condition OF the man himself
when he was finally able to reach his YES
sell The captain of the vessel says: He
came back a wreck black from his neck
to his hips from beating, weak and stupid
| and is still in a paralyzed condition, and
has never been able to do duty Siil,.
"a claim for reparation has been made
in behalf of this man. for while he was
not a citizen of the United States, the
doctrine long held by us. as expressed in
the consular regulations. is: 'The princ-
pies which are maintained by this gov
ernment in regard to the protection as
| distinguished from the relief of Seamen
are well settled. 1t is held that the cir
cumstance that the vessel is American is
| evidence that the Seamen on board are
such, and i'll every regularly documented
| merchant vessel the crew will find their
| protection in the flag that covers them.
II have as yet received no reply to our
note of the 21st inst, but in my opinion. |
| ought not to delay longer to bring these
matters to the attention of Congress for
such action as may be deemed appropri-
ate.
(Signed) BENJAMIN HARRISON.
| Executive Mansion. Jan. %, 1892
TIE CoRRE>PONDENCE.
The Chilian correspondence, which ac-
companies the Presidents message, is
| nearly - newspaper columns in length.
| 1t is pretty thoroughly condensed in the
| message itself. Dec. Is was broached one
| of the gravest issues in the case, which is
still open in the shape of the Malta note
to Chilian ministers abroad. Nh Egan