Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-01-29
TO UPHOLD OUR HONOR.
President Harrison Sends I'm His Mes
sage and the Correspondence on
on the Gillian Controversy.
The American Flag Must be Protected
and Will Protect All Who Serve
Under Its Broad Folds
An Apology Must be Made with Due
ReparatlOn; the Malta Note Must
Withdrawn, all without Delay.
The NIessa ge.

After speaking OF that portion of his
annual message bearing on the Gillian
matter, President Harrison refers to the
course of Minister Egan in his Official
duties, and upholds his every act The
attack on the sailors of the Baltimore was
because of the luminosity toward the uni
form they wore rather than any individual
action; even the abstract of the conclu-
sions of the fiscal general of Chill does not
make the matter in "a different light AS
to the legal phase of the Baltimore trouble
the president says, / am clearly of the
opinion that where such sailors or officers
are assaulted by resident populace ami
mated by hostility TO the government
whose uniform these sailors wear, and in
resentment of acts done by the govern
ment, not by them, their nation must take
notice of the same as one involving the
infraction OF its rights and dignity, not in
u secondary way, as where citizen is i'll
iured and presents his claim through his
own government but in primary way,
precisely as if its ministers or con-
sui or the flag itself had been the
object of the same character OF assault
The officers and cailors of the Baltimore
were in the harbor OF Valparaiso under the
own choice. They were upon the shore
by the implied invitation of the govern
ment of Chill and with the approval of the
commanding officers; and it does not dis
tlnguish their case from that of a con sui
that his stay is more permanent or that he
holds the express invitation Of the local
government TO justify his longer residence.
Then follows a resume of the incidents of
the attack with occasional reference 10 the
testimony of the sailors. The president
clearly shows that the attack was pre-
meditated and was known at
least to portion OF the police.
The charge that our sailors provoked the
assault by drunken rowdyism will not
hold. The attempt to evade the matter by
the assertion that the origin of the assault
could not be discovered is insufficient No
amount Of evasion or subterfuge is able
10 cloud our clear vision of this brutal
work. II should be noticed in this con.
nection that the American sailors ar
rested. alter an examination, were, during
four days following the arrest, every one
discharged, no charge of any breach OF the
peace or other criminal conduct having
been sustained against a single one of
them.
The animosity OF the Chilians in general
illustrated. The sailors would hurl deri-
sive and abusive epithets at the American
sailor on every possible occasion. The
evidence of our sailors clearly shows that
the attack was expected by the Gillian
people, that threats had been made against
our men, and that in one case somewhat
early in the afternoon the keeper of one
house into which some of our men had gone
closed his establishment in anticipation OF
an attack which he advised them would
be made upon them as darkness came on.
Several of our men sought security from
the mob by such complete or partial
changes in their dress as would conceal the
fact of their being seamen of the Balti-
more, and found it then possible TO walk
the streets without molestation. These
incidents conclusvely establish that the
attack was upon the uniform-the
nationality, and not upon the men.
1.-The testimony of Capt jenkins of the
American merchant ship Keweenaw which
had gone to Valparaiso for repairs, and
who was a witness to some part OF the as
sault upon the crew of the Baltimore, is
strongly corroborative OF the testimony OF
our own sailors, when he says he saw
Chilean sentries drive back a seaman,
seeking shelter. upon mob that was pur-
suing him. The officers and men OF
Capt. jenkins ship furnish the most con-
elusive testimony as to the indignities
which were practiced toward Americans in
! Valparaiso. When American sailors, even
| OF merchant ships, can only secure their
safety by denying their nationality it aust
DO time to readjust our relations with
government that permits such dcmonstra-
! tons" Then follows touching recital OF
the cruel treatment received by the in
jured sailors at the hands of the police
After summarizing the correspondence
up to a certain point the president speaks
of the attempts TO settle the affaiI. The
communications from the Gillian govern
mert have not even the form OF regret
Had an apology been promptly made the
entire affair could have been settled salts
factorily and with all dignity and honor to
both countries. In view OF the fact that
the government of Chill was provisional
the delays in making a report Of the find
ngs CT the courts were overlooked On
January 2lst the president forwarded
TO Chilli the conclusions Of our government
and at the same time referred to the often
sive note of Mr. Malta, the Gillian minis
ter of foreign affairs, and informed that
government that unless the. note was at
once withdrawn, diplomatic relations
would be severed. The request for the
recall Of Mr.. Egan could not be granted.
In giving his conclusions the president
gives it as his opinion that the demands
made of Chilli should be enforced, that our
flag and the right 10 wear our colors with
out being subject to insult. brutality and
death must be upheld. We do not want
ether than friendly relations. 1t must
however, be understood that this govern
ment while exercising the utmost for
bearance toward weaker powers, will ex-
tend its strong and adequate protection to
its citizens, to its officers and to its
humblest sailor. when made the victims of
wantonness and cruelty in resentment, not
OF their personal misconduct, but Of the
officials of their government
The message was accompanied by cor
respondence Of great volume sufficient to
fill 100 columns of an ordinary newspaper.
EvIcted I'm the snow.