Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-27
AS THE QUESTION STANDS.

AS THE QUESTION STANDS.
1t is to be regretted that at this par
ticular juncture Mr.. Breckinridge should
have precipltated querulous discussion
of the presidents special message. 1t
is not only ill-advised and untimely, but
it will make the efforts to secure
from Chile frank concession to our
lust demands more difficult than ever.
II Chile should find that the attitude Of
our government was likely to create dis
8ension in congress, she would continue
in her perverse and contumacious
course, and stubbornly refuse to make
reparation. On the other hand, it is
apparent that the position OF the gov
eminent is heartily endorsed by the
mass of the Democratic repres entatlves,
and that the members from the south
are conspicuous in their patriotic dec
larations to sustain the honor of the
flag to the last extremity.
At an early hour yesterday morning
the HERALD received the dispatch from
Santiago announcing that Chile would
concede all the demands made by onr
government. Up to the present writing
we have not received any official confir-
nation of this important message; but
the suppression prevails at Washington
that Minister Montt has such dis
patch. III Chile will do the right thing,
as she ought to have no hesitaney in
doing, that will at once solve the diff
Guilty.
The people of the United States do
not want 10 go to war with Chile, and it
will only be as the very last resort that
they will do so. If we brush all the
irritating and acrimonious correspond
ence with Chile aside; if we overlook
the offensive manner in which the
American legation at Santiago was
treated; if even we should pay no
attention whatever to the Incorporate
and insulting circnlar note of Seflor
Malta, there still remains the stupen-
dous fact that oursailors were murdered
and maltreated in Valparaiso by a
brutal mob, aided and abetted by por-
tion of the police and soldiery, without
any fault of the unfortunate men them
selves, but because they wore the uni
form of their country.
Had the government of Chile prompt
ly rebuked this unspeakable atrocity,
all would have been well. But instead
of doing so, it was treated as an ordinary
occurrence, and the victims of the
cruel mob were held to be the ones
to blame. We were told that the
sailors of the Baltimore got drunk and
the usual results followed. Sailors get
drunk in every port in the world, but ii
is only in Chile where high government
officials could be found to excuse their
murder and maltreatmenton on such fimsy
grounds. But the testimony taken at
Vallejo does not leave even this hollow
excuse leg to stand upon; for it was
proven that the men had kept remark
ably sober, and that those who were
assassinated and cruelty beaten were all
indisputably so.
Whilst we earnestly hope that hostili.
ties will net result from this embroglio
we Cannot refrain from saying that il
Americans cannot be protected in Their
persons when abroad, then our govern.
ment is failure. 1t should be the
highesC aim of every civilized govern.
ment to secure the safety of its citizens
in every country to which they may CO.
If this sacred right is permitted to be
violated by any foreign government
that government cannot be called to toe
severe an account. 1t has always
been a subject of reproach tc
the United States that our citizens
have not received adequate pro-
lection in foreign countries; and it has
been pointed out, to cur dlscredit, that
Great Britain has never failed to exact
instant reparation from any country
that violated the personal rights of hel
subjects. Let us now hope that the
time is past when any American citizen
shall call in vain upon his government
for protection ia foreign land A wal
that is inaugurated and waged to vindi
cate this noble principle is a just and
holy one, end every patriotic American
no matter what may be his party poll
tics, will sustain the government to the
bitter end in enforcing doctrine which
appeals so strongly to our self-respec,
and to our manhood.
Since the above was put in type, VIC
have received full confirmation of the
overtures of Chile as published in yes
terday's dispatch from Santiago. The
submission of the questions involved in
the Baltimore massacre to arbitration
by neutral power or to the judgment
of the supreme court Of the United
States, will give rise to q diversity O.