Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-26
ister's family. Commander Evans

VINO Dy my ulrcCIiouc IeCohtiy
visited Minister Egan at Santiago,
in his telegram to the navy department
describes the legation as a "veritable
prison." and states that the police
agents or detectives were after his ar
rival withdrawn during his stay. 1t
appears further, from note OF Egan OF
November 20, 1891, that on one occasion,
at least, these police agents, whom he
declares to be known to him, invaded
the legation premises, pounding on it's
windows and using insulting and threat
ening language toward the persons
therein. This breach of the right of the
minister to freedom from police es-
pionage and restraint seems to have
been SO fragrant that the Argentine min
lister, who was dean of the diplomatic
coups, having observed it, felt called
upon to protest against it to the
Chilean minister of foreign af-
airs. The Chilean authorities have, as will
be observed from the correspondence,
charged the refugees and inmates of the
legation with insulting the police, but it
seems to me incredible that men whose
lives were in jeopardy, and whose safety
could only be secured by retirement and
quietness, should have sought to pro-
yoke collision which could only end in
their destruction, or to aggravate their
condition by intensifying popular feel
ing that at one time so threatened the
legation as to require Mr.. Egan to ap-
peal to the minister of foreign affairs.
But the most serious incident dis
closed by correspondence was that of the
attack on sailors of the Baltimore in the
streets of Valparaiso on the 10Th OF Oc-
tober last.
In my annual message, speaking upon
the information then in my possession,
said 30 far as had yet been able to
learn, no other explanation OF this
bloody work had been suggested, than
that it had had it's origin in hostility to
these men as sailors of the United
| States, wearing the uniform of their
government, aad not in any individual
act or personal animosity. We have
| now received from the Chilean govern
ment an abstract OF the conclusions OF
the fiscal general, upon testimony taken
by the Judge OF crimes in an investiga-
ton made to extend over nearly three
months. livery much regret to be COM
PEELED to say that this report does not
enable me to modify the conclusion an
nohnced in my annual message. / am
still of the opinion that our sailors were
assaulted, beaten, stabbed and killed,
not for anything they or any one of
them had done, but for what the govern
ment of the United States had done, or
was charged with having done by its
| civil officers and naval commanders. If
that be the true aspect of the case, the
injury was to the government of the
United States, hot to those poor sailors
who were assaulted in a manner SO
brutal and cowardly.
Before attempting to give an outline
of the facts upon which this conclusion
rests, think it right to say word or
two upon the legal aspect of the case.
The Baltimore was in the harbor of VAL
paraiso, by virtue OF the general invita-
tion which nations are held to extend to
the war vessels of other powers with
which they have friendly relations.
This invitation, think, must be held,
ordinarily, to embrace the privileges Of
such communication with the shore as
is reasonable, necessary and proper for
the comfort and convenience of the
officers and men of such vessels. Cap
tain Schley testifies that when his ves-
sci returned to Valparaiso, September
18th, the city officers, as customary, ex-
tended the hospitalities of the city to
his officers and crew. 1t is not claimed
that every personal collision or injury in
which sailor or vessel visiting shore
may be involved, raises an international
question, but 1 am OF the opinion that
where such sailors or officers are
assaulted by the resident population.
animated by hostility to the government
whose uniform these sailors and officers
wear, and in resentment Of acts done by
their government, NOT by them, their
nation must take notice OF the event as
one Involving an infraction OF its rights
and dignity not in secondary way,
az where citizen is injured and pre-
sents his claim through our own gov
ernment, but in primary way, pre-
cisely as ii its minister or consul or flag
itself had been the object OF the same
character of assault.
The officers and sailors OF the Balti-
more were i'll the harbor of Valparaiso,
under order OF their government, not by
their own choice they were upon the
shore by implied invitation of the gov
ernmenJ of Chile, and with the approval
of their commanding officer, and it does
not distinguish their case from that of a
consul that has stay more permanent,
or that he holds the express invitation
VI IdO iOOshi SOfOihhOhp W JuStiiy
longer residence; nor does it affect the
question that the injury was the act of
a mob. If there had been no participa-
tion by the police or military in this evil
work, and no neglect on their part to
extend to them protection, the case
would still be one, in my opinion, when
it's extent and character is considered,
involving international rights.
The president then tells the story of
the attack on the sailors of the Balti-
more, as related in the testimony OF
Captain Schley and others, at the inves-
tigation, showing that the sailors were
sober and behaving themselves, evi-
denced further by the fact that the
Chilean police made no arrests, and
says: 1t is remarkable that the pro-
tracted investigation of the Judge OF
crimes did not enable him to assign any
more satisfactory account of its origin
than that it was quarrel between
drunken sailors.
He Their quotes the testimony of Ap
prentice Talbot, that the trouble orig
mated in Chilean sailor splitting in
Talbot's face, for which Talbot knocked
him down. Then followed general
attack on Talbot and Riggin, with the
result already known. The president
continues: There is nothing in the
report of the Chilean investigation made
to us that seriously impeaches this tes-
timony. 1t appears from Chilean sources