The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-01-29

mcQlcai CIHEtIs CI JUe war fco5tlS III tlle
harbor, was giving voluntary assistance
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 pas
sion, and said he would rather have his
son die than have Americans touch him,
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 disre-
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 a
manly and satisfactory expression of re-
greet, much less of apology.
The event was of so serious a 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.
1t 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.
dent is regretted, coupled with the state
ment that the affair was not of an unCs-
ual character in ports where foreign
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
oHense 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 fragrant breach of duty and pro-
priety."
That his government ''regrets them
as deeply as Minister Calderon OF his
government could possibly do;' that
''these acts have caused the president
great pain, and he thinks proper ac-
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 a 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 a government that values its
dignity and honor.
The president then refers to the delays
by Chile in investigating the affair, and
incloses his COMMUNICATION to Chile of
last Thursday, as follows:
The Presidents Demands.
On the Dist inst, caused to be COM
municated to the government of Chile.
by the American minister at Santiago,
the conclusions of this government after
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-
heved 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 tlagrantly 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
eminent in the note of Mr.. Wharton of
Oct. % last and to ask for 81
suitable apology and for some adequate
reparation for the injury done to this
government"
Matca's Offensive Note.
In the same note the attention OF the
Chilean government was called to the
offensive character of a note addressed
by Mr.. Malta, its minister of foreign af-
fairs, to Mr.. Montt, it's minister at this
capital, on the 18th 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 country,
it seemed to me that it could not pass
without official notice.
1t was not only undiplomatic but
| grossly insulting to our naval officers
| and tO the ayecutiva 6ano1 tpoant 10 ~