Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1891 — A SERIOUS SITUATION. [ARTICLE]

A SERIOUS SITUATION.

INDEMNITY AND AN APOLOCY DEMANDED. •Twill He » Chilly Day for ChiU II Uncle Sam Undertakes to Trounce Her—Naval Officers Say That the Situation Is Really a Serious One. Sharp Talk to Chill. Further persistent Inquiry of the officers of the government in regard to the Valparaiso Incident shows conclusively that the administration does not regard it as & simple street row, for which the Chilian government can not be held accountable, but as an insult ta the honor and flag of the United States, calling for tho most vigorous diplomat!* treatment The official rerort of tho occurrence, made by Capt. Schley, of the Baltimore, after a careful inve-tigation of ail th« surrounding circumstances, shows clearly not only that the'assault upon th* American sailors was cowardly and unprovoked, but that it was inspired purely by hatred for the uniform they wore and the country it represented; or, in other words, that it was not an attack on them as individuals, but as representatives of the United States. The report also indicates that the local police, instead of protecting the Americans from the violence of the mob. in several instances assisted in the onslaught Tills, the report says, is demonstrated by the fact that several of the sailors were wounded by bayonets such as are usually carried by the Chilian police. The outrage is not regarded by Presicent Harrison as the work of an unruly mob. The wounds on the dead non were made by bayonets, and therefore the so diers and police of Chili were the butchers. Moreover, the unanimity of the attack shows that it was premeditated Tho assaulted men were riding peacefully in a street car. when suddenly they were knocked down, dragged from the car, shot and stabbed. Then, not daring to face the Americans, even though tho latter were unarmed, the savages shot and bayonetted them in the back. There is but one ves-'el in Chili now, the Baltimore, but the B'an Fraftcisco is at Callao, only four days off, and unless an immediate answer of a favorable kind is made by the Chilian Government to the demands of President Harrison she will be ordered to sail at once for Valparaiso.- The Yorktown is now on her way there and the i’oston will sail at once from New York for the scene of tho trouble. It is stated at the Navy Department that there is a decided difference between this case and that of the Mafia tragedy at New Orleans The Italians who were killed there were residents of this country or intended to become so, and the United States caused the arrest of the leaders who participated in the affray, and an investigation was made of the affair, but in the case of the American sailors who were killed and assaulted no action whatever has been taken, as far as can be ascertained, by the Chilian authorities toward investigating the riot caused by the Chilian sailors, and as the attack was upon American sailors it is considered a direct insult to the American Hag. The action of the Chilian Government in the present difficulty with tho United States was similar to the position of Paraguay in 1857, when that country was brought to terms by the vigorous action of President Buchanan. The Government of Paraguay had, upon frivolous and even insulting pretexts, refused to ratify the treaty of friendship, commerce and navigation concluded with it March 4, 1853, as Amended by the United Stages Senate. It had seized and appropriated tho property of American citizens residing in Paraguay, in a violent and arbitrary m Miner, and finally on Feb. 1, 1855; by order of President Lopez, it had fired upon tho United States ship Water Witch, under Commander Thomas J. Page, of tho navy, and killed the sailor at the helm, white the vessel was peacefully employed in surveying tho Parana River, to ascertain its fitness for steam navigation. Tho honor as well as tho interests of this country demanded satisfaction. The President brought the subject to the notice of Congress in his first annual message, Dec. 8. 1857. In this he informed Congress that he would make a demand for redress on tho Government of Paraguay in a firm but conciliatory manner, but at the same time observed that “this will the more probably be granted If the Executive shall have authority to use other means in tho event of refusal. This is accordingly recommended. ” Congress responded favorably to this recommendation. On the id of June, 1858, Congre-s passed a joint resolution authorizing the President “to adopt such mcasuros and use such force as, in his judgment, may be necessary and advisable in the event of a refusal of just satisfaction by the Government of Paraguay in connection with the attack on the United States steamer Water Witch, and with other matters referred to in ths annual message.” Congress also made an appropriation to defray the expensos of a commissioner to Paraguay, should he deem it proper to appoint one, “for the adjustment of difficulties” with that republic. Paraguay is situated far in the interior of South America, and its capi.al, the city of Asuncion, on the left bank of the River Paraguay, is more than a thousand' miles from the n outh of the La Plate. Protected by his remoie and secluded position. President Lopez but little apprehended that a navy frem a far dista ,t country could ascend the La Plate, tho I’ara a and the Paraguay ani roach the capital. This was doubtless the reason why he had ventured to place us at defiance. Under those circumstances President Buchanan deem d it advisable to send w th Jam s B. Bowli g, our Commissioner to 1 a’aguay, a i aval force sufficent to exact justico should negotiation fail. This consisted of i inotcen armed vessels, great and small, carrying 200 guns and 2,500 sailors and marines, ail under the command of Commodore Shubrick. Boon after the arrival of the expedition at Montevideo, Commissioner Bowling and Commodore Shubrick proceeded to ascend the rivers to Asuncion in the steamer Fulton, accompanied by the Water Witch. Meanwhile the remaining vessels rendezvoused in the Parana, near Rosario, a position from which they could act promptly in case of need. The com miss oner arrived at Asuncion on Jan. 25, 1859, and left it Feb. LO. Within this brief period he had ably and successfully accomplished all the objects of his mission. In addition to ample apologies, he obtained from President Lopez the payment of 810, CO3 for the family of Seaman Chaney, who had been killed in the attack upon the Water Witch, and also concluded satisfactory treaties of indemnity and of navigation and commerce with the Paraguayan government