Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 9, 1891
Señor Pedro Montt to Mr. Blaine.
Washington, December 31, 1891.
Sir: In accordance with my promise made to you in our interview of to-day, I am happy to send you a copy of two notes from the minister of foreign relations of Chile to Mr. Egan, together with various documents relative to complaints made by the American legation at Santiago against the detective force.
With sentiments, etc.,
Señor Matta to Mr. Egan.
Santiago, November 17, 1891.
Mr. Minister: On Monday, at 5 p.m., your note of that date was received at this department, wherein you state that certain spies of the secret police, who had been stationed near the house and in the neighborhood of your legation, have molested the inhabitants of that section of the city by knocking on the windows and uttering [Page 340] gross insults to the refugees whom they saw in the room which looks out upon the street, the disorder having been stopped by the intervention of other police officers who rode up in a carriage and arrested those who had created the disorder.
Mr. Egan, even if the police had not stopped that disorder at once, might have felt certain that such actions would meet with no support or excuse on the part of this ministry, as the undersigned feels certain that the honorable minister plenipotentiary does not approve or justify the indiscretions of the refugees, who more than once, by their cries, gestures, and violent attitudes, have provoked the passers-by, who may not have been and who were not officers of the police, either secret or public.
Immediately after the reception by this department of the note of the honorable envoy extraordinary, the intendente of Santiago was instructed to make a report on the subject, from which it appears that Mr. Egan has not been correctly informed.
Whatever may be the opinion entertained and the comments that may be made upon this occurrence and those who took part in it, what is proved by the words of the minister is that the disturbance of the tranquillity of the neighborhood and of his house was ended by the intervention of the local authorities, who do not recognize as their agents the drunken persons who created the disturbance, and who, if detected, would be punished as they deserve.
This department does not mention the reports of the police, which state that not only some of the refugees, but some persons connected with the North American legation, commit indiscretions that call forth replies and reprisals which do not cause the right or the decorum of anyone to appear in a favorable light.
The undersigned, etc.,
M. A. Matta.
The foregoing agrees with the document on file at this legation.
Señor Matta to Mr. Egan.
Santiago, November 23, 1891.
Sir: Half an hour after the interview of the honorable minister plenipotentiary, on Saturday, the 21st, with the undersigned, the latter received a note bearing date of the 20th, in which reference is made to the same troublesome matter which, among others, was discussed in the interview which terminated in a manner that seemed to indicate something else than the receipt of the note to which he now has the honor to reply.
It is deeply to be regretted that the honorable envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, when a case arose in which certain policemen, either drunk or sober, disturbed the tranquillity of the neighborhood, and were lacking in the respect which is due to the building occupied by the legation, did not give immediate information thereof, for then the chief of police and the intendente of Santiago would have seen that prompt justice was done.
In addition to the consideration due to the honorable minister plenipotentiary, there is another reason to regret the delay in furnishing information of the disorderly conduct which has been brought to the notice of this department, and that is that those policemen or spies, as they are called by the honorable minister plenipotentiary, may have been agents of the very persons to whom an asylum has been granted at the legation, and who maintain relations with others who disguise themselves as officers, and who may be interested in fomenting this trouble, which causes so much annoyance to the American legation and to this department.
At all events, the matter having been brought, although after considerable delay, to the attention of the undersigned, a suitable investigation of the case will be made and the demands of justice will be met.
In closing this reply, it will not be wholly amiss to call the attention of the honorable minister plenipotentiary to the fact that some of the refugees at the legation, owing to their former official position, still maintain connections of which they can avail themselves with other persons not belonging to the legation, and those persons, by reason of their attitude and their conduct at sundry times, might very well aid in creating these troubles, which, as they are not to the taste and do not come within the sphere of the official duties of the honorable envoy extraordinary, can not be to the taste or com-e within the sphere of the duties of the undersigned.
[Page 341]Neither the acts complained of by the honorable minister, nor those suspected by the undersigned, all of which are the outcome of the anomalous situation and not very discreet course pursued by those to whom an asylum has been granted at the North American legation, are, to use the honorable minister’s words, “calculated to promote a continuance of that spirit of cordial friendship which it is so desirable to cultivate between our two countries.” They will not, however, interfere with the good judgment and strict courtesy with which the representatives of both countries will continue to discuss the matters confided to them.
I have the honor, etc.,
M. A. Matta.
The foregoing agrees with the document on file at this legation.
The intendente of Santiago to Señor Matta.
I have this day received your excellency’s note of the 16th, in which you mention the complaint made by the United States minister on account of certain disorderly acts which he says were committed in front of his house on the night of the 15th instant.
I herewith transmit to you, in the original, a police report, which has been received at this office and which seems to refer to the same occurrence. I have, moreover, this day instructed the prefect of police to furnish a report, and as soon as I receive it I will transmit it to your excellency, together with all the data on the subject that I may have been able to obtain.
God guard you.
Carlos Lira.
The foregoing agrees with the document on file at this legation.
The bureau of investigation (i. e., secret police) to the prefect of police.
Among the persons whose duty it is to execute the orders of the court and to maintain public order, reporting to this office, some have repeatedly informed me that, when passing in front of the house occupied by the American legation, in Monjitas street, they have been grossly insulted by various persons who have called them scoundrels, wretches, traitors, and have applied other epithets to them which, from a sense of decency, I do not repeat.
They have also informed me that on other occasions eggs have been thrown at them from the porch of the legation.
As these statements are frequently made, I deem it my duty to bring them to your notice for such purposes as may be proper.
Samuel Plaza.
The foregoing agrees with the document on file at this legation.
The prefect of police to the intendente of Santiago.
Señor Intendente: I have carefully read the note addressed to your excellency by the honorable minister of foreign relations, containing a transcript of a communication from the honorable minister plenipotentiary of the United States, in which Mr. Egan states that seven or eight spies, belonging to the secret police, were last week stationed near the door and in the neighborhood of the legation, the honorable minister adding that at a late hour of the preceding night those men had committed disorderly acts which disturbed the tranquillity of the neighborhood, pounding on the windows of the legation, and grossly insulting the refugees. His excellency Mr. Egan states, in conclusion, that the disorder was ended by the intervention of other police officers.
In view of the statement made by the honorable minister, to the effect that agents of the authorities are acting as spies upon the house which he occupies, your excellency may give the assurance that the police officers, in whatever capacity they may have to present themselves, and whatever may be the task that they are called upon to perform, will, above all things, be respectful, and that in no case will they act the part of provokers, which offense would be punished by me with the utmost severity.
I am not surprised, Señor Intendente, that a case has arisen in which refugees at the legation have been molested by some of their many political opponents. Of this, however, I have no knowledge.
As to the statement made by the honorable minister with respect to disorderly acts committed by officers supposed to be under the control of this department, the only knowledge of it that I have has been received from the note transcribed.
The honorable minister, at the close of his note, calls attention to the fact that the disorder was ended by other police officers who rode up in a carriage after 2 o’clock p.m., that is to say, after about twelve hours of alarm to the neighborhood, and arrested the persons who had created the disorder. In both cases I think, Señor Intendente, that there has been a mistake on the part of the persons who were the minister’s informants, for at the time referred to in the note to which I am replying neither the chief of police nor the criminal courts received any information showing such assertions to be true.
Moreover, Mr. Intendente, I think proper to call your attention to the original reports of the 15th and 18th instant by the chief of the bureau of investigation (i. e., secret police).
This is all that I have to say on the subject concerning which you have asked for a report.
Julio Argomedo.
The foregoing agrees with the document on file at this legation.
The bureau of investigation (i. e., secret police) to the prefect of police.
Señor Prefect: The officers of this bureau have for the third time been insulted by persons coming from the house which is occupied by the American legation.
Last night, while Guardians Rafael Herrera and Erasmon Sepúlveda were seated on the threshold of a house near to that which is occupied by the aforesaid legation, taking a moment’s rest after going over a large portion of the city, the son of the American minister came up to them and addressed them in terms which did very little honor to him who made use of them, and which were highly offensive to our national pride.
I must inform you that these agents confined themselves to taking note of the insulting expressions and of the person who made use of them, in order to report the same to the proper authorities.
I bring the foregoing to your notice for such purpose as may be proper.
Samuel Plaza.
The foregoing agrees with the document on file at this legation.