Mr. Hay to Mr.
Sampson.
Department of State,
Washington, January 31,
1900.
No. 126.]
Sir: Referring to the Department’s No. 106, of
October 5 last, relative to the summons issued against the United States
consul-general at Guayaquil, I inclose copies of two dispatches from
that officer, from which it appears that the President of Ecuador has
expressed regret at the incident, and that the police magistrate has
been removed from office.
I am, etc.,
[Page 263]
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. de Leon to
the Department of State.
Consulate-General of the United States,
Guayaquil, Ecuador, January 4, 1900.
No. 83.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your
No. 51. I fear I am likely to obtain no satisfaction for the outrage
perpetrated by the Ecuadorean police magistrate, Landin.
Permit me to say that I make no complaint in regard to the serving of
summonses. I am well aware that a consular officer is not exempt
from civil process, even in cases like my own, where the claims are
baseless and brought to annoy him. What I do complain of, and what I
hoped the Department would require redress for, are the false and
insulting remarks made about me by the police magistrate in open
court, without the slightest justification, and the invasion of the
consulate and my residence (even my bedroom) by a constable entering
them to serve the summonses. This I regard as an outrage on the
United States as well as myself. Even were I a citizen of Ecuador,
my residence could not legally have been entered, while, as
consul-general of the United States, I claim the consulate is
equally inviolable. I can not see what bearing, therefore, your
remarks, the “immunity from service of judicial process enjoyed by
consular officers of other governments stationed in Ecuador,” has
upon the case in question. I hope you will concur in my views, and
that Minister Sampson will be instructed to exact an apology from
the Ecuadorean Government. * * *
Perry M. de Leon, Consul-General.
[Inclosure 2.]
Mr. de Leon to
the Department of State.
Consulate-General of the United States,
Guayaquil, Ecuador, January 10, 1900.
No. 85.]
Sir: I have the pleasure as well as the
honor to state that in an interview I had last evening with
President Alfaro, who is here on a visit, he censured Landin for his
conduct and expressed his sincere regret for the occurrences,
assuring me of his personal regard and thanking me for the reports I
have from time to time made upon Ecuador.
I have also the pleasure to state that Landin has lost his office,
the municipality a few days since appointing Señor Icaza to succeed
him. So terminates this disagreeable incident. I trust the next
treaty with Ecuador will preclude similar trouble in the future.
I have, etc.,
Perry M. de Leon, Consul-General.
