Show OVER THE COALS after amter A se gives the hayal officer some ffoyd advice bur run dias eights jau 8 the secretary of t ie treasure lias written a letter of j unqualified censure to commander keiter who was relieved of his command f r his action at san jose do guatemala lien senior officer with the ranger and ghetia Th etia at the time of the killing of general barrundia on board the steamer acapulco the following extracts will serve to show the aeTo rity of the censure ln your in command of a force of public vessels of the unitta states in territory which if not at that moment at war had certainly been the scene of hostilities as well as civil disturbances tur bances it was your duty to watch with the roost active solicitude over the interests of your country in that quarter especially its interests from the coment that the ai preach af alie acapulco a steamer berins the american alae was known to you you should have taken every legally in your power to give countenance and support to her captain and protection to to all persona on board especially when you knew their safety was likely to he menaced instead ef ih s in your apparent endeavor to escape you remained ao completely passive that as far as eventa on the acapulco were concerned you and your vessels might as well have been on alie other side of the ocean whenever any passengers r american or fere is received on bard an vessel ha cornea under the american flag and is entitled t the protection and security of which that nag is a anlee it was byoir power as it was your imperative duty to execute by every means legally at your command to guarantee that protection which the united states gives to all vessels under ita flag your ships were on the spot you had full knowledge of general approach you were informed of tha intention to seize him as a political offender ha was not a fugitive faoro the territory of guatemala seeking to escape territorial jurisdiction neither was he a conspirator spi attempting to return to his country to foment a revolution he was a pas on board an american ship which he had joined in mexico with the destination of panama and he bad thus without your intervention and outside of the focal jurisdiction obtained a place under the flag and atie protection of the united states in this situation you found him his safety waa threatened under these circumstances cum stances and it was your plain dhuy to proceed at once to meet the steamer before she cast anchor in port to warn the captain of danger and offer to his passengers should they desire it an asylum on board your ship even after the arrival of the acapulco in port your power of di action was by no means taken away there were in particular three points in which the existing situation imposed a duty upon you as senior naval officer namely first to made a full investigation of the facts to ascertain the sufficiency of the charge and of the authority on which the proposed removal of the passengers wa based secondine condIe Se eaby your presence with such assistance ad you might and necessary any proceedings on board the eme e me r calculated to endanger the safely of those on board third if upon examination it appeared a dezure was to be attempt ed without proper warrant or that the proceedings were merely in the nature of a pretext to secure the person of a political fugitive to offer himin accord with the humane and well established practice in case of refugees whose lives are in danger the hospitality of your own vessel in mine of these particulars does it appear that you took any action secretary tracy closes his letter in the following words it is believed that few cases have occurred in the history of the united states navy eliere the commanding 0 licer so completely abandoned the responsibility of liis position as according to your own showing you did upon tass critical occasion A united states does not ask of a foreign government permission to offer an asylum to any person on board an american vessel at aea who stands in need of refuge i an officer who so abdicates in his authority and that of the nation he represents aud surrenders it to othere has a to learn before he can sorely be with alie command of a ahia of war |