Mr. Wharton to Mr. Egan.
Washington, October 1, 1891.
Mr. Egan is informed that the President desires to establish and maintain the most friendly relations with Chile, but the right of asylum having been tacitly, if not expressly, allowed to other foreign legations, and having been exercised by our minister with the old Government in the interest and for the safety of the adherents of the party now in power, the President can not but regard the application of another rule, accompanied by acts of disrespect to our legation, as the manifestation of [Page 178] a most unfriendly spirit. Mr. Egan is instructed to furnish a copy of this to the minister for foreign affairs and to take the utmost precaution to prevent any abuse of the privilege of asylum by those to whom he has extended it; their intercourse with outside persons, whether by person or by letter, should be under his supervision and limited to the most necessary and innocent matters. The discussion and adjustment of the matter would probably be much facilitated were there an authorized agent of Chile at Washington.