presented to the State Department, he was free to assume or decline that position. This circumstance explains why the honorable Secretary of State informed the District-Attorney that Mr. Mackenna was not recorded as such Secretary at the State Department; and, at the same time, places in its true light the telegram which I sent to that functionary, stating that Mr. Mackenna may not be considered as Secretary, for which purpose I take pleasure in sending you this communication. I have the honor to to be, Your obedient servant, F. S. ASTA-BURUAGA, Chilian Minister. After reading the above documents, Mr. Stoughton declared in Mr. Vicuña Mackennn's behalf that he was ready to wave, and did wave, all his diplomatic privileges and immunities, and came forward to be tried by the common law of the country. The Secretary of State, Hon. W. H. Seward, had, nevertheless, refused to grant any diplomatic immunity to the Agent of Chili, as shown in the following telegram and certificate: TELEGRAM. WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. D. S. Dickinson, United States District Attorney. Benjamin Vicuña Mackenna is not known to this Government as having any diplomatic privileges. You will proceed accordingly. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. CERTIFICATE. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, To all to whom these presents shall come greeting: I certify that it appears, from the records and files of this Department, that Benjamin Vicuña Mackenna is not now, and never has been, Secretary to the Chilian Legation in the United States, and that he is not and never has been accredited to this Government in any capacity which would entitle him to the privileges and immunities of a diplomatic agent, pursuant to the laws of nations and the Act of Congress in such case provided. In testimony whereof, I, William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States, have hereunto subscribed [LS] my name, and caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this twelfth day of February, A.D. 1866, and of the Independence of the United States of America the ninetieth. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. The trial, after these preliminary discussions, has been postponed to the middle of April, and the Confidential Agent of Chili is at liberty under bail of ten thousand dollars. What the result of this trial will be time alone will show. The people of the United States will be called upon to pronounce their verdict in the pending question, and as far as the opinion of its representatives goes, we know its real and deep significance in the account we have published of the meeting of January 6th. The opinion of the South American countries is not yet known. But the following article, published on February the 21st, by the Mercantile Chronicle, of Panamá, an able interpreter of popular feeling among the republics of the Pacific, gives an idea of what will be the feeling exhibited toward the actual policy of the United States in those "sister republics:" THE ARREST OF THE CHILIAN ENVOY. From the advices just received from New York, we learn of the arrest of Señor Mackenna, the Special agent of the Republic of Chili to the United States, charged with a breach of the neutrality laws. This action is somewhat startling; but when we consider that Secretary Seward has but recently visited Cuba, and "hobbed and nobbed" with the Captain General, we are not surprised at the action of the State Department even of the free and enlightened United States. Secretary Seward, it is well known, has a penchant for "royalty," and that may give us the key, possibly, to many of his anomalous and strange proceedings that damp the ardor of his friends, while they offer to his enemies so fruitful a theme for vituperation. In a land where the "Monroe Doctrine" is supposed to have such a vast hold, Señor Mackenna's breach of the neutrality laws should be scarcely of any moment when placed in the scale against the preservation of republican freedom on this continent. But when the great principle is repudiated in the case of Mexico, it is not to be wondered at that a similar, or even harsher course is adopted toward a distant sister republic like Chili. This arrest was made at the instance of Spaniards and Spanish agents-not United States citizens-and it remains to be seen how the American people receive it. In contradistinction to the above case, we submit the following: "Within the last fortnight, at the dead of night, in the city of New York, a policeman stopped a suspicious-looking individual in a by-street, driving a wagon loaded with boxes. The driver's answers were unsatisfactory, he was arrested, and the matter brought to the notice of the Superintendent of Police, inasmuch as the load consisted of military accoutrements and clothing. Was this, too, a Chilian enterprise? By no means. Col. O'Mahony, President of the Irish Republic, just dropped a bit of a note' to the official guardians of the peace, stating that the goods were his property, and presto, they were released from seizure.” The hope has been for a long time held out to Chili that assistance would be rendered her in her present trying difficulties, and instead thereof, we see her agent arrested like a criminal, while every encouragement and immunity are extended to a lot of hot-headed, crack-brained Irishmen engaged in a mad and hopeless undertaking. In sober seriousness, what is the meaning of this harsh, unusual proceeding? What does it forebode? "Coming events cast their shadows before," and we look upon the arrest of Señor Mackenna as an evil omen for Chili. But how has this sudden change come about? Is Cuba to be the price paid to the United States by Spain for "lending her a hand" in her present desperate efforts to crush the South American Republics? Who knows! "There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, |