Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-11-25
WAR FEELING.
SUSPENSION OF EXECUTIONS.
MOB AT MADRID
War Feeling Intensified.
EXAGGERATED REPORTS.
Statement Of Mr. Fish, Secretary of State.


The war feeling is raging throughout the
country, North and South The people seem
to be impatient to ''cry havoc, and let slip the
dogs of war;" They are not disposed to await
calm and thorough investigation, that the true
status Of the Virginius may be determined, and
to learn whether the passengers and crew OF
that vessel were really and justly entitled to
the protection of the U. s. Government They
are shocked at the manner of the deep dam
nation of their taking off, l" and assume that
they were entitled to the protection OF our
Government, and are impatient to avenge their
fate This is the general feeliog, and the voice
of the people seems to be for war, and 1t will
be difficult for the Congress, which will meet
next Monday, to resist the popular pressure.
The feeling seems to be, if possible, more war
like this week than last, and it really seems
now that war with Spain is imminent. The
administration has been active in making prep
arations for such result, SO as to be prepared
in the event that Congress should determine
upon war with Spain. The news should now
be received with many grains Of allowance, for
much of it is no doubt sensational with the view
Of manufacturing popular sentiment, and excl
ting resentment and warlike feeling, and cannot
be relied upon as strictly correct As an iustra-
ton Of this fact, we state that it is not true,
as stated in the papers last week, that the Gu
bans continued to execute the passengers and
crew of the Virginius Notwithstanding that Or
ders from the Spanish Government had been
received demanding suspension of executions
It is now ascertained that no executions took
place after the telegram from the Spanish Gov
eminent had been received ordering susE en-
sion of them. No executions took place after
the Sth, and the whole number executed
amounts to fifty three. The report Of the ez-
ecution of fifty-seven, after the suspension Of
the execution had been ordered by the Spanish
Government proves to have been erroneous
So that the impression which prevailed last
week that the Cubans were acting independent
ly of the Spanish Government, and, in fact in
spite of its wishes turns out to be erroneous.
Under the suppostion that the Cubans were
acting independently of the Spanish Govern
ment, and that the home government could
not control them, it was felt that our Govern
ment should proceed to seek redress from, and
infict punishment directly upon the party ru-
ling in Cuba, and not to lose time and waste
breath in corresponding and palavering with
the Spanish Government at Madrid. When
1t was learned that Gen. Burriel in Cuba at
once complied with the orders from Madrid
and suspended further executions of the con-
demned victims, better feeling was created
and the intensity of the war feeling somewhat
abated But that had hardly occurred when
it was telegraphed from Madrid that the war
feeling In Spain was rampant; that the resent
ment against the United States was violent !;
4hst mob had threatened the life of our Min
sster, Sickles, and that the CASTELAR, govern
ment of Spain could not control its subjects,
&c. This news intensified the war feeling and
created the impression that war with Spain
must and should take place and that without
delay-that CASTELAR, was powerless to control
his people, however good his intentions, aud
and that the United States should at once de-
clare war It appears from the official des-
patches received at the State department from
our minister at Madrid that. the press despatch
es furnished exaggerated reports, and created
erroneous impressions that the parties who
made riotous demonstrations in front OF the
American legation were enemies OF the Castel-
lar government, and that they were arrested
by the police and will be severely punished !;
that no difficulty or misunderstanding has aris-
en- between our minister and the CASTELAR, min
teFs, but on the contrary our minister reports
that he has received most considerate treatment,
and that the Spanish Government has shown
every disposition to treat the question at issue
candidly and fairly, and that the Madrid au-
thorities have taken precautionary measures
to prevent further insults by the mob to the
American Minister Our Secretary of State,
Mr. Fish, is reported as saying that, there is
nothing 10 the situation to cause alarm or TO
indicate rupture between this government
and Spain. He does not know what new de-
Relopmcnts may take place, but at present
everything looks suspicious for peace.
To us things do not lock very ''auspicious
for peace and We think that new develop
menta may take place. which will cause the
Secretary Of State to express himself different
ly. The people of the United States covet the
beautiful and fertile Island of Cuba which, fer
many reasons not necessary now to state, they
desire to possess. and they hail with pleasure
the occasion which furnishes an opportunity
for them to acquire it, and nothing would
please them more than to learn that Minister
Sickles or some other officials of the United
States had been the victims Of the grossest
indignity.
Like the pugnacious Irishman at Donnybrook
Fair, Brother Jonathan is now exceedingly
anxious that Spain should tread on his coat
tail. IF he fail to get fight with the Spanish
bull Changing the metaphor) it will not be be-
cause he has not fouted the red flag 10 his face.
''Let us have peace is good text-shall its
commentary be written in blood? A short
time will determine.
A special dispatch to the New York Herald
from the capital of Spain, under date of No
vember the Goth, says that the following are
said to be the points of a peremptory demand
presented by our government to the Spanish
Cabinet -
Fnst-The formal delivery Of the Virginius
to officers of our government in port Of the
United States.
Il 10