, 1873-11-23

Sunday Morning. November 23, 1873.

sunday Morning. November 23, 1873.
THE v1Ra1N1us AND THE ALABAMA.
There is wild fury in certain quattors as to
tho Virginius affair, and bowling for war
without reforonco to provocation or international
law. Alexander u. Stephens, old and feoble,
goos to Washington from Georgia to raise Ills
voice for war because ho thinks it will bo bond
of reunion between tho North and the South.
s. s. Cox, young aud vigorous. goes back to
Congress from Now York with sot Of eloquent
resolutions in his pocket, calculated to fro the
heart Of the Democracy. Newspaper editors from
Maine to Florda have put On their war-paint,
aud are eager for tho fray. To-day re hear that
Tho spaninrds at Madrid arc rouaed to roaent-
nent ut tho warlilse front that America presents,
and 80 our wrath ID holghtanod and intonsfioa.
The next day comos tho nows that tho Virgnius
was duly cleared as an American vessel, and tint
her papers woro regular" and it is immediato-
ly concluded that this was tho only point in dig
puto, ind that wo now hnyo tho right to 70
ahead. Tho fact is that no aro getting tho cap
turo OF tho Virginiua aud tho execution of Capt,
Try and his crew and sovoral other things all
mixod up.
It is now believed ut tho State Department
that tho registry papers Of tho VirginiuB were
regular, ana That she was captured Oh tho high
sens while sailing as au American vessel. II
this turns ont to be true. wo do not 500 that 1t
affects tho present status Of tho case. Tho
papers Of tho Alabama wero equally rogu1ar.
Suppose United States n,an.of~war Ind cap
tured tho Alabama somewhere on tho high soas
between Liverpool and Madeira, on hor first
voyage, does any ono suppoHo that Groat Britain
would hayo demanded roparation? Or, if Groat
Britain had so far stultificd lorsolf Us to mako
such demand. docs any ono suppose that tho
people Of tho Uuited States would have regarded
1t sB worth the paper it waa written on7 Tins la
tho only way in which tho people Of tho United
States can put themselves in tho place Of tho
Spanish people. It is tho only way in which tho
continent Of tho Spanish people can be properly
Judged. Tho Alabama was Dritish ship, cleared
in British wators, aailod Under British 1lag, mud
carried British registry, so long Oh it suited
her purpose. Had we captured her in this con-
di:ioa, VIC would hayo secuted any tomand of tho
British Government for her surrender. 1t Is
true TINT we would not haYo executed all On
board, our ruloa Of humanity being of differ
ent md higher typo than those Of Spain but
this docs not altor the caao, and docs not onter
into tho present question. Tho Virginiua occu-
pied toward the Cuban Rebels precisely tho same
position which tho Alabama, on hor
first VOYAGE occupied toward tho American
Rebols. Though cleared undor American
papors, aho was 11ttod out to carry
contraband of Tar to tho Cuban inRurgentB.-
nrrns, ammunition, and Spanish subjects in TO-
bo1lion against tho Government. The character
Of tho Y1rginius WIS we'll understood in Now
York. and equally we'll understood in Cuba, where
elo was awaited alike by tho spaniah authorities
aud the insurgents. For the doprodations Of tho
Alabama, similarly 1ttod out In British port
wo claimed damages, and received 5O00, 900,
after m arbitration agreed upon by both pationB
because Great Britaiu did not uso duo Diligence
In stopping her whom notified Of her character.
It is possible that Spain may havo claim against
usfor allowing the Virginus tosai1 from Now York.
but VIC can hardly insiat upon concoasion from
her for capturing the Virginius, when wo used
our utmost ondeavora to intercept tho Alabama
before she reaohod the Island Of Madeira, whore
she threw of hor diaguisos.
Tho only porceptiblo difference botwoon the
Alabama case md the Virgnius afrar is that. tho
bo]ligcronoy Of tho American Robels had boon
has not been acknowledged. Failure to
ACCORD bolligoront rights to tho CubanB
is our own fault, II 1t DO fault and
cannot now bo pleaded to enhance the
onormity Of tho oifensc committed by Spain.
II it bo tho Inv that fl}ibuatoring yossos carry
Ing aid to 1ebols not recognized aa bolligorouts
cannot DO molestol on tho high soas, then neu-
tral Powor may always rosoryo to iteelf tho right
OF fitting out hostile ships by refusing to rocog-
nixorobolaas bell.gcronts and tho friends OF Cuba
Llbro hnyo boon guilty Of Il serious orror in
cla1noring forrecognitlon. THO question OF bel
ligoronoy cvitontly cuts no figure in this caue,
If the Vrgili''s was in fact Kobol ship, sailing
>ndor tho American flag, and with American
papers norely III n cover md a fraud.
Our casua oe9li thus bcoomea reduced, as OK
President Woolsoy Gays, to QUO Of common hu-
manity, in Which England Franco, aud Cor
many ought to tako tho aamo intorost as tue
United states. Capt. Fry, In Ais eloquent pro.
toat on bohalf Of Ro,no OF his GROW, mado fow
hours before his death, dwolt OIL tho hardship OF
capital puntahmcnt NJ applied to blookadc-run-
nors, representing that no exooution had over
taken place for this ollonao, and claiming thai
10 and Ills comrades were it;uorantth that tho Span.
tub Inv anthorlzoait. But, II tl,ia IL tho Bpanial
Inv, md tho prisoners wore captured on Robe
ship, what right have we as anatlon to undertake
to annnl 1t, except on tho broad ground of hu'
manity7 lilo execution Of Capt. Fry aud hlt