Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-12-02
Legal Status of the Virginius.

The Petersburg Ualfy NelOS charges that
Grants administration is culpabIe in the mat
ter of our present complications with Spain
1t says:
ut is we'll known fact that for three years
at east-certaiuly ever since early in 1871 the
| Virginius has been we'll known as filibuster-
ing vessel, her owners and crew as parties of
the Cuban patriots and under different flags,
conveying contraband cargoes and men to the
Cuban insurgents The government authori-
ties we'll knew this factor with due vigilance
should have known it-and they we'll knew,
also, that the laws of nations and the laws of
the United States prohibit all such violations
of amity between nations. But with all this
| light. or culpable want of light before them,
and while President Grant aud his Cabinet
were indulgiug their gay and festive summer
sports at Long Branch and other pleasure re-
sorts, the Virginius was fitted out without dis
guise, and received her cargo and her papers
| IN the port of New York, and put to sea with
out one bit of Observation-Disclosures had the Fed
era officials been the least faithful to duty the
| whole disaster national and individual, would
have been averted. Let not the Grant admin
istration, therefore, shake its CORY locks at
| Spain and say that she is the sole criminal.
The CINCINNATI Commercial publishes long
letter from its correspondent LEI. V. R. about
the late Virginia election We extract the fol-
lowing paragraph:
1t is question if the Radical party in Vir-
| GINA has not received finishing blow-a blow
| from which it will never recover. General
| Wickham, leading Republican, said in the
| Lynchburg convention that if the Democrat
ic party is defeated 10 November, its defeat
would be its utter and iual determination and
| do sincerely believe that If the Republican
party sustained defeat it would never again
raise its head as State organization in Vir-
| GINA"
Well, it suffered a very decided defeat--it
backbone not only being broken, but its spirits
crushed as WE'LL It will not have the courage
to take the field again as State organization.
In the heavy negro counties of Prince Edward,
| Cumberland, Amelia, etc.. it will keep ranks,
but in other portions OF the State, and as a
State organization it will be apt to become de-
moralized and inefficient, if not actually dis
rupted
The SITUATION IN SPAIN.-Late European
journals give melancholy picture of the dis
sension prevailing in Spain few weeks ago,
which strongly suggest the rumors but lately
published as to the probability of the overthrow
| Ol CuO OdSteldf SU|cEuutut. lie udtlOu 10 uio-
tracted by two monarchial factions, one Of which
regards the son Of Queen Isabella as the COM
ing king. while the other supports the claims
of Don Carlos, and bitter animosties exist be-
tween the moderate and radical republicans.
If all prospect of establishing republic is de-
stroyed, it is supposed that the pretensions Of
the son of Isabella will be greatly strengthened,
and that the contest will soon be narrowed
down to struggle between his champions. who
advocate his elevation to the throne on the
ground that he will be constitutional monarch,
and the supporters of Don Carlos, who is al
legged to be the representative of absolutism =
| Bait Sun