The New York herald., 1873-11-24

their fellow toilers OF the sea--a chance to avenge
their deaths; and If they do not give their mur
derers such a lesson as will prevent recurrence,
am very much mistaken III the men OF the United
An AMERICAN SAILOR.
Treat tho Torn ado a Pirate.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Nov. %. 1873.
70 THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
In these exciting times allow comparative
stranger TO you, but one whose name, for period
OF twenty-five years, is not unknown in the
archives OF the Secretary OF states Department at
washington, to say few words about this abom-
Unable, barbaric yes, damnable crime that has
been perpetrated by that most Catholic nation
Spain. What is the case, or, rather, how does the
case stand9
Frs-Spain, not recognizing rebellion or bel
ugerent powers in Cuba, has herself committed
piratical act in sezing vessel at sea while bear
Ing foreign Nag for protection.
Second-Il Spain was justified ia seizing the Vir-
gnius and taking her as u prize or otherwise into
one of her ports, the only manner in which she
could deal with those on board was to declare
them prisoners OF war or under susplc1on and
await the judgment OF the Courts as to the charac-
Ter and offence OF the vessel.
Now Spain, under the first head. as far as the
butchers ship Tornado was concerned, has ad-
mitted her piracy, and under the second head has
proved the same; in other words the Tornado was
D pirate.
II mistake not, under the law OF nations
pirate Is 'ouside the lawn and therefore it is not
q question for government to decide, but
rather for the Spanish government to decide,
whether the Tornado Is Spanish man-ofway or a
pirate We on our side must abide by facts, and
are lin my humble opinion) justified IN treating
the Tornado as pirate, for her crime under the
laws OF nations against our flag and citizens Is the
crime OF piracy and consequently she may be
eeized in whatever port she may find shelter.
What then, under these circumstances is the duty
Of our governments 1t Is not necessary to declare
war land you can take my word for 1t that no war
viii arise under it against Spain.
Now we nave nothing to DO with Spain. We ig
nore the completely OF spain IN that butchery. We
have merely to deal with pirate. That pirate is
the Tornado; and she may naunt the Spanish nag
what or that2 Pirates are known to change their
Nationality whenever it suits them. What grounds
have we Ior believing that the pirate Is Spanish
lDan Oiwar, any more than that the pirate herself
refused to recognize our nag as the nationality or
ehied or protection OF the Virginluss
The duty OF any government that is not craven
hearted is simple. Send at once an iron-cad
cannot have forgotten that word so soonj' demand
khe immediate surrender OF the prate-give five
minutes more than was accorded those unlortu-
bates; and in case OF refusal sink her and her ac-
eursed cutthroats, and bring back the Vrginius to
The United states.
When that simple act of justice is done the great
American heart Will be calmed and the question
pan go to arbitration or better STILL can be made
Ehe subject OF lengthy correspondence and apollo
Hes between the Spanish government and our
great Fish at Washington, and IL need be. our Sec
eetary can bow down and KISS as many Spanish
feet as he is inclined to- We, the people will have
bad some satisfaction for the humiliation.
Now for precedents. Look at the history OF Eng
land in the China seas. Look at our own when We
6ombarded friendly toy towns to capture pirates ss we
nrair and many Others too numerous to mention.
Cannot they be easily proved for precedentsY
citizen in this country, and since
republican, and unless General Grant, my beau
ideal OF soldier and soldiers honor to his nag,
lakes such measures as am proposing, my faitn
In the republican party Will be greatly shaken and
my exalted opinion OF the United States greatly
tlamped. was a Britisher once and am still
great admirer OF their moral courage and prompti-
Iude in redressing wrongs and shall truly feel
ashamed OF my adopted country If 1t cannot strike
nrst recourse to law. 1t is always safest to go to
law when you become on even terms with the
for the fine Is smaller 1s
isS6, while my honored father, an English
man, was Consul of these United States for
Syria, that some Turkish soldiers insulted an Arab
girl, who was in the service OF Mr.. Bird an Ameri-
can missionary. My father took The ground eng
lishman as he was) that while the girl was in the
eervice OF an American citizen she was under the
protection of the American nag and in his COM
plant to the Governor General he demanded, as
Ehe only atonement for the insult, that those SOL
1iers should be brought out on the public square
and before the injured girl be there and then bas-
tinadoed on the bare feet. Alter some illy-dally
Ing my fathers flrmness gained the day. and the
Governor General acquiesced put day alter day
passed ana the sentence was still unexecuted. No
American man-ofwar came TO the rescue. But
chat great friend OF this country. Sir John Frank
VII, COMMANDING iDi iboH iIiEdtc, NuHC dL
anchor at smyrna, heard Of the indignity,
and, crowding SAIL reached Beyrout and,
calling upon my father. took him almost by lorce
60 the Governor Generals palace and there de-
manded the execution OF the sentence. He gave
She Governor "A hours, promising at the eXpira-
zion oil that time to take the resposibllity-mark
You the word-of bombarding the town. There
was brave man-ft representative OF a great
hationl The sentence was there and then exc
cuted, and the American Nag owed the vindca-
zion OF its honor TO an Englishman.
Shall we again In this case OF u murderous pirate
allow England to champion our cause, on the
ground that the Virginius seized in British
waters? Forbid 1t, ye gods Rather let us at cnce
Btrike down the murderous villain Yours, &c.
A. b. CHASSEAUD,
No. 259 Quincy street, Brooklyn.