The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-11-27

The prospect of "a war with Spain
growing out of the atrocious butchery of
the passengers and crew of the Virginus,
is the all engrossing question of the hour.
The excitement is highest in the great
centres of population, and extends thence
to the remotest parts of the Union. The
unanimity with which redress is demand
ed, even if it be obtained at the lannon's
mouth, is without parallel. With here
and there an exception, the expression is
undivided While the Administration
is employing itself collecting the facts in
order to reach conclusion, it is instinct
lively grasped by the masses. They knowa
horrible butchery which makes humanity
shudder has been perpetrated; and while
publicists are refining questions of inter-
national law, the great tribunal of the
nation has spoken its decision that there
must be Indemnity for the past and
Security for the future"
No Indemnity" short of the Island
of Cuba itself will be sufficient.
No security for the future" will an
swer short of its transfer to the United
States and the removal of all cause of
troubles which must occur, and will
occur, SO long as the people of that
Island are struggling to free themselves
from the tyranny of the government that
rules them with its rod of iron.
In 1847, President Polk approaching
the value of the Island, and realizing
that in the possession of Spain it would
continue to be cause of trouble between
the two nations, directed the u. S. Min
lister at Madrid, r. M. Saunders, of
North Carolina, to purchase it. The
offer was rejected; but the whole country
applauded his sagacity. From that day
to this, the people of the United States
have never lost sight of the tempting
prize-though their government has
scrupulously observed the rights of Spain.
Manifest Destiny still leads the way.
The stupidity and blindness of the Span
ish rulers, who are the only obstacle to
the acquisition of the Island by the IT,.
s., have created the golden opportunity
which nothing but corresponding stu
pidity of cur own authorities will permit
to be lost.
These facts are known
The Virginus was owned by citizens of
the United States. She was captured on
the high seas and the flag of the United
States was torn down and the colors of
Spain hoisted in its place. The accepted
law of nations is that the ocean is a COM
mon highway and the vessel that rides it
is the floating territory of the flag which
it carries Spain has no more right,
under this doctrine, to intrude herself on
the vessel carrying the flag of the U. S.
than she would have to invade any State
of the Union to punish citizens of this
country on suspicion that they meditated
violation of her laws.
But even if the Virginius and her
crew had been seized on Spanish waters,
three miles from the territory of Spain,
by treaty stipulations they were entitled
to fair trial in which their cause could
have been prosecuted and adjudicated
before the tribunal which sentenced
them. This right was denied them.
They were inhumanly murdered without
opportunity of defense.
There is no mitigating circumstance in
the case. American citizens have been
seized on the high seas with the flag of
their country floating over them for their
protection, and horribly butchered by the
agents of a foreign power without even
the form of trial. Redress ndem-
nifty for the past-Security for the flu
ture"-is the watchword and reply. 1t
is Numbered from Ocean to Ocean, from
the Lakes to the Gulf-from the centre
throughout all the confines of this vast
nationality.