The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1873-12-18
The ,-rs,.

forbids our giving the mess
tire, but we give the most import
parts
Washington. December 2, 1873
To tte Senate and House Of Repre-
sen'ctic's. Tho year that has pass
ed SINCE the submission Of my last
message 10 congress has, especial,
Turing the latter part Of IL, been at
eventful one tl tn, country. tn the
nidst Of great national prosperity {
financial crisis has occurred that bai
brought low, fortunes of gigan.i,
proportions. Political partisanshit
has almost ceased TO exist, especially
in the agricultural regions, and finally
the caph,rc upon the high seas of a
Vessel bearing our tlag has for timt
threatened the most serious conse.
qucnces and has agitited the public
mind from one end ofthe country
10 ths other. But this happily now
is ia the course of satisfactory al
jus.ment. preferable to both nation:
concerned The relations Of the
United States, however, with mos
Of tho other powers continue to bc
friendly aud cordial With Franco
Germany, Russia, Italy and the mi
nor European powers, with Brazil
aud most OF the South American re
publics, ani with Japan nothing ha,
occurred during the year 10 demand
special notice. The money
awarded to the United States by the
tribunal of arbitration at Geneva
was paid by Her Majesty's govern
ment q few days in advance of th,
time when it would have become
payable according to the terms o.
the treaty. In compliance ,cith thc
provisions Of the act of March 3, 1877;
it wHs at once paid into the treasury
aud used to redeem so far as n
might, the public debt OF the United
states and tho amount 80 redeemed
was invested in n five per cent, rcg.
istered bond OF the United States
for fifteen millions 1--WE hundred thou
sand dollars, which is now held by
the secretary OF state, subject to the
future disposition OF congress.
In referring TO the trouble with
Spain the President says: "Tho
steamer Firginius was ON the 26th
day of September, 1873. duly regis
tered at the port Of New York rs n
part Of the commercial marine of the
United States on the ith of October
1878 Having received the certificate
of herreyis.er in the usual legal form
she sailed from the port of New
York aud has not since been seen
within the territorial jurisdiction Of
the United States. On the 31st day
of October last, while sailing under
the fag of the United States on the
high seas, she vas forcibly seized by
the Spanish eunboat Tornado and
carried into the part of Santiago dc
Cuba, where many of hor passengers
land crew were inhumanly treated
aud 50 far Mt least as relates to those
who were citizens of the United
States, We're without due process o.
law put TO death
It isa well established principle
assorted by the Unito1 States from
the beginning Of their national in
dependence, recognized by Great
Britain and other maritime powers
and stated by the senate in a resolu
tion passed on the 10th of June 1855
that American vessels on the high
seas in time Of peace bearing the
\mericin flag remain under the
jurisdiction of the country to which
they belong, and therefore any visi
tation, molostations or detention oi
such vessels by force or by the ex
hibition of force on the part OF q
foreign power, is in deroyation oi
the United States In accordance
with this principle the restoration OF
the Virginius AM the surrender OF
the survivors Of her passengers aud
crew, and due reparation to tht
dag and the punishment of the au
thorities who had been gully of tn,
illegal acts or violence were demand
ed. The Spanish government ha,
recognized Inc justice of the demano
and has arranged for the immediat,
delivery of the vessel aud of the sur
render OF the survivors of the pass
engers aud crew and for sllute t,
the flag and for proceedings lookin,
to the punishment Of those who IN !,
be proud to have been guilty of i'll
egal acts OF violence towards citizen
} of the United States and also 70
wards indemnifying those who ma
have been shown to be entitled /
indemnity.
"ln taking leave of this subiec
for the present wish to renew tn
expression of my conviction that til
existence Of African slavery in Cub
J is a principal cause Of the lamentabl
} condition Of the island l do nc
doubt that congress shares with m
the hope that it will soon be mad
TO disappear, and that peace an
, prosperity may follow it's abolition.
The embargoing of American e.
tates in Cuba, cruelty to America
citizens detected in no act of hostil
ty to the Spanish government. I'll
numbering OF prisoners taken wit
! arms in their hands, and finally I'll
capture, upon the high seas, of
vessel sailing under the Unite