The Portland daily press., 1873-11-14

1ue vi CuC vi
forty-nine persons of the crew of the Virgin
Jus by the savage Spanish volunteers In Cuba
has excited very deep and wide spread feel
ing of indignation throughout the country.
The utter disregard Of international obliga-
tions, the haste of the murder ers, as if to
avoid conference with the United States an
thoIities, and the apparent defiance OF the
rights and prerogatives of our citizens are an
affront to the nalion and require prompt and
effective attention from our government.
This outrage is the elimination of all the
long series of insults and impositions to which
our citizens resident in uba, our ship cap
tains doing business at their ports, and our
mer, hants having commercial intercourse
with the island have beeu subject. A constant
effort by our government, in the interest OF
peace, has been made to accommodate for
mer difficulties AMI they have all been ad
justed after fashion. It is now demonstrate
ed that definite and vigorous action mus be
taken to inspire the insoent Cuban Spaniards
with a wholesome appreciation of our ro@er
and reasonable respect for the rights of our
citizens.
1t is fair to consider that the MadritIgov-
eminent under charge of CASTELAR, is the most
enlightened administration enjoyed by Spain
for centuries and is one deserving of all en-
couragement and trieudliless from us. It is,
however, SO far from its Cuban dependency
and is so occupied with the Carlists and Res
at home that its influence and power over the
Havana government are very remote and
feeble aud its liberal spirit seems not at all to
permeate the quasi despotism of he Cap
tain Generals management. And this, too.
follows rather than controls the greater bar
barism of the volunteer f,rce-a combination
of wretches whose atrocities have covered their
names with infamy and who do not hesitate
to openly defy the Spanish vice-regency in
any attempt to restrain their enormities. So
that, whatever kindness and good will we may
feel to be due the CASTELAR, home government.
the ostensibe rulers of Cuba, we are practi-
cally compelled to deal with another power
which is the real ruler Of Cuba. and which de-
serves 10 all respects nothing but execration
and stern disfavor. This power has seized an
American vessel and bias tried by drum-head
court martial and shot large number of
American citizens without the decencv Of a
notice to our government, without the ordin-
airy forms of law, and apparently without any
sense of responsibility for their acts, nor care
for the consequences which might follow their
violation OF the requirements of International
law. To such an extent has their lawless,
IN I-sz iy,C ,h, hot fhav a
defiance all dictates of humanity and regard
the laws neither of God nor man.
Under control of this body of outlaws the
Cuban government has committed grave
offense against the dignity of our nation,
which cannot be overlooked, nor palliated by
the soothing phrases of diplomatic correspon-
dence.
1t may be true that the Virginius was ap-
preaching the coast OF Cuba for an unlawful
purpose; it may be that the Spanards had a
right to capture her and hold her inmates for
examination; it may be that the murdered
men were acting wrongfully; all these things
may be conceded without at oil mitigating the
enormity of the offense. 1t is as ii the Cana
dians had promptly Caught and executed all
the Fenans who raided over their bord ers; it
is neary as gross as if we had hung at the
yard arm the crew of every blockade runner
captured during the war. There is SIMPLY
the difference that the belligerency of the Con-
federacy had been generally recognized and
Cuban belligerency only partially. while the
belliyerency Of the Irish republic which as
saulted Canada, was recognized by nobody.
The country viii look to the admins
tration TO call the offenders to account with
such effect as to preclude the possibility of
repetition of the outrage If it be necessary
TO the accomplishment of this result to rec
ognize the belligeIency Of the struggling Gu
bans, recognition must be given in self de-
fence if for no other motive. Foreign COM
plca.ions should be sedulouslv avoided, but
never at the expense of the dignity Of the
nation or the safety of its citizens.