Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-11-29
A Policy Toward Spain and Cuba.
"A Cabinet Observation-Disclosures Grant
in Favor OF Mediation.

A Cabinet Diseussion--PTesIden Grant
in Favor OF Mediation.
AT the meeting of the American Cab
met the Secretary Of State laid before
the President all thetelegrams received
and sent in regard to the capture of the
Virginius, the execution of Varona,
Jesus del Sol, Cespedes and Ryan, and
the instructions sent to Minister Sick.
les at Madrid, and Consul General Hall
at Havana. He said that he was unable
as this time to formally present the
matter, as the State Department was
without official dispatches, owing TO
the interruption of telegraphic facilities
between Havana and Santiago de Cuba,
but that he hoped in few days to be in
possession of such details as would en-
able the government to act definitely.
This allusion to the matterwas followed
by general remarks on the part of aid
the members of the Cabinet. The Sec
rotary of State said that it was impos-
sible now to fairly judge the question,
but, as would appear from the cable
dispatches received, the Spanish gov
eminent had no intention or desire to
assume the responsibility which the
grievousness of the act presented. As
he was advised, the government at
Madrid were without details. All that
had been sent abroad was from Wash
ington, based on the press dispatches,
and what were undoubtedly official dis
patches from the commanding officer at
Santiago de Cuba to the Captain Gen.
eral at Havana. So far as the Spanish
Legation was concerned he was assured
that Admiral Polo knew no more of the
details than the State Department
Until the State Department was in pos
session of detailed statement he was
not prepared to offer the matter for for
NAL consideration.
The summary execution of Ryan,
Varona and others was then talked of,
and the Secretary of State said that the
only explanation he could give for what
might now appear as an unwarranted
execution was that the parties shot had
been adjudged guilty of treason, and
the sentence of the Spanish govern
ment passed upon them some time ago.
1t was an old Spanish law, as much in
force to-day as it was forty years ago,
and those summarily executed, he had
no doubt, were on the list of condemned
traitors or open enemies of the Spanish
government, and, their identity being
proved, the military officer at Santiago
had no discretion in the matter, but
carried out the decree of his govern
ment. 1t was nothing new merely the
enforcement of decree based upon old
Spanish law. Coming back to the
questions whether the seizure was legal
or illegal, whether the Virginius was in
every way protected by her register and
clearance papers, whether the parties
on board were destined for a regular
port, as he had already stated, these
matters could only be known when the
State Department had received sucl
particulars as the magnitude of the cast
demanded.
The President said he had read in the
press dispatches the statement that
eighty Cuban insurgents, captured al
prisoners of war, had been shot on the
field, and, while the report lacked con
- hO "t''o ptoPtIIcu W usdI "
its confirmation after what had alread,
occurred in Cuba, and he was satisfied
that the Spanish government did no
and would not approve of such butchery
1t was matter, however, which an en-
lightened government could not over
look, if, indeed, this method of warfar
was necessary to the support of tn
Spanish Republic, Individually he coul'
not wish such government prosperity
If the Spanish people, in their effort t.
establish republican form of govern
ment, could not control their authori
ties in Cuba, then, in the interest O
humanity. he thought it time to inter
fere-not to encourage the struggling
Cubans nor embarrass the Spanish Re
public in any way, but wholly in tn
interest of civilization and humanity
Such precedent has already been es
tablished. My attention has recent
been called to this, and I refer the MAJ
ter to the Secretary of State.