The New York herald., 1873-12-11
Has The Virginius Been Given UP :

Has The yirginius Been Given UP !!
We publish elsewhere an important an
nouncement from Washington to the effect that
the Virginius has been given up and is now on
her way to the United States. This may be
only another of the see saw reports from the
powers that be; but should it prove true the
country will hail it as the first important step
towards an adjustment of our troubles with
Spain. The next step should be the surrender
of the surviving captives, and then will come
the final settling up After all, this Virginius
outrage is but one of long list Of insults to
our flag and indgnites to our consuls and
citizens. Let-President Grant prepare o spe-
cial message to Congress, setting forth, in his
own blunt and forcible way, all our recent diff
ficulties with Spain growing out Of the bar
barous state of affairs in Cuba, and asking for
such powers as may be necessary to prevent
future outrages. We urge this, not because
we desire war, but because this opportunity
of finally and forever settling the Cuban
question should not be lost.
For if to-day's report should not be contra
dicted tomorrow, and the terms of the proto-
col should be carried out fully, how much
nearer shall we be to a satisfactory settlement
of the difficulties and annoyances growing out
of the present condition of affairs in the island
of Cuba? How long will it be before another
virginius is captured on the high seas and
another fifty or sixty human beings butchered
without trial at the slaughter house wall Of
Santiago? While we can understand why
Mr.. Fish may be allowed to make his unsatis-
factory compromise of this present outrage in
order TO get it out of the way we cannot be-
lieve that either the President or Congress can
be Indifferent to the importance of final
settlement of the Spanish-Cuban question, or
willing to take the responsibility that would
rest upon them should the case of the
Virginius be repeated. The protocol is simply
a compromise to avert war for the moment;
probably friendly concession to the CASTELAR,
government, made to afford it the opportunity
of crushing It's enemies at home without the
embarrassment of foreign complications. It
may be carried out in all its parts. Indeed,
if the despatch we publish elsewhere has any
foundation in fact, we should not be surprised
virginius at Charleston, Savannah, New Or
leans or some other American port. But it
will leave US in the exact position we occupied
before the vessel was captured, and before
poor Fry and his associates we're cruelty mur-
dered. No security will be given that Spain
will no longer claim or exercise the right to
seize our vessels on the high seas and to exc
cute our citizens as pirates on the sentence of
drum-head court martial. The question of
the release of the embargoed estates and
of the safety from assassination, out
rage or annoyance of Americans in
Cuba, will still remain open. Should the
yirginius and the survivors of her passengers
and crew arrive in one Of our harbors to-
morrow, it would still be the duty of the Pres
ident to lay before Congress in a special
message the whole history of our negotiations
with Spain regarding Cuba and the exact con-
dition of our interests in that island, and it
will still be necessary that he should ask the
power to use the army and navy of the United
States for the protection of the lives and prop
erty Of our citizens in Cuba. We sincerely
trust that he will neither shrink from nor
delay this task. So far rs Congress is con-
cerned, we have no doubt of a proper response
to such an application. The preamble and
resolution introduced by Mr. Phillips, OF
Kansas, yesterday in the House Of Represen-
tatives, does not exaggerate public sentiment
on the Cuban question, and the House has
already shown that it only delays touching the
subject out Of respect to the Executive
until he is ready to speak. The
prompt concession Of the supplies
asked by the Secretary of the Navy is an evi-
dence that Congress will not neglect the na-
tional honor or be slow to act when the proper
time arrives. The Fish-Polo protocol taken
alone, is tame, insufficient and even dis
honorable compromise Of the virginius out
rage but if it is TO be only the prelude to q
Grm demand for an entire settlement of the
Cuban question il will be acquiesced in by the
country. Let US hope, then, that after the
| vessel and the prisoners are saielv in our DOS.