The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-12-04

sold IS slaves IN Cuba Next the Cap
tain General Of that colony was depriv-
Cd OF the poEysr to set aside tie orders
Z 0f his superiors at Madrid, which had
4 pertained to the ofnee since 1925. The
seauesiered estates Of American citi-
I zens, which -haa beent the caIlse-oI long
aud frequent correspondence, were
ordered to be restored to their owners.
All these liberal steps we're taken in
face of violent opposition directed by
the reactionary SHAREHOLDERS at Hay-
ana, who are vainiy striving fb0Astay
the march of ideas, which has termin-
ated slavery in Christendom, Gnha
alone excepted. Unhappily, however,
this baAef1E influence has thusfaf suc-
fceeded in defeating the efforts of all
liberal minded men in Spain to aboI-
ish slavery in Cuba, aud in preventing
the promised reform IN that island the
struggle for political supremacy con-
l,taIns the pro-slaYery. Ge 80
The aristocracY in Clba is gradual
HIly arraigning itself IN more and more
I.open hostility and defiance of the
I home government, while II still MAIN
tRins political connection with the
republic in the peninsula, and al
4 though usuRping and defying the 2u-
/ thority of the home government,
whenever such usurpation ;or defiance
tends IN the direction of oppression
or of the maintenance OF abuses, it
stin is 2 power in Madrid and is re-
hcognized by the governments oFo
/ Thus an element more dangerous to
the coniiaued colonial relations be-
tween Enba and Spain than that which
inspired the insurrection AZ z af:ss;; an
event opposed to granting any, relief
from misruae. and abuse, with no as
| piFation after freedems;. Commanding
/ no sYmpathies in generous hearts,
aiming to riYetstill stranger the shac-
kles of slavery and oppression, has
/ seized many Of the ep1hIems of power
in. Cuba, and under Professions of
] loyalty, to the mafher' country, is ex-
hausting the RESOURCES of the Island,
| and is doing acts which are at ,Haria
j ance with those principles of justice,
i OF liberty and Of. right, which give.
4 nobility of character to republic, In
/ the Interests of humanity of ciEiliza-
| ton and of progress, it Is to be hoped
that this evil infiuence may soon be.
/ aYertedi The steamer ViEginips was.
on the, 18th day of September, 1872
/ duly registered at the port. of New
i York as part of the commercial MAJ
/ rine of the United States. On, the
4th of October. 1879, having reeei yed
the certificate of her register in the.
usual legal form, che sailed from the
i port of New y olik, and has moi since
/ been within the territorial Jurisdiction
Of the United States On. the 3Ist day
i of October last. W lille sailing under
the flag Of The United States on the
high seas, she was .forci6Iy seized by
4 the Spanish, gunboat Tornado, and
was carried into the port of Santiago
de Cuba, where many cf her passen-
j gers and crew were inhumanly, and,
so far at least as relates to those, VINO
were citizens of the United States,
i without due process Of law, put TO
death.saa s F .se.e-i..s.esss = fuoalI@
Itiis q well established principle as
serted by the United States from the
beginning of their national indapend.
ence, recognized by Great Britain and
otheEEInaratimes p0 weFs, aud stated by
the Senate in aresolHtieR passed g1if-
anilaonsly on the. sixteeRtho of sJ unes
1888, that American vessels on the
high seas in timeaof peace bearing the
Jurisdiction of the country ito which
they belong and ndtherefofe any Visita-
i tio2, molestatien or destruction OF
4 such vessel by force on the part of a
/ foreign power is in deFr0gation. of the
4 sovereignty of the United Statessonei
i In accordance with this principle
i the restoration of the Nirgiuius and
the surrender of the survivors of her
1 passenge and crew and q due repara-
4 ton to the flag and sthe punishment
+ of the authorities who had been guilty
i of the Illegal acts of violence, were
demanded. The Spanish Government
has recognized the Justice of the de-
4 mand and las arranged for the im-
mediate delivery of the vessel and for
i the surrender. of the survivors of, the
passengers and crew, and for q salute
TO the. flag, and for proceedings look
4 ing to the punishment of those who
may be. proved to have been guilty of
Z ILLEGAL acts of violence towards citizens
i of the United States, and also towards
: indemnifying those whois may be
shown to be entitled to indemnity, A
copy of protocol of a conferences be-
tween the Secretary of State and the
j Spanish Minister in which the terms
of this arrangement were agreed to is
! transmitted herewith, The cores
/ lpoudence on this subject. with the
legation of the United States is in
cipher and by cable, sandeneeds the
/ Verifcati on of the actual texto of the
correspondence. 1t has seemed to me
to be due to the, imp portanee of-thecase
/ not to submit this correspondence un-
. til the accurate text can be received
by the mails. 1t is expected shortly
and will be submitted when, received
In taking leave of this subject for
the present. wishdo renew the ex-
preston of nay conviction that the eX-
istence of African slavery in Cuba is
principal cause of the lamentable
condition of5thel island.aaI do not
doubt that Congress shares with me
the hope that it will soon be made to
disappear, and that peace and prOsper-
ity May follow its abolitioR.i The en-
bargoing of American estates in Cuba.
. cruelty to American citilenssdetected
insno sactsef hostility to the Spanish
GoFeFHment, the numbering of prison
ers taken with arms in their hands
i and finally the capture upon tho high
seas of q vessel sailing under the Uni
J ted States Aagland bearing United
State registry has enlminated in an
outburst of indignation that has seem
ed for time to sthreaten war .unt
. The naval preparations pending
J l.negotiations4sb betWeen3a the IRited
: States and the Government Of SpaiE
: on, the subject of thiseapture. i have
authorized the Seenefapglof the, Navy
to put Our navy on a war footing K
! the extent at least of the entire eaRnua
appropriation Off that branch of the
: service, trusting to Congress and the
/ public opinien of tie american peo
S pie to Justify my action, s75t cue d
Assuming, from the action of thu
: last Congress, inoappointiDg a Com
5 mittees on,P Privileges and Elections, tC
D prepare and freporttoatl1ise congress d
institutional RInend6ent toiprovfdt
Y for better method ol5electing thu
: President and Vice PRESIDENT Of the
: United States, andalso from the neces
b sity of such an amendment, that there
5 will be submitted 10 the State Legis
E Iatares for ratification such an i'm
/ 4