The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1873-11-29
War News.

NEW York, November &c.
Secretary Robson reached the Brook
lyn navy yard at noon o.day, in compa
ny with the naval constructor. They
visited the Colorado and expressed them.
selves satisfied with the manner in
which the work was going on. Work
will be continued to morrow as usual.
MADRID, November 26.
The official newspaper jnstifes the
execution of the Virginius captives, aud
cites as precedent for the action of the
Spanish authorities circular, issued by
the United States Government during
its civil war, declaring that the Confed.
crate privateers were pirates"
HAVANA, November 26.
The official Gaz.tse to day publishes
a communication addressed by the Span
ish colonial minister, on the Gath in
slant, to the political governor of the
island, directing his immediate compli
ance with an alleged telegram from
the Spanish Government, dated Septem-
Der Is, ordering the release Of the en-
bargoed estates of foreigners
A LEGAL VIEW OF TIE CASE.
The Hon. Rcvcrdy johnson is out i n
lette. reviewing the circumstances
connected with the capture of the Vir-
giuius In common with civilized men
everywhere he thinks the execution of
the captives at Santiago de Cuba was
barbarous in the extreme, and an out
rage on the sacred laws of humanity.
BE believes, however, that tho capture
of the Virginius and the subsequent con.
duct Of the captors involve questions By
no means suited to the discussion Of
town meetings, but which should be
left now to the delibara tion of the Presi.
dent and Cabinet, at the council board :,
where just conclusion is most likely to
be reached as to what the rights and
the honor OF the n,tiou demand. For
the reason that public indignation
meetings seem TO be reflection upon
tho President he will decline to partici.
in them He considers the question in
its legal aspect, refers to the efforts of
our government which led to the estab-
liShment Of he principle that American
vessels cannot be searched in time of
peace, and expresses the opinion that if
the Virginius carried the American flag
and was regularly documeuted as an
American vessel, and was on the high
seas when captured, her capture was IL
legal aud contrary to the public law, as
understood, it is believed, not only by
England and the United States, but by
all nations, including Spain. He further
says it will be no justification of the cap
ture that the object of the enterprise
was to render assistance to the Cuban
insurgents. If that was the case, the
offence, at the time of the capture, was
violation of the neutrality laws of the
United States, and not of the sovereign
ty of Spain, and the United States alone
possessed Jurisdiction over the subject
The capture therefore he thinks was al
gross disregard of the authority OF the
United States as it would have been if
the Torn ado had seized her in the har-
Dor Of New York; and she was as much
under the protection of our government
in tho one case as in the other. The
Virginius crew and passengers not,
having been legally captured were net
prisoners Of war, and were as much ex.
emrt from the jurisdiction of Spain, as
when they stood upon American soil,
and Spain is, consequently, as response