Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-11-20
THE TIME rs UP.

Inc conservative ideas and policies of
Government in relation to foreign affairs
are fully approved by people who
have the best opportunities to see the
workings of diplomacies, but if the
unanimous testimony from all sources
can be relied upon as proving anything,
the condition of affairs upon the island
of Cuba, is such that the President is
called upon to define his position Af-
ter the murder of the first batch of the
Virginius' prisoners, Secretary Fish is
reported to have said that he had obtain
ed from the Spanish government, one as
surance, and that was that no more exc
cutions would take place. Even while
he was speaking, the Spaniards were
shooting the captain of the Virginius,
thirty-six of her crew and sixteen pas
sengers. Undoubtedly Mr.. Fish, with
his customary alacrity and energy, will
demonstrate with the Spanish govern
ment at Madrid, and wait six months
for a reply.
Perhaps the government can now re-
main inactive with less loss of life than
at any time since the capture of the Vir-
ginius, The shooting is in all probabil-
ity about over, at any rate there are not
as many men left to be executed as there
were Immediately after the first dis
charge of musketry against the crew
and passengers of the ill-fated vessel
that fell into the piratical hands of the
Cuban authorities. The interests of
civilization and humanity require that
the authorities of the United States
should at once put force into Cuban
waters sufficiently powerful to protect
our citizens and flag, and all talk of de-
lay for further information and for a
careful investigation of all the purposes
of the Virginius in her last voyage, is a
crime against humanity and dereGction
in the performance of that duty which
every government owes to its citizens
and its own dignity.
We do not believe that the Republi-
can government in Spain, is responsible
for this state of affairs. The local au-
thorities upon the island of Cuba, are at
the present practically irresponsible,
carrying on the war against the Cubans
and casting insults and making assaults
upon other nations, not only without
orders, but in spite of the directions of
the Republican Cabinet in Spain. The
| mother country is in fact powerless in
Cuba, and all time spent in correspond
ing with that country is waste of
valuable time. Spain knows her weak
ness and asks delay. But why should
we wait, when American citizens are
slaughtered and the American flag dis
honored. The United States may say
to Spain with reason: eff you show or
confess your inability to control your
colonial subjects, and to prevent their
acts of warfare upon US, we must take
the matter in our own hands and punish
the offenders where we can find them.
Cuban billigerency should be proclaimed.
Spain should recognize the state OF
! war, anu 1c" ALleiICdii ohlt'S 1t '1tlHV u
ago prepared to enforce tue demand fol
the surrender of the Yirginius and her
| passengers would have a highly mora
! influence. We cannot do less than this,
and we hail the rising Indignation of oul
! people and the active preparations OF
the navy as a commencement. in the
right direction We dontt want to be
a bully among weak powers, but we
must protect our vessels and people, and
defend our flag, so that our jurisdiction
shall be respected, and our citizens bs
safe wherever they are under the pro
lection of that flag t.. =.