The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-12-11

ment to publicly make known, unless
by competent authority, the progress of
negotiations, it can therefore be said
that statements regarding an alleged
agreement between Spain and the United
States are, to say the least, premature.
1t is known that our government has
protested to that of Spain against the
seizure of the Virginius while flying the
American flag, and summary execution
of number of persons captured, not
withstanding the efforts of our vice
consul to secure delay in order that
our government might be heard before
Judgment should be pronounced-the
conduct of the Spanish wan-of-war and
that Of Santiago de Cuba being contrary
not only to international law, but
against comfy which should always
exist among civilized and friendly ma
tions. The stay of further executions
at Santiago de Cuba by order of the
CASTELAR, government placed the case in
a condition for settlement. This gov
ernment has already shown to the
Spanish government, or assumed that
the Virginius having a United States
register and carrying the United States
flag was prima facie an American vessel;
at least this character attached to her at
+bo TINA of fba uo;1ura onJ bapaa tho
United States, in the absence of proof
that ownership resided in some foreign
parts, were bound to protect the flag
she carried. The Spanish government
has been afforded an opportunity to
make proper explanations on these
points, and to justify the conduct of
those acting under its authority. The
nationality of the vessel settled, re-
naming points will be of comparatively
easy solution, and these include nation
ality of the captives. If it should be
determined that the Nirginius was our
vessel in the sense that shielded her
from capture, her surrender would
follow as matter of course, and the
firing of salute to our flag would not
be severe draft on Spanish pride. A
demand for the surrender of surviving
passengers and crew, and for suitable
indemnity for benefit of the families OF
those slain at Santiago de Cuba, depend
on the contingencies and on the facts of
the entire question. Ii such demand
were made. it certainly could not in
clude families of those of other nation
ality than our own. Spain has before
now delivered captured American YES
sells to their owners through the inter-
vention of the United States govern
ment, after long delays, the contests al
ways being as to the lawfulness of their
transactions, and our government has
for many years been engaged in procur-
ing the release, from time to time, OF
American citizens unjustly imprisoned
or deprived of their property in the
lSlaul Vi SlDa. LII icPc"oou O''''p,
indemnity has been claimed for the
families Of those cruelty and uDjustitia'
bly, put to death, latter cases of this
kind being those of Sp, akman and
Wyath, who, several years ago, were
executed at Santiago de Cuba. While
it can be repeated that the Spanish
cabinet still manifests disposition to
do whatever their honor will warrant,
and while the United States ask moth
ing more than what facts in the pres ent
controversy may justify, there is as yet
no such condition of affairs as will
authorize the statement that conclu-
sion has been reached by placing beyond
doubt the surrender of the Virginius,
for whatever agreement Admiral Palo
may have made with Secretary Fish,
will depend for ratification on the
Spanish cabinet, who, as expressed by
several gentlemen in high public posi-
tions, will consider the effect of their
action with painful appreciation of the
political and military embarrassments
with which they have to deal with at
home irrespective of the condition of
affairs in Cuba.