The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-12-04
gnsin,s Defence on the Cuban Question.

lI1e correspondent VI tuo New AotA AAe'~ WV"
gives the result of an interview with Admiral
Polo the Spanish Minister, in which the action
Of his government is defended, and arguments
are made to show the folly of hasty action on
the part Of the United States g7o~,
WAsH1NGToN, Nov. %, 1873:
Admiral Polo, the Spanish Minister, who
has hitherto maintained strict reserve on the
subject of the Virginius inbroglio, accorded
to your correspondent an interview at late
hour this evening. The Admiral expressed ms
opinion fully and frankly on the grave compll-
cations which threatened to involve this coun-
try in war with Spain as he is evidently de-
sirous of placing before the American people
what he considers the resi- facts of the case Of
the Virginius knowing full well that when the
question of peace or war comes to be decided
upon our Congress and government will be led
by public opinion.
Your correspondent opened the conversation
by remarking that it was the accepted belief
we were on the verge of war with Spain.
y Admiral Polo replied: eyes; war has stared
me in the face from the newspaper prints tor
the last fortnight or so, and suppose there is
a great deal of talk about war; but doubt
very much whether those who are camorlng
for it represent the real sentiments OF the
American people at large. There is certainly
no occasion, not a pretext for war, except it be
to find employment for the many idle people
about New York. 1t is said they must be pro-
yided for, and therefore war would be good
thing. Perhaps it would, but think is a
queer way of solving the labor problem
Your correspondent here quered whether
the insult done to the American hag was not
good pretext for war.
Admiral Polo said "There has been no in
suit done or intended to the American flag,
because the Virginius was no more entitled to
it than to the flag of Venezuela, and perhaps
not quite as much. ask You, in the name of
fairness shall the great flag of this country serve
as a cover for the lawless acts of set OF adven-
turers who, except as temporary expedlent,
care no more for it than for mere rag :?
When the facts Of the whole career of the
Virginius will be laid before the American
people they will look at the case i'm different
aspect. The Virginius has been engaged for
three years in lawless pursuit. During all
that time she has not been once in an American
port. There is ample proof that she was owned
or any other American. 1t is we'll known that
she has landed several expeditions in Cuba
She took part in the civil war Of Venezuela,
carving troops for Guzman Blanco, which
fact was enough to deprive her of her Amer
ican nationality, if she had not forfeited it be-
FORE"
Here your correspondent said: Gas the Vir-
ginius had American papers and was cleared by
the American Consul at Jamaica, would it not
have been we'll to examine the question of her
nationality before assuming her to be pirate
and before the wholesale shooting of prison
ers s"
Admiral Polo replied "The Virgnius OBJ
tanned those papers on fraudulent representa-
tions, and therefore they were void. The
American Consul at Kingston did wrong in
clearing her for the character and real desti-
nation of the Virginius must have been known
to him rs we'll as the flibusters who manned
her. General Burrie, upon whom 80 much
abuse has been lavished by the American news
papers, only carried out the sentence of a reg
ularly constituted council of war. 1t was,
however, no mere assumption OH the part of
the Santiago authorities that the prisoners of
the Virginius we're flibusters They knew it
to be fact. They had attempted to land for
the purpose of killing loyal people in the is
land and destroying their property. The au-
thorities acted upon that knowledge in enforc-
ing with the utmost rigor the municipal law
governing such cases. deplore most sincere
" that the orders of the Madrid government
did not arrive in time to stop the executions.
Regarding the capture of the Virginius, am
sorry to say that many people in this country
have the mistaken idea that the same laws of
evidence apply to nations in their dealings with
one another as to criminal cases. A statement
of G. certain fact by one friendly government to
another ought to be sufficient evidence. Dip
lomatic action should not be hampered by the
requirement of sworn affidavits and other legal
instruments of that nature. They are right
and proper in criminal cases, but seem like
chicanery in international dealings. The
American government has been repeatly mott
fed of the character Of the Virginus. Why
was she not brought back to the United States
and turned into bona tfde merchant yes
sci?
care the present complications likely to lead
to war with Spain?" was the next query of
your correspondent.
Admiral Polo said: II believe there will be
no war unless the senseless clamor of few
should prevail over the American government.
If you drive the Spanish authorities from
the island, which cannot be done SO easily as
some people here suppose what government
would YOU substitute? Americans who have
lived in Cuba know that the Cubans are inca
pahle of selfgoyernment. There remains,
then, annexation to the United States. Well,
if you must have the island, if that is what
you call manifest destiny, take it, if you can,
but get stronger case than that of the Viz
ginius as pretext for aggression. ! do think
It would be generous for this great Republic to
take advantage of the difficulties of strug-
Cling sister Republic although | am of those
who believe that war with foreign power
would have the effect of uniting the whole
Spanish nation for the defence of the national
territory"
The CoTToN TAx-During the approaching
session of Congress another effort will be made
to get the cotton tax refunded. It will be re-
membered that an equally divided Court re-
fused to declare the law levying the tax uncon