Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-12-02

time expired, and no answer was
received. Everything Mt the lega-
ton was packed up ready for i'm
mediate departure. Sickles had
no hope that the ultinatium would
be complied with, and telegraphed
to Paris to have all his official cor
respondence that might be there
kept for few days. Gen. Sickles
in conversation says he does not
seehow war can be avoided, as
CASTELAR, can give no assurance
that the order will be obeyed in
Cuba. Public feeling is also op-
posed to concessions. Unless Caste
lar responded that eveningGen.Sick-
les, would cave Immediately. All
the American ships in the Mediter-
ranean have been ordered to Key
West. The news from Washington
of the same date is, as it is not Gus
tomary for governments to publicly
make known, unless by competent
authority, the progress of negotia-
tions, it can, therefore, be said that
the statements regarding an alleg-
ed 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 the summary
execution of number of persons
captured, Notwithstanding the eff
forts of our Vice-Consul to secure
a delay in order that our govern
ment might be heard before judy
ment should be pronounced. The
conduct of the Spanish man-of-war
and that of the authorities of San
tiago de Cuba being contrary not
only TO international law, but ,
against the comfy which should .
always exist among civilized and
nations, the stay of furth- ;
err executions at Santiago de Cuba I
by order of the CASTELAR, govern
ment placed the case in condition Il
for settlement. This government :
has already shown to the Spanish +,
Government, or assumed that the
having a United States l
register and carrying a United {
States flag, was primd .tacie an :,
vessel, at least this char 7
ncter attached to her at the time of
the seizure, and hence the United O
States, in the absence of proof I
hat ownership resided in some for :.
,ign parts, were bound to protect o
he flag she carried. The Spanish d
Government has been afforded an u
opportunity to make proper expla- a
nations on these points, and to sat i
sly the conduct of those acting Z
authority. The rationale {
y Of the vessel settled the remain "
ng points will he comparatively {
asy of solution, and these include =
he nationality Of the eaptives. If "A
/ should be- determined that the h
an American vessel |
n sense that shielded her from
capture, her surrender wonld fol- ,
ow as a matter of course, and the
iring of salute to our flag would a
not be severe draft on Spanish !,
pride. A demand for the surren- ,
Ter Of the surviving passengers and ,
crew, and for suitable indemnity for
the benefit of the families of those
slain at Santiago de Cuba would de-
pend on contingencies and on the
facts Of the entire question. If
such demand were made it could
not certainly include the families of
q nationality ot...-i than our own.
Spain has before now delivered
American vessels to their
owners through the Intervention of
the United States Government, af-
ter long delays, the contests always
being as to the lawfulness of their
transactions, and our government
has for many years been engaged in
procuring the release from time to
time Of American citizens urgently
imprisoned or deprived Of their
property in the Island of Cuba,
while insisting upon respect to the
United States flag and the right to
navigate the great highways Of ma
tons without the exercise of search
or other molestation. In repeated
cases indemnity has been claimed |
for the families Of those cruelty and I
injustfiably put to death, the latter
cases Of this kind being those of
Speakman and Wyetb, who several
years ago we're executed at Santa