The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-12-12

: island. The struggle for politica
e supremacy continues. The pro
+ slavery autocracy in Cuba is grad
3 ually arraying itself in more anC
: more open to hostility and def
: ance of the home government
; kHhile it still maintains q politica
: connection with the Republic il
the Peninsula, although usurpine
: and defying the authority of the
) home government whenever sucI
/ usnrpation or defiance tends in
) the direction of opposing Its pro
) gressive tendencies, or in favor o.
i the maintenance of abuses. 1t il
: still a power in Madrid, and reeog.
nized by the governments. Thus
an element more dangerous to the
continued colonial relations be.
tween Cuba and Spain than that
which inspired the instruction at
farra; an element opposed to
granting any relief from misrule
and abuse, with no aspirations after
freedom, commanding no sympa.
thy in generous breasts, aiming to
rivit still stronger the shackles OF
slavery and oppression, has seized
many OF the emblems of power in
Cuba, and under professions of
} loyalty to the mother country, is
exhsusting the resources of the
Island, and is doing acts which are
at variance with those principles
of justice, liberty and right which
gives nobility of character to a
Republic. In the interests of hui
manity. of civilization, and of
progress, it is to be hoped that this
evil influence may be soon averted.
THE vIRGIN1Us.
The steamer Virginius was, on
the 26th of September, 1870, duly
registered at the port of New York,
as a part of the commercial ma
rine of the United States. On
the 4th of October, 1870, having
the certificate of her register in
the usual legal form, she sailed
from the port of New York, and
has not since been within the ter
ritorial Jurisdiction of the United
States. On the 21st of October
last, while sailing under the flag
of the United States on the high
seas, she was forcibly seized by
the Spanish gunboat Tornado, and
was carried into the port of San
tiago de Cuba, where most of her
passengers and crew were inhu-
manly, and so far at least as relat-
ed to those Who were citizens Of
the United States, were without
due process of law, put to death.
1t els we'll established principle,
asserted by the UniCed States from
the beginning of National indie
pendence, recognized by Great
Britain and other maritime pow
ers, and stated by the Senate in a
resolution passed unanimously on
the 18th OF June, 1868, that Amer
lean vessels on the high seas, in
time of peace, bearing tue Ameri-
can flag, remain under the jursdIc- |
ton of the country to which they |
belong, and therefore any vista
ton, molestation or detention of
such vessel by force, on the part |
of foreign power, is a violation |
of the sovereignty of the United |
States. In accordance with this |
principle the restoration of the
-Virginius and the survivors of her
passengers and crew, a due repair
alton to the flag. and the punish
ment of the authorities who had |
been guilty of the illegal acts of
violence were demanded. The |
Spanish Government has recog-
nized the justice of the demand,
and has arranged for the immedi-
ate delivery of the vessel, for the
surrender of the passengers and
crew, for salute to the fag,an for
proceedings looking to the punish
ment of those who may be proved |
to have been guilty of the illegal
acts of violence towards citizens
of the United States, and also in
Identifying those who may he
shown to be entitled to indemnity.
A copy of a protocol of a confer
ence between the Secretary of |
State and the Spanish Minister, in
which the terms of this arrange
ment were agreed to, is transmit
ted herewith. The correspon-
dence on this subject with the le-
CATION, and with the United States
Minister, in CIPHER and by cable,
needs the verification oftthe ac-
tual text of the correspondence,
and it has seemed to me to be due
to the Importance of the case not
to submit this correspondence I'M
til the accurate text can be receiv-
ed by mail. It is expected short
ly, and will be submitted when re-
ceived.
In taking leave of this subject
for the present, 1 wish to renew
the expression of my conviction
that the existence of African slav-
cry in Cuba is principal cause
of the lamentable condition of the
island. / do not doubt that Con-
gress shares with me the hope
that it soon will be made to dis
appear, and that peace and pros
perity may follow its abolition.
The EMBRACING of American
estates in Cuba, cruel to American
citizens engaged in no act of hos
tility to the Spanish government;
the numbering Of prisoners taken
with arms in their hands; and
finally the capture, upon the high
seas, of a vessel sailing under the
United States flag and bearing
United States register, eliminated
in an outburst of indignation that
has seemed, for a time, to threaten
war. Pending negotiations be-
tween the United States and the
government of Spain on the sub
Ject of the capture. / have au-
thorized the Secretary of the Ma
Wy TO put our navy on a war foot
ing to the extent, at least. of the |
entire annual appropriation for
that branch of the service, trust
ing to Congress and the public |
opinion of the American people to
justify my action.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Assuming from the action of
the last Congress in appointing
the committee on Privileges and |
Elections to prepare and report to
this Congress constitutional
amendment to provide a better
method of electing the President
and Vice-President of the United |
States, and also from the necessity |
OF such an amendment, that there |
will be submitted to the State Leg
islatures for ratification such an |
improvement in our condition, / |
suggest two others for your con-
sideration:
First, to authorize the Execu-
tive to approve of so much of any