The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-11-21
GEWERAL.

y SHINING
emptiness The secretary is nudging up the
mint.
Capt. Joseph Fry, commander Of the Vfr-
ginius, was native Of Florida. He entered
the naval academy at Annapolis in 1874, and
remained in the navy until 1861, when he re-
signed and entered the confederate s-rvice.
He leaves wife and seven children, the old
est boy cripple and the youngest aged four
years.
! The Spanish government claims that it
has acted in good faith by asking delay of
punishment on the passengers and crew of the
/ Yirginius and regrets that it's telegram was not
received in. Cuba before the execution took
/ place. The difficulty seems to be the ineffi-
cheney OF affairs III Cuba, in this as well as
/ other matters.
Tom Scotts misfortunes have fallen with
| equal weight upon very many of the moneyed
/ politicians. Among the sufferers are Henry
! S. McComb, author OF the credit mobilier
suits, who had one hundred and fifty thousand
/ dollars in SCOTS construction company. and
| Edward S. McCOok, who had forty thousand
! dollars in the same concern. Discreet critics
now say that no new railroad to the Pacific
will be built for ten or twenty years.
"A letter from J. G. Harris, one Of the Vir-
| ginius Victims has been received, dated Kings
| ton, Jamaica, Oct. %. After stating the expe-
ditiOn would leave the night of that day, he
| said the prospects for success were good, and
/ probably before the letter reached it's destina-
/ ton there would be fighting in Cuba Much,
he adds depends upon the succ ess of this ex-
| peditiOn and combinations abroad, We take
only three hundred men from this port, but we
/ will be joined by two other parties, and I am
confident of success. The writer says the
boat was in debt; that much money had to be
collected, and Gen. Verona collected it. The
writer of the letter is Maj. J. c. Harris, of
Louisa county, Va. He had spent several
years on the western plains and in the mining
regions of the Pacific slope, and was ever
actuated by a restless spirit of adventure.
One of the points about which there is
much solicitude, is the position of the Vir-
ginius when she was captured. The first dis
patch to Secretary Fish said she was captured
six miles from the coast of Jamaica, while at
/ about the same time dispatch received at the
British legation said the capture took place in
British waters. The president being restrained
by the constitution and laws from making var
on Spain by attacking her colonies, ali that can
now be done is in way of correspondence with
| the Madrid government. The official papers
are to be laid before congress for such action
as may become the dignity of the nation in
vindication of it's honor and full protection to
! its citizens. The government, however, in
the meanwhile is making preparations to meet
alIissues which may arise, even if they should
require force, and this fact is apparent in the
/ present naval movements. The Kansas has
been ordered Immediately to Santiago de
Cuba, and Will be commanded by Commander
A. V. Reed. In addition to this We sci and the
Mahapac and Manhattan irOn-clads, the Pow
haitian and Ossippee will also be ordered to
active service in the south Atlantic squadron.
The war department will strengthen the forts
IN the gulf, having already taken measures
for strengthening and additionally garrisoning
Fort Jefferson, in Florida. 1t is the general
opinion here that congress, acting on the re-
commendation of the president, will promptly
, take action on questions to be presented con-
cerning our affairs with Cuba.
The Mohassac and Manhattan ordered tC
be- put in commission, and to which officers
are already assigned, will join the north At,
p lantic squadron. The vessels of the navy
have been so much reduced in number that il
has been found somewhat difficult to promptly
reinforce our squadrons in cases of emer
} gency, but in the course of a few days all thai
can be made available will be sent to Cuban
= waters. in accordance with the determine tioI
, of the cabinet. The government seems to be
more earnest than heretofore in protecting
1 the waters between the United States and Cubs
l from Spanish molestation. The Madrid gov
3 ernment being unable to enforce its authority
/ in Cuba, that of the United States Will be i'm
l PEELED to assert its power in all cases where
the interests of the citizens of this country
a nd iEg
Q The president and all the members of hii
= cabinet are III accord on this subject. 1t il
= not believed in official quarters that The con
T test in Cuba has at any time assumed con
$ ditions which amount to a war in the sense o
> international law, or which would show the
+ existence of a de fGcto political organization
t of insurgents, sufficient to Justify a recog
= milton of their belligereucy; but as Presiden
Grant said, in one of his annual messages
the principle is maintained that this nation i
= its own Judge when to accord the right of bel
f ligerency, either to people struggling to fre
= Themselves from government they beliey
L to be oppressive, or to Independent nations a
: war with each other.
h A dispatch from Havana says: Grea
Y anxiety is manifested here to see the comment
# of the American press upon the capture of tn
l. Virginius and the shooting Of the prisoners
If A general feeling exists that it is desirable t
rs have all the prisoners executed as quick a
le possible, before the government of Spain G
3 other powers can get chance to intervene
e although some of the better feeling portion {
3 the people deprecate undue haste and fear
5, may lead to serious results. The Constance
h newspaper says: No matter how much OF
I'd country has fallen in late years, the Spanis
hgyr
ne extreme as to be frightened by those WI
Nv might have to pay dear for their temerity ar
MT insolence in the event of Intervention. VI
st lament the bad situation of the affairs of OF
he ,ountry but are far from being daunted 7
foreign complications. Maybe We ought
It. desire them in order to Iiberate as from o,
he party intrigues. Spain is not degenerate 4
he bad passions viii immediately become qui
.ly when there Is a prospect Of foreign wa
nd The stronger powers know this, and their /
of trigueing politicians ought not to forget
yn Unfortunately Spaniards give more impol
tai ance to the latter than they merit The a
of dress of Gen. Burriel to the soldiers is We
lc- bombastic. Describing the chase and captU
Ne Of the Virginius he says: The lorna
ais belched forth flames instead of smoke. Col
he with her fullest speed she finally came up vi
ms and captured the Virginius, which was tax
,ti- possession of with repeated cries Of IA
nd EspdnG from the Tornado's valiant ere
en Without the slightest resistance gzIe hundr
Ter and twengy-three men deliyere7 themsely
ses quietly up, having cowardly thrown overboa
lis juring the chase the arms which they oue
On never to have grasped and the military equ
up age conhded to them to defend their igno
nz; cause This goes co show and to confirm