The Portland daily press., 1873-12-24
II . X Il / q N.
Various Matte rs.


LONDON, Dec. 23.-The News reports that the
hostile tone of the recent pastoral issued by the
French bishops has caused the German govern
ment to renew its complaints to France.
The bark Waly. reported bound for an Amer
lean port, is reported ashore near Londonderry.
Cuban Blusier.
HAVANA, Dec 23-The Diario claims that as
the U. S. Attorney General has decided that
the VirgnIus illegally carried the American
flag at the time of her capture. Spain must de-
maid its restoration and that of her surviving
prisoners. 1t infers from the decision that the
Virginius was a pirate, and the United States
Government besides her restoration, must give
Spain satisfaction adequate to the offence of
requiring the surrender. The Diario demands
that the same vessel which received the Vir
ginius at Bahia Honda return her there aud the
Juniata bring the prisoners back to Santiago
because the Virginiu was legal prize of the
Tornado. and the prisoners can and should be
tried only bv Spanish Tribunal.
Spain is advised to be clement with them and
not to employ the full force of the law. The
Dairio concludes with the hope that Sickles
will not withdraw his resignation.
The Vose de Cuba declares that Spain has
now the right to demand satisfaction from the
United States, and the resignation of Sickles is
imperative IN view of the awkward and ridicu-
lous position in which he is placed. In order
to enforce her demands. Spain requires more
energetic Minister at Washington than Polo
The Dairio in another article bitterly COM
plains of the home government IL says that
no Spanish nation is represented only by ego
tstic;A parties. There is now no war cry, there
fore our traditional enemies put their feet on
our necks, Had Spain been united the Wash
ington protocol would never have been ratified
The nation would never have permitted the
shadow of such an outrage. the Junta, the
intendente and leading merchants continue to
deliberate on plans for the olution of the finan-
cial crisis, but the result is as far off as ever
Slavery in Cuba, etc.
New York, Dec. pa Washington des-
patch says the State Department has received
despatch from Madrid to the effect that Pres
ident CASTELAR, has instructed Seror SAFER, Min
lister of the Colonies, now in Cuba that the
Spanish Republic is virtually pledged to Il Q
immediate abolition of slavery, and that his
mission will he incomplete unless no prepares
the way for this act CASTELAR, further says he
has male this position the test of Spanish au-
thority iu Cuba and that the United States
will SO judge the Madrid government.
Washington dispatches say that the accent
ance of the resignation of Gen. Sickles has
without doubt been determined upon, aud the
next mail will carry to HIM the official notice
of his recall. 1t is already known that he act
ed IN advance of his instruction in demanding
his passports several days before the oath of
November, the date at which, In the contln-
gency that Spain should not accede to the de-
mands of the United States, was to close his
legation and leave Madrid.
There is no foundation for the Madrid des-
patcn which represents President Castelar, as
making demand for the restoration OF the
Virginus to Spain.
! Probable Cause IF the Loss of the steam-
er Pictou.
HALIFAX, Dec. 23-A letter from Pleasant
Bay, in Verness county, G. B., furnishes the
following, which may throw some light on tie
| mysterious cause of the loss of the steamer
| Pictou, on the 18th of November. The great
! light seen northwest of Pleasant Bay was prob
ably near the east point of Prince Edward S
i Island.
| Three or four days later the straits were vis-
| A quantity of -four dough and burned stores in
| abundance was distinctly in the bay. but owing
to the rough weather nothing could be saved