The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-12-11

com mendiDg no sympathies in gen.
erOus breasts; aiming to rivet still
stronger the shackles of slavery and
: oppression, il has seized many Of the
emblems Of power in Cuba, and under
, professions of loyalty to the mother
: country, is ezhausting the resources
of the island and Is doing acts which
J are at variance with these principles
: Of justice, ofIiberty and of right which
give nobility Of character to repub-
; lie.
: In the interest OF humanity, of civil
. izatiOn and OF progress, IL is to be
: hoped that this evil influence may be
: soon averted.
, The steamer Virginus was, on the
26th day Of September, 1870, duly reg
) istered at the port of New York as q
part OF the commercial marine of the
; United States. On the 4th of Octo-
: Der, 1870, having received the eertifi-
. cate of her register in the usual form,
she sailed from New York, and has
, not since been within the territorial
/ Jurisdiction of the United States. On
the 31st day of October last, while
: sailing under the flsg of the United
States, on the high seas, she was fore
AOll bCALE0 NhC kCR4nA5A
Tornado, and was carried into the
, port of Santiago de Cuba, where many
. Of her passenge's and crew were in
! humanity, and, so far at least as re-
lates to those who were citizens of the
United States, without due process OF
. law, put to death. 1t is a well estab-
lished principle, asserted by the Uni
ted States from the beginning of their
! II srlAra,Iar.ao L..
Great Britain and other maritime
powers, and stated by the Senate by a
resolution passed unanimously on the
10th of June, 1858, that American
vessels on the high seas in time of
peace, bearing the American flag, re.
main under the Jurisdiction OF the
country to which they belong, and
therefore, any visitation, mOlestatiOn
ordetention of such vessel by force on
the part OF foreign power Is in dero-
CATION of the sovereignty of the Uni
ted States. In accordance with this
principle the restoration of the Viz
ginius, and the surrender of the survi-
vors of her passengers and crew, and
due reparation to the flag, and the
punishment of the authorities who
had been guilty of the illegal acts of
violence were demanded. The Span
ish Government has recognized the
justice of the demand, and has ar
ranged for the immediate delivery of
the vessel, and for the surrender of
the survivors of the passeng-
ers and crew, and for salute to the
flag, and for proceedings looking to
the punishment of those who may be
proved to have been guilty of illegal
acts of violence towards citizens ofthe
United States, and also towards in
Identifying those who may be shown
to be entitled to indemnity. A copy
of protocol of a conference between
the Secretary OF State and the Span
ish Minister, in which the terms of
this arrangement were agreed to, is
transmitted herewith. As the cores
pondence on this subject with the le-
CATION of the United States is in ci-
pher and by cable, and needs the YER
ificatiOn of the actual text of the cor
respondence, it has seemed to me to
be due to the importance of the case
not to submit this correspondence un-
til the accurate text can be received
by mail. 1t is expected shortly, and
will be submitted when received.
In taking leave of this subject
for the present, 1 wish to renew the
expression of my conviction that the
existence of African slavery in Cuba
is principal cause of the lamentable
condition of the island. l do not
doubt but that Congress shares with
me in the hope that it will soon be
made to disappear and that peace and
prosperity may follow its abolition.
The mbargoing of American es-
tates in Cuba, cruelty to American
citizens detected in no act of
hostility to the Spanish Gov
ernment, the numbering of pris-
oners taken without arms in their
hands, and finally the capture upon
the high seas, of a vessel sailing un-
der the United States flag, and bear
ing a United States registry, has cul-
minated in an outburst of indigna-
ton that has seemed for a time to
threaten war. Pending negotiations
between the United States and the
Government of Spain on the subject
of this capture, / have authorized the
Secretary of the Navy to put our ma
Wy on a war footing to the extent at
least of the entire appropriation for
that branch of the service, trusting to
Congress and the public opinion of
the American people to justify my ac-
ton.
Assuming from the action of the
last Congress in appointing a Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections, to
prepare and report to this Congress a
constitutional amendment to provide
better method of electing the Presi-
dent and Vice-President of the United
States, and also from the necessity of
such an amendment, that there will
be submitted to the State Legislatures
for ratification such an improvement
in our condition, 1 suggest two others
for your consideration First, To au-
thOriZe the Executive to approve of
so much of any measure passing the
two Houses OF Congress, as his judg-
ment might dictate, without appro-
wing the whole the disapproved por-
tion or portions to be subjected to the
same rules as now, to-wit: to be re-
ferred back to the House in which
the measure or measures originated,
and if passed by two-thirds vote of
the two Houses then to become a law
without the approval of the President.
l would add to this a provision that
there should be no legislation by Con-
gress during the last twenty-four
hours of its sitting except upon ve-I
toes, in order to give the Executive
an opportunity to examine and ap-
prove, or disapprove understanding
ly. Second, To provide by amend
ment that when an extra session of
Congress is convened by Executive
proclamation, legislation during the
continuance of such session shall be
confined to such subjects as the Exec
utive may bring before 1t from time
to time in writing. The advantages
to be gained by these two amend
ments are obvious. One session in each
year is provided for by the COnstitu-
ton, in which there are no restrictions
as to the subjectslof legislation by Con-
gress. If more are required, it is al
ways in the power of Congress during
their term of Office to provide for
sessions at anytime. The first of these
amendments would protect the
public against the many abuses and
waste of public moneys which creep in
to appropriation bills and other impo
tant measures passing during the ex-
piring hours Of Congress, to which
otherwise due consideration cannot
be given.
TREASURY DEPARTAI ENT. LD
The receipts of the Governme
from all sources for the last fiscal year
were 1888, 73s, ,2O4, and the expendi-
lures on all accounts, 500, 345, 245, thus
showing an excess of receipts over ex-
penditufes of S4S, ,392, $50, but it is not
probable that this favorable exhibit
will be shown for the present fiscal.
year; indeed, it is very doubtful wheth-i
er, except with great economy on the
part of Congress in making appro-
priatiOns, and the same economy in
the Administration in administering
the various departments of the gov
eminent, the revenues will not fail
short of meeting the annual expenses,
including interest on the public debt.
commend to congress such economy,
and point out the sources
where il seems to me il
might commence tO-wit to curtail
the appropriation for public buildings,
in the many cities were work has not
been commenced; in the appropria-
tions for river and harbor improve
ments in those localities where the