Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-11-19
Gbe freeman
MONTPELIER, VT,
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 10, 1873
The War Cloud.

deal with questions OF SO grave and compl
Gated a character as to be second in impor
lance to none with which it has had to d
since the beginning of the present admins
tration. 1t will need frmness to maintain
our rights and to exact reparation for thei
invasion, and at the same time there will b.
demanded the wisest craftsmanship on thu
part of our officials to prevent too hasty re
course to war. A government conscious o
its own strength to maintain its rights shoulC
move quietly on its course and not allow the
clamor of the hour to hurry it to put its case
to the arbitrament of arms. This should al
ways be truly the last resort. used by civilized
country only when the argument is exhausted
but when used SO used that the enemy will
not need to be fought second time.
Since we spoke of this capture last week it
has been settled that the Virginius was
sailing regularly under the American flag
with her papers in proper form. The insur-
rection in Cuba, although continuing for
several years has not yet been dignifed by
our own nation by any recognition of bellig-
erent rights So far as our country is con-
cerned as to it's commerce upon the high
seas, it is legally as though there was no
instruction in Cuba. Till such recognition
is made, land the neglect of our country to
make it has certainly been the most friendly
course toward Spain,) we are not in the po-
stion Of neutrals for there are no parties
between whom to be neutral. Were there
recognized belligerents our vessels engaged
III unlawful traffic would, if pursued, as was
the Virginus, be liable to capture on the
high seas. As it is, there being 10 state of
var recognized in Cuba, our ships have upon
the high seas a right to carry what they
please for what purpose they please. The
capture is then thing we have right to
complain of if we see fit.
At the same time il is a notorious fact
that there is an instruction in Cuba; that
the rebels make preparation for their exredl-
tiOns within our borders, violating our hos
pitality by undertakings aimed at the sover-
eighty of a nation with whom this govern
ment is on friendly terms. These expeditions
are composed of Cubans and of American cit
liens who sympathize with them, and who
by violating the spirit and frequently the
letter of the neutrality act of 1918, may
protection of their own government. En-
gagged in unlawful undertakings, their gov
ernment shields them, f at all, by an act of
grace and not Of justice.
The Virginius though sailing under regular
papers from Jamaica, was VIGOROUSLY en-
gagged in one of these maurauding expedi-
tiOns. 1t was openly talked of in the port
and the American consul urged her captain
to refrain from sailing on the voyage So
that though she bore the American flag, her
mere capture would have been not an insult
to it but an act pardonable if technically un-
Justifable. Such, no doubt, the case would
have been considered had the future conduct
of her captors been such as we could expect
from civilized men. Their course has been
of character, however, to justify this coun-
try in going back to the moment of seizure
and insisting upon reparation for the capture
itself 1t has been so barbarous as to stamp
what would under other circumstances
have been technical and trivial offense as
part of murderous plot and as the begin
ming of a final ACT of murder.
The trial of the prisoners by what amount
ed to drum-head court-martial and their
execution were contrary to the dictates of
humanity and had no warrant in any laws ex-
listing between nations. They were also
violation of the terms of the treaty of 1895
with Spain. Some of the victims were
American citizens and the barbarity and
unlawfulness of their taking off more
than permit our government to forget their
own unprincipled character, and to insist
that however in fault they may have been
they should have had the usage of human
beings. They compel it to demand that the
course of the Spaniards in Cuba shall be less
bloodthirsty, that it shall belong to the
nineteenth and not to the sixteenth century.
The real ground OF complaint is the gross
inhumanity Of the outrage, and this covers
with its stain all the proceedings from the
capture to the shooting, as parts of one
whole.
1t is to be remembered that the home gov
ernment of Spain is friendly to the United
States; and that so far as appears it equally
with ourselves deplores the act of it's lawless
representatives in Cuba. The colonial gov
eminent of that island is not iD close sympa-
thy with the CASTELAR, administration ID the
mother country. Though nominaly obeying
it the Cuban volunteers and shareholders
would no doubt be better pleased to be ODE
ent to Don Carlos as king than to Castelar,
as president.
1t Spain does right she will disavow the
acts of her agents and speedily make all the
reparation in her power. This we yet be-
lieve. from the character of the men who
govern her and from what they have said,
will be done. Should the Spanish home
government find itself po*erless to secure
the execution Of its mandates to its Cuban
officers the United States can either in con-
cert with the Spanish government secure
their enforcement or may of its own motion,
acting independently, take such action as
shall make the Cuban authorities act here
after in accordance with the ideas of the age
in which they live.
The men on the Virginius who went to kin
the Spaniards have been killed themselves as
they were warned would be the case. 1t is
true Spain cannot restore their lives nor
would the shedding of the blood of thousands
OF more worthy men restore them. If Spain
Is willing to make what reparation can be
made and to take means to prevent repe-
titlon in the future of such bloodthirstv
work, that is all that could be gained by war.
Better that this be obtained bv neacef,l |