Litchfield enquirer., 1873-12-11
CONGRATULATIONS SENT TO THE SPANISH sza.+f

stE fl sET 1T Se-D 1.e-l st5 G5egs ea
 h compliance with the requess of con.
 gress transmitted totthe American min.
 ister at Madrid, with instructions to pre-
 sent # to the Spanish government, the
 joint resolution approved on the Sd ot
 March last, rendering to the people oi
 Spain, in the name and on behalf of the
 American people. the congratalation of
 congress upon the effort to consolidate in
 Spain the principles of universal liberty
 in q republican form of government. Tie
 existence of this new republic was inaug- urated by. striking the letters from the slaves in Porto Rico. This benefcent
 measure vas followed by the release of sevtr Il thtu and persons illegally held as
 slaves in Cuba. Next the captain gener-
 al of that; colony was deprived of the
 power to set aside the orders of his su-
 periors at Madrid, which had pertained
 to the office since 1925 The seqnestered
 estates of American citizens, which had been the cause of long and frequent cor
 respondence, were ordered to be restored
 to their owners. All these liberal steps
 were taken in the face. of violent opposi-
 tion directed by the reactionary slave
 holders of Havana, who were yainly striy-
 ing to stay the march of ideas which has
 terminated slavery in Christendonn, Cuba
 only excepted. Unhappily, however, this
 baneful influence has thus far succeeded
 Tn defeating the efforts of all liberal mind
 ed men Tn Spain to abolish slavery in Gu
 ba, and in preventing the promised re-
 form in that island. The struggle for po-
 hsacal supremacy continues, the pro-
 slavery and aristocracy party in Cuba is
 gradually arraying itself in more and
 more open hostility and defiance to the home government, while it still maintains g political connection with the republic
 i'll the peninsula, and although usurping
 and defying the authority of the home government, wherever such usurpation or defiance tends in the direction of op- pression or the maintainance of abuses, 1t IS still power in Madrid and recog- nized by the government. Thus an ele- ment more dangerous to continued colo
 nlal relations between Cuba and Spain than that which inspired the instruction at Tara. an element opposed to granting any relief from misrule and abuse, with no aspiration after freedom, commanding no sympathies in generous breasts, aim ing to riyet still stronger thes hackles of slavery and oppression, has seized many of the emblems of power in Cuba, and un- der professions of loyalty to the mother country, is exhausting the resources of is- land, and IS doing acts which are at vari- ance with those of justice, of liberality, and of right, which give nobili of char ac CT 10 ai republic. In the interests of humanity. of civiliza ion and of progress, 1t Is 70 be hoped 'har 'his evil influence may be soon aver ed.
 He THE vIRGINIUs
 The steamer Virgious was, on the 26th of September, 1870, duly registered at the port of New York as | part of the con- mercial marine of the United States. On the 4th of October. 1870, having received 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 jurisdiction of the United States. On the 3Ist day of October last, while sailing under the flag of the United States, on the high seas, she was foreibly seized by Spanish gunboat Tornado and was carried into the port of Santiago de Cuba, where many of her passengers and crew were in- humanly, and So far, at least, as relates to those who were citizens of the United States, were without due process of law put to death. It Is well-established principle, asserted by the United States from the beginning of their national in- dependence and recognized by Great Brit am and other maritime powers, and stated by the senate Tn resolution passed unan- imously on the 18th of June, 1858, that American vessels on the high seas, in tune of peace, bearing the American flag, remain under the jurisdiction of the coun- try to which they belong, and therefore, any visitation or molestation of such ves- sel, by force or by the exhibition of force on the part of foreign power, IS in dero- gation of the sovereignty of the United States. In accordance with this princi- pie, the restoration of the Virginius and the surrender of the survivors of her pas- sengers and crew, and q due reparation to the, flag and the punishment of the author ities who have been guilty of the alleged acts of violence, was demanded. The Spanish government has recognized the justice of the demand, and has arranged for the immediate delivery of the vessel and for the surrender of the survivors of the passengers 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 toward citiZens of the United States, and also toward indemnifying those who may be shown to be entitled to indemnity. A copy of protocol of a between the secretary of state and the Spanish minister, in which the terms of this arrangement were agreed to. IS transmitted herewith. The cores pondence on this subject with the United States legation IS in cipher and by cable, needs the verlhcation f.the actual text of the correspondence. It has seemed to me to be due to the importance of this case not to submit this correspondence until 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, l wish to renew the expression of my con- yiction that the existence of African siay-s cry in Cuba is principal cause of the la- mentahle condition of the island. l do not doubt that congress shares with me the hope that it will soon be made to dis appear. and that peace and prosperity will follow its abolition. The embargo ing of American estates In Cuba, cruelty to American citizens detected in no act of hostility toward the Spanish govern- ment, the numbering of prisoners taken with arms in their hands, aud, finally, the capture upon the high seas of a vessel sailing under the United States flag and bearing United States registry. has cnl- in an outburst of indignation that has seemed for time to threaten war Pending negotiations between the United States and the government of Spain on the subject of this capture, I have authorized the secretary of the navy to put our navy ona war footing, to the extent, at least, of the entire annual ap- propriation for that branch of the seryice,, trusting to congress and the public opin- ion ofsthe American people to justify my actllooff.ao sal esssea assssa5 asa xa9ls5 @zsen ssgHz CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. 1 Assuming from the action of the last congress in appointing committee on prinleges and elections, to prepare and report to this congress constitutional amendment to provide better method of electmg the president and vice-president of the Unitad States, and also from the necessity of such amendment. that there will be submitted to the state legislatures