The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-12-04
The Prssids 10 slowly aud reluctantly,

The Prssidsnti 10 slowly aud reluctantly
climbing to a higher position than he
has heretofore held, and his recon-.
mendation of general amnesty is a faint;
reflex of the more generous and liberal
spirit now felt in some quarters in the
North towards the South. We rather
like the way the President treated the
question with Spain. but he might have
avoided casting slurs on the Cuban
shareholders. That, as we'll as his re.
ference to stronger civil rights law.
are, of coarse, oil for buncombe.
The CAPTURE OF THE V1Ra1N1Us.
The steamer Virginins was, on the 26;h
day of September, 1870, duly registered
at the port of New York as part OF
the commercial marine of the United
States. On the 4th Of October, 1870,
having received the certificate Of her
register in thu usual legal form, she
sailed from the port Of New York, and
has not since been within the territorial
jurisdiction Of the United States. The
31st day OF October last, while sailing
under the flag of the United States, on
the high seas, she was forcibly seized
by the Spanish gun-boat Tornado. and
was carried into the port of Santiago de
Cuba, where many of her passengers
aud crew we're inhumanly, aud, so far,
at least, as relates to those who were
citizens Of the United States, without
due process of law, put to death. It is
well-established principle, asserted by
the United States from the beginning
OF the national independence, reoog-
nized by Great Britain and other mari
time powers, and stated by the Senate
in 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 coun.
try to which they bnlong, and, there.
fore, any visitation, molestntion or de.
tention of such vessel by force, or by
the exhibition of force. on the part of
foreign power, is in deroYation OF the
sovereignty of the United States. In
accordance with this principle, the re-
storation Of the Virginius and the sur.
render OF the survivors of her passen-
gers and crew, and o due reparation to
the Aag. and the punishment of the nu-
thorities who had been guilty of the
illegal acts of violence, were demanded
The Spanish Government has recog.
nized 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 punish
ment of those who may be proved to
have been guilty OF illegal acts of vic.
lence towards citizens of the United
States, and also towards indemnifying
those who mny be shown to be entitled
to indemnity. A copy Of protocol OF
conference between the Secretary of
State and the Spanish Minister, in
which 1.-THE terms of this arrangement
were agreed to, is transmitted herewith.
The correspondence on this subject with
the Legation of tho United States in
Madrid was conducted in oypher and
by cable, and needs the veritication of
tho actual text of the correspondence.
1t has seemed to me to be due to the
Importance of this case not to submit
this correspondence until the accurate
text Gun be received by mail. It is c1.
pected shortly, and will be submitted
when received. In taking leave of this
subject for the present, I wish to renew
the expression of my conviction that
tho existence Of African slavery in Cuba
is the principal cause of the lamentable
condition of the island. do not doubt
that Congress shares with mo the hope
that it will soon be mado to disappear,
and that peace and prosperity may fol-
low its abolition.
Cheap transportation is subject that
has attracted the attention of both pro-
ducers and consumers for the past i've
years. and has contributed to, if it has
not been, the direct cause OF the recent
panic and stringency. AS Congress, at
its last session. appointed special com.
mittee to investigate this whole subject
during the vacation, and report at this
session, l have nothing to recommend
until their report is read. There is one
work. however, Of national character,
in which the grcuter portion of the
East and the West, the North aud the
South, nro equally interested, to which
l will invite your attention. The State
of New York has IL canal connecting
Lake Erie with tide water on the Hud-
son River. The Stute Of Illinois has II
similar work, connecting Lake Mchga
with nayigablu water in the Illinois
Rivcr-thna making water communica.
ton inland, between tho l. E,st and the