The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-01-15
THE VIRG'NIUS .
A Message by President Grant.


I'll tiyes !:
10 my annual message Of DscembeI
last | gave reason to expect that when
full and accurate text Of the corrsspon-
dencs relating to the steamer Virgiuins
(which. had been tslegraphrd in Ciphcs
1shovld be received, the papers concern
ing the capture of ths vsssel, the execu
tion Of part Of passengers and crew, AM
The restoration the ship and survivori
would be transmitted to Congress IL
compliance with the expectations hello
out, now srsasnait the papers ard cor
respondeuce or that subject.
/ On the seth of septemberr 1870, she
Yirginius was registered at the Custom
House at New York, rs the property OF
citizen Of the UniteQ State, he having
first made the oath req'sired by law that
be wss .she true ezdt oney owner Of tire
said vessel. and that there was I'D subs
iect or citizen1 of any foTeign prince or
State directly or indirectly, by way Of
trust, confidence or otherwise, interested
thereiM Having complied with tina
requisites IN the statute iE that behalf,
sac cleared in the ussa. Way for the port
fof Curacoa, and on or abeu5 the 4th'ot
/
October, 1870, sailed forthsr port. It's
Inow dis ,Jased that sic made the voyage
q cnrdings I'd her clearance. It is alse
CLAIMED that from that day oc. this she
has not returned within the territorial
jurisdictionr OF the Unised States. It IS
also understood shat sac preserved her
American papegs, and tAat when with. b
foreign pegts slae 10 sdG practice Of pat
forth q claim to American natienality,
which was zecognizsd by the GC&aorltis 8
ut such ports. Whon, therefore, she left
bhe port os~ Kingstonia, Oetober last.
gsnder the f ~, OF the United '8tatss, she
would appear to have bad, ~ ago snst al
powers except The United States, She
b gh5 to fl that flag AID to claim It's
pyotectlon aa>aapyed 81, slt regularly
dotumented vessel registered IS enc of
1sY caumerclal m&rine. No stsse ca wAr
existed con tarriag Representatives powers
THE right to modest andedstai upea the
b5@h seas 9, document@d vessel. and it
.c~nnot be pretended t5etthe Wigginius
had placed herself without ths pale Of
law by acts OF piracy ez.nst the tsaman
race. II her papers were irregular or
fraudulent, the of nee was one against
tbs United Ssa3ea, unstable only In thrir
tribunals. VT3sen, therefore it became
&aown that Firginlus had boe2 c. p5nred
GA the high seas by Spanish rsanofwar,
that the American Aal aad been tzouled
down by tha.captors, that the vessel Ind
been carrlsdAao Spanish porty and that
tho Spanish, tribunals weEe taking
Jurisdiction over toe persons OF lhose
found on her, and, exercising that
jurisdiction on American clti2eps, not
cniy In vioaaion of.la3sr lstioaai law ,but
in controvozsion of the treaty., Of 1895, |
Directed demand 10 be made. upon
Spain for tho resto1Atio n Of the vessel
tud tor thsreturr osthe survivors, 60 the
protection ii the Quilted States, for a.
salute to pc flag, rid for tho punishment
of the of5@dlDg pa7sies. The pDincip pies
upon which thess demands rested cond
not be seriously qaestioned,but it wassug
gested ay the Spanish Government that
Tiers were grave doubts as TO whether
the Vlrginiua was entitlsd. to aae charac..
ter gigen her by her papers and taas
Ithe,e fage, it n.ght be proper for the
United 5tasess after tbs surrender OF TIA
vessel and survivors, ia dispense with tho
4 salute to the Gag, sh~uld sach facts be
est blished TO their satisfaction. This
iseeraed to reasonable aud just. ], thafe
| fore, assented to It. on the assurance shat
S,}ain Won 4 then declare that no iMsuir
10 the a4g Of tie United States ba
been lnteaded, / Glso-authorzcd an@g7e
mept. -. he ma le thai, should it be sho" 4
4 u TIE szsisf.ction ofthisGoyernment tbe
1 she Viegulus vAs. Improperly bearing
, the A,g. proceedings shoald ba inaiitutef
/ ! Ii our courts sor, tha punishment. Of thc
, offeaso committcd against thu Unltec
;. STATES, ilrOa her part SPUN undertook t.
u pgocapl ~ ainst those who had offended
IA i4 ~ 7sr 4tgnity of thu United, States OF