The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-17
Indemaity to the British Sufferers An
tho virEtnius Case.

The special despatch from London, printed
ing comparison in the minds Of patriotic
Americans who recollect the high national
tone OF our diplomacy under former admins
trations The British government has re-
covered from Spain adequate pecuniary dam
ages for the brutal outrages committed in
Cuba against the ill-fated subjects captured on
board the steamer virginius and put to death
in violation of law, justice and humanity,
whereas the American government, whose
honor was insulted its flag outraged and its
citizens wantonly butchered, has received no
corresponding reparation. Our claim to COM
pensation is every way superior to that OF
Great Britain. 1t was against US that the
chief outrages were perpetrated According
to the natural and proper course of proceed
! ing our government should have been the
first to enforce satisfaction for that great atront
and injury. We were the principal party in
the controversy against Spain, and 1t was
due to the national honor that our claim
should stand first on the list and that repara-
ton should have soonest been made to us as
the chief complainant. 1t is the shame and
scandal Of the American administrations
shame and scandal which should bring
bushes to the cheeks of the Secretary of
State-that our demand for justice has been
prosecuted with less vigor and success than
that of England. It was not . British but an
American vessel that was unwarrantably
seized by the Spanish steamer Tornado 1t
was not the British but the American flag
that was torn down with every mark of con-
tumely and excavation. Had British and
American ships of war been present at the
time in the West India waters where that out
rage was committed it would have been the
duty not of the British but of the American
commanders to interfere and rescue the cap
tured virginius 1t was directly and
directly the affair of the British government
If there was any just order of precedence
in making reparation for the injury
our claim should have been pressed
with most vigor and paid with most prompt
tude, because we were the party whose honor
was most deeply involved and whose right to
redress was the most incontestable. 1t is q
that in case like this subordinate party
has taken the lead by its superior vigor, and
has enforced satisfaction, while the American
government is still knocking in vain at the
doors of Spanish justice.
Our means and facilities for enforcing our
claims were every way superior to those of
Great Britain, if our government had but
had the skill and energy to employ them.
In the disturbed and revolutionary condition
of Cuba we had what was equivalent to a
hostage for the good behavior Of Spain. The
Spanish government is not ignorant of the
deep sympathy OF our people with the Cuban
insurgents. American public opinion would,
at any time since the Virginius outrage, have
warmly supported the government in recog-
nizing the independence of the island and
sundering forever the colonial tie which makes
it an appanage Of Spain. Had Mr. Fish
taken advantage of the condition of Cuba
he could easily have brought the Spanish
government to terms, and have saved him.
self from what even he must regard as the
great humiliation of being eclipsed by the
diplomacy of Great Britain in matter
wherein British honor and diplomacy are so
Sigh tly involved in comparison with those of
the United States. 1t was not in the power Of
the British government to press the Cuban
question into its service. The American
policy, commonly called ''the Monroe doc
trine," which has been so constantly pro-
claimed to foreign governments for more than
half q century, precluded Great Britain from
making Cuba lever for the enforcement of
her claims. But Cuba lies at our door. 1t is
only eighty miles from our coast By its geo.
graphical position it belongs to the American
political system. Our government in former
times made repeated offers to purchase it from
Spain. Our people have always taken and
continue to take lively interest in its affairs.
That fertile island is forbidden fruit to Great
Britain; but to US it is, to borrow an express
sion of John Quincy Adams when he was
Secretary of State, pear not yet fully ripe
but certain at some future time to drop into
our lap. Had Mr.. Fish been keenly alive to
the possibilities of the situation he could
have SO worked the Cuban question as to have
made it q potent engine of coercion in COM
polling Spain to do US justice. He did not
see his advantages. He has permitted
England to get the start of him and force
recompense denied to US in case where our
claim took precedence to hers and our means
of making it respected were beyond all COM
parison superior. Mr.. Fish has every reason
to feel abashed that the English foreign
Minister has 30 got the start Of him in recover
ing damages from Spain in matter in which
national honor bound US to stand forward as
the foremost claimant.
AL our impulses forbid US to be a severe
critic of Mr.. Fish. He is not only citizen
of the same State. but one of the most Justly
esteemed of our fellow townsmen. His So