The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-06
THE VIRGINIUS FINALE.
THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENT.

INCLUDING DISPATCHES To AND FROM GEN.
SICIxLES, ETC.
WASHINGTON, Jao. 5.-The President sent
the following message to the Senate and
House:
/ In my inaugural message of December l
/ gave reason to expect that when the full
and accurate text of the correspondence re-
( latiug to the steamer Virginius, which has
been telegraphed in cipher, should be re-
ceived, the papers concerning the capture of
the vessel, the execution of part of the pas
/ sengers and crew, and the restoration of the
ship and survivors, would be transmitted to
Congress. In compliance with the expecta-
/ ton then held out, l transmit the papers
/ and correspondence on the subject.
/ On the Goth of September, 1870, the Nir-
ginius was registered in the custom house
at New York as the property of citizen of
] the United States, he having first made the
I oath required by law, that he was the true
and only owner of said vessel, and that there
was no subject or citizen OF any foreign
/ province or state directly or indirectly, by
! way of trust confidence or otherwise, inter
ested therein. Having complied with the
requisite statute in that behalf, she cleared
in the usual way for the port of Curocoa,
and on or about the 4th of October, 1870,
sailed for that port. 1t is not disputed that
she made the voyage according to her clear
i ance, nor from that day to this she has not
returned within the territorial jurisdiction
of the United States. 1t is also understood
that she preserved her American papers, and
/ that when within foreign ports she made
practice of putting forth the claim to Ameri-
can nationality, which was recognized by
the authorities at such ports. When
she left the port of Kingston, in October las,
under the flag of the United States, she
would appear to have had, as against all
powers except the United States, the right to
! fIv thattflag and claim its profession. en-
1 loved by all regularly documented vessels
registered as part OF our commercial
marine. No state of war existed conferrlng
I on marine powers the right to mOlest and
retain on the high seas a dOcumented vessel,
and it can not be pretended that the Virgin
ius had placed herself without the pale of
law by acts of piracy against the human
race. il her papers were Irregular or fraud
ulent. the offence was against the laws of
the United States, iusti6able in their tribun-
ais, When it became known that she had
been captured on the high seas by Spanish
man-Of-war, and that the American flag had
been hauled down by its captain, and that
j the vessel had been carried to aSpanish port,
and that the Spanish tribunals were ticking
jurisdiction over the persons of those found
on her and exercising the same upon Amer
ican citizens, not only in
VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.
i But in contravention of the provisions of
the treaty of 1875, l directed de-
mand to be made on Spain for the restora-
ton of the vessel and for the return of the
survivors to the protection of the United
States; for salute to the flag and for the
punishment of the offenders. The princi-
Piles on which these demands rested could
not be questioned, but it was suggested by
Spain that there were grave doubts whether
she was entitled to the character given her
by the papers, and that therefore it might
be proper for the United States after the sur
render of her and the survivors to dispense
with the salute TO the flag, should such facts
be established to their satisfaction. This
seemed to be reasonable and just. / there
fore assented to it on the assurance that
no insult to the flag had been intended.
also authorized an agreement to be msds
that should it be shown satisfactorily that
she was improperly bearing the flag, pro-
ceedings should be instituted in our courts
for the punishment of the Offense against
the United States. On her part, Spain
undertook to proceed against those who had
offended the sOverelgnity of the United
States, and who had violated their treaty
of rights. The surrender of the vessel and
survivors to the jurisdiction of the tribunals
of the United States was an admission of the
principles on which our demand had been
. founded. / had no hesitation in agreeing to
, the arrangements made between the two
governments, an arrangement which was
moderate and Just and calculate d to cement
, listed between Spain and the United States.
Under this, the Virginlus, with the American
; flag flying, was delivered TO the United
Stuei at Bahia Honda, r the Island OF Cuba,
on the 10th. She was in an unseaworthy
condition. In the passage to New York
she encountered one of the moSt tenn pestu-
: Gus Of our winter storms. At the risk of
their lives, the officers and crew placed in
, charge of her, attempted to keep her sdCat.
J Their efforts were unavailing, aGd she sunk
rNfT ntor
the massacre were surrendered st Santiago
de Cuba on the 18th, and reached the port OF
New York in safety. The evidence submit
ted on the part OF Spain TO establish the fact
that the Nirginius, at the time of the cap
tlre, was improperly bearing the flag of the
United States Is submitted herewith, togeth-
er with the opinion of the Attorney General
thereon, and a copy of the nOte-of the Span
ish Minister expressing, on behalf of his
government, a disclaimer of any intent OF
indignity to the flag of the United States.
[SigDedl u. S. GRANT.
THE CORRESPONDENCE.
The correspondence is very voluminous,
and contains the following features:
On the 9th of November, General Sicklez
telegraphed Secretary Fish that the Virgin
, ins had been captured six miles from
Jamaica, General Ryan, Captain Try and
two others executed, and that the Captain
General had been ordered, on Sickles' sug-
. gestion, to await orders. The Secretary tele-
graphed in reply, thatthe summary proc,yed-
ings demanded an investigation as an innu-
: name act, and that reparation be required #
tive Americans had been wrongfully execut-
ed Sickles next day reported his interviews
wit b Carvaial, and with President CASTELAR,
The latter, he said, ordered that no
perso II be executed without the au-
| tborit of the Cores, and thereupon
Sickles expressed his satisfaction He sub
sequeDt, " telegrsphed to Mr.. Fish that Spain
would in. mediately do everything required
by public law and treaty obligation, and that