The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-01-09
The virginius Affair-Message OF Presi-
dent Grant.

The President, on the 9Th inst, trans
mstted the following message to Con-
gress:
In nv annual message Of December
last. / gave reason TO expect that when
the full and accurate text of the CORE
spondence relating to the steamer Vir-
ginius. which had been telegraphed In
cipher, should be received, the papers
concerning the capture of the vessel,
execution of part of its passengers and
crew, and restoration of ship and sur
vivors would be transmitted to Con-
gress. In compliance with expectations
then held out, L now transmit the papers
and correspondence on that subject.
On The Goth of September, 1870, the
Virginius was registered in the Custom
House at New York, as the property of
citizen of the United States, he having
first made the oath required by law that
property, and that there was no subject
or citizen of any foreign Prince or State
directly or indirectly, by way OF trust,
confidence or otherwise interested there
in. Having complied with the requisites
in the statute in that behalf, she cleared,
in the usual way, for the port of Cura-
Goa. and on or about the .4th of Octo-
Der, 1870, sailed for that port. 1t
is now disputed that she made
the voyage according to her clearance,
and that from that day to this she has
not returned within the territorial juris-
diction of the United States. 1t is also
understood that she preservedhe her Amer
lean papers, and that when within for
eign ports she made the practice of put
ting forth a claim to American national
ity, which was recognized by the au-
thorities ut such ports. When, there
fore, she left the port of Kingston in
October last, under the flag of the
United States, she would appear to have
had, as against all powers except the
United States, the right to fly that flag,
and to claim it's protection, as enjoined
by all regularly documented vessels reg
istercd as part of our commercial ma
rine. No state of war existed confer
ring upon the maritime powers the
right to modest and detain upon the
high seas a documented vessel, and it
cannot be pretended that the Virginius
had placed herself without the pale of
law by acts of piracy against the human
race. If her papers were irregular or
fraudulent the otfense was one against
the laws of the United States, justifiable
only in their tribunals When, there
fore, it became known that the Virgin
JUS had been captured on the high seas
by Spanish man-of-war that the
American flag had been hauled down by
the captors that the vessel had been
carried to Spanish port, and that the
Spanish tribunals were'taking jurisdic-
ton over the persons of those found on
her, and exercising that iurisdic.
ton on American citizens, not only
in violation of international law, but in
contravention of the provisions of the
treaty of 1895, [ directed demand to
be made upon Spain for the restoration
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 offending par
ties. The principles upon which these
demands rested could not be seriously
questioned, but it was suggested by the
Spanish Government that there were
grave doubts whether the Virginius was
entitled TO the character given her by
her papers, and that, therefore, it might
be proper for the United States, after
the surrender of the vessel and sur
vivors to dispense with the salute of the
flag should such facts be established to
their satisfaction. This seemed TO be
reasonable and just. L therefore as
sented to it on the assurance that Spain
would then declare that no insult to the
flag of the United States had been in
tended. L also authorized an agree
ment to be made that, should it be
shown to the satisfaction of this Gov
eminent that the Virginius was i'm
properly bearing the flag, proceedings
should be instituted in our courts for
the punishment of the offense commit
ted against the United States. On her
part, Spain undertook to proceed
against those who had offended the
sovereignty of the United States, or who
had violated their treaty rights.
Their surrender of the vessel and sur
vivors to the jurisdiction or the
tribunals of the United States
was an admission of the prin-
ciples on which our demand
had been founded. / therefore had no
hesitation in agreeing TO the arrange
ment finally made between the two
Governments, an arrangement which
was moderate and just, and calculated
to cement the good relations which have
81 iouS cAiStcu DobWctu ODdlu anu Tie
United States. Under this agreement.
the Virginius, with the American flag
flying, was delivered to the navy of the
United States at Bahia Honda, in the
Island eff Cuba, on the 10th ult. She
was in an unseaworthy condition. In
the passage to New York she encoun-
tered one of the most tempestuous of
our winter storms. At the risk of their
lives, the officers and crew placed in
charge of her attempted to keep her
ahoat. Their efforts were unavailing,
and she sunk off Cape Fear. The pris-
oners who survived the massacre were
surrendered at Santiago de Cuba on the
18TH ult., and reached the port of New
York in safety,
The evidence submitted on the part
of Spain to establish the fact that the
Virginius, at the time of her capture.
was improperly bearing the flag of the
United States, is transmitted herewith.
together with the opinion of the Attor-
ney-General thereon, and copy of the
note of the Spanish Minister, express
ing, on behalf Of his Government, dis
clalmpr of any intent of indionitv tn tba