The Portland daily press., 1874-01-06
THE VIRGINIUS.



WASHINGTON. d. c., Jan. 5-In comp lance
Congress, the President to-day transmitted all
correspondence relative to the Virginius af-
fair
The Presi lent saws the Virginus cleared
September 18th, 1870, from New York. her own
er, citizen of the United States, swearing he
was the only owner and obtained register as
such. From that tine to this, she preserved
her papers aud claimed American nationality
and was so rec byu,zel at foreign ports, an she
had in October, when she left Kingston. jam
aica, the right % fly the American flag and
claim its protection, no state of war existed
conterrlng upon maratime power the right to
modest aud detain upon the high seas a docu-
mented vessel, and il cannot be pretended that
the Virgnius had placed herself without the
pale of all law by acts of piracy against the hu-
man race 1t hen papers were irregular or fraud
uleut the offence was one against the laws of the
United States, justitjable only in their tribul
mails. When, therefor, it becomes known that
the Virginius had been captured on the high
seas by Spanish man-of war, that the Amer
lean flag had been hauled down, that the YES
sci had been carried to a Spanish port and the
Spanish tribunals were taking Jurisdiction over
the persons of those found on her and exercis-
ing that jurisdiction upon American citizens,
not only in violation of International law but
in controvention of the provisions of the treaty
of 1874, directed a demand to be made upon
Spain for the restoration of the vessel and for
buc TtJuTH Vi Tue survivors TO tue protection OF
the United States for salute to the flag and
for the punishment of the offending parties
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 Vircin-
Jus was entitled to the character given her by
her papers and that. therefore, it might be
proper for the United States, after the surren
der of the vessel and survivors to dispense with
salute to the flag, should such facts be estab-
lished to their satisfaction.
This seemed reasonable aud Just. l. there
fore, assented to the assurance that Spain
would then declare that no insult to the flag of
the United States had been intended. l also
authorized an agreement to be made that
should it be shown to the satisfaction of this
government that the yirgnius was improperly
bearing our flag, proceedings should be insti-
tuted in our courts for punishment of the Of
fence committed against the United States. On
her part, Spain undertook to proceed against
the sovereignty of the Unite ed States or who
had violated their treaty of right s..
The surrender of the vessel aud survivors to
the jurisdiction of the United States was an adj
mission of the principles upon which our de-
mand was founded. l. therefore, had no hest
taton to agreeing to the arrangements finally
made between the two governments-an ar
rangemept which was moderate and Just and
calculated to cement the good relat ions which
have SO long existed between Spain and the
United States
uueT UnlS agreement bne NlfglH1uS WIN the
American flag flying was delivered to the Navy
of the United States at Bahia Fonda, ia the Is
land of Cuba, the 10th ult. She was unsea-
worthy and encountered Que of the most tenn
pestuous OF our winter storms and sunk off
Cape Fear The prisoners who survived the
massacre We're surrendered at Santiago de Gu
Da the 18th ult. and reached New York safely
evidence Submitted on the part of Spain to es.
taollsh the fact that the Virginius at the time
OF tne capture, was improperly bearing the flag
OF the aited States is transmitted herewith,
together with the opinion Of the Attor ley Gem
eral thereof and copy of the note OF the Span
lsh minister expressing on behalf of his gov =
eminent OF any intent of indignity to the II ag
OF the United States.
(Sgnedi
U. S. GRANT.
Here follows large number of copies of tel
egrams fiom Sickles to Fish aud Fish to Sckles
relative to the capture of the Virgnius the
main facts of which have already been publish
ed. They corflm the previously printed state
ments that the Madrid government telegraph
ed orders to Cuba not to proceed in the matter
concerning the prisoners till orders were sent
FROM Madrid; also that Fish notified Sickles of
the massacre of the prisoners, some of whom
were Americans. President Grant demanded
reparation, which, if not accorded, Sickles
would be required to leave. AT the same time
Fish telegraphed Slckles he had doubts as to
the rigLt of the Virginius to carry our flag.
Fish also instructed Sckes to say if Spain
could not redress the outrage, the United States
will. Sickles obeyed the ORDERS and on Nov.
18th, having received ncte from the Spa nsh
Minister of State rejecting the demands. he
telegraphed Fish 10 send a vessel to Valencia 10
take him to France. Sickles also telegraphed
that the Madrid press advised the government
to order him out of Spain and mob collected
at night to sack the legation, but the autnori-
ties preserved peace. Spain also asked tie
good offices of England, but Lord Granville de-
clined to accent on basis of ample reparation