The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-07-31


the things of this world.
The Republican Address criticises the
diplomacy of our government under Dem
ocratic administration; and says that we
bulIied Austria out of Hungarian refu-
gee, and bombarded Greytown; and says
that our intercourse with powers weaker
than ourselves was spirited enough; and
then compares the diplomacy of the gov
eminent under Republican rule. Two
notable acts of diplomacy under Republi-
can rule are not mentioned IN the ad-
Iress. During the late unpleasantness,
Mason and SLIDELL, Confederate ON
missioners to Europe, were aboard Brit
rsh steamer. The United States Secre-
tary of Navy gave orders for their cap
lure. Lieut. WILKES, in obedience to
his orders, boarded the Trent and cap
tured MASON and SLIDELL. When he
landed with them, the people OF the Uni
ted States gave him a grand ovation.
The republican papers throughout the
country sounded his praise. The Con-
gress of the United States passed reso-
luton of thanks and compliment to Lieut..
WILKES. Poor WILKES supposed that he
was Immediately to be made a CCmmo-
lore But alas for the uncertainty of
human hopesl The British Lion growl-
ed England. thinking that the United
States had gone so far that she could not
possibly, with the least selfrespect, and
without icing disgraced in the eyes of all
nations, back down, made stupendOus
preparations for WARRIOR England must
preserve the inviolabilty of English bot
toms. Eng land demanded the surrender
of MASON and SLIDELL, and an apology
for the act England was able to enforce
the demand. What did the United States,
under Republican rule" do? 1t surren-
dered Mason and SLIDELL, saluted the
British flags, and disgraced poor WILKES
for his obedience of ORDERS the order I'M
der which WILKES acted was denied and
suppressed. and his act condemned, al
though short time before endorsed by
resolution of the Congress of the United
States But "the intercourse of our gov
eminent" under Republican rule was
spirited enough when with powers weaker
han ourselves" As an instance of this
we cite the recent Virginius affair. The
Spanish authorities of the Island of Cuba
captured the Virginius, attempting to
carry men and munitions of war into Gu
pa to assist the insurgents The Cap
tain General had by public manifesto,
Ling time before, declared that parties
so captured should suffer death Aboard
This vessel were number of Cuban in
| surgents and rebels The Cuban author
| tiles executed the greater number of the
men captured aboard the Viz ginius Spain,
for long time, has been considered as q
weak old woman, and at this time was
render ed utterly helpless and impotent
by terrible civil war The Unite d
States, taking advantage of this weak
ness, promptly and peremptorily de-
manded a surrender of the Virgnius.
This was very prompt and spirited action
in our intercourse with poor Spain. Very
different from the action of the English
government a number of whose citizens
we're aboard the Virginius, and whose
citizens are ever protected in all lawful
enterprises. The United States forced
Spain to surrender the Virginius and the
survivors, and salute the United States
flag, and without enquiry as to the right
leaving the right to be inquired into af-
forwards. According to all principles of
justice and the laws of nations, Spain had |
a right to capture the Virginius and exc
Cute certain persons found aboard. 1t
must be admitted that the trial of these |
captives was not according to the English |
common law, but we must remember that
the English common law did not prevail |
in Cuba. But enough of this. Suffice to
say, that the best lawyers in the United |
States were of the opinion that Spain was
in the right, and the Attorney General of |
the United States so decided. Did the |
United States make the honorable amend |
for what she might have done in heat and |
excitement? No. She sunk the Virgin
JUS, so as to thus sink disagreeable and
disgra ceful affair, and thus avoid the hu-
initiation of the return OF the Virginius to
the Cuban authorities. Wasn't such a
course pusillanimous in a great nation ?
Poor Spain was outraged and "bullied
These are only two of a number of like
instances of Republican diplomacy and
management of foreign affairs that might
be cited. How does the Greytown affair
compare with the Virginius affair The
Virginius affair was seized upon and
Spain thus outraged in the hope that
war with Spain Sould be provoked, and
Cuba might be acquired by a Republican
administration, and the war give them a
new lease ofpower, with wonderful oppor-
tunities OF peculatiou; and that Repub-
lican administration might have the cred
it O.! adding something to the territory eff
the United States, as set-off to the vast
territories of Florida, Louisiana, Texas
and California, acquired under Democrat
ic administration. 1t is true as stated
that a Democratic administration desired
to acquire Cuba But like honest men they
wanted to purchase it for valuable con-
sideration As for the San Juan affair,
it was in process of settlement when the
Democrats went out of power. And so
the Democratic administrations have
met and settled as it arose and was ripe
for settlement, every question, whether
of domestic or foreign relations.
Every paragraph Of this blatherskite
stump speech, called an Address of the
Republican Congressional Caucus" can
be answered, and shown TO be false, Ell
Their in fact or inference.
II