New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-16
WHOLE NUMBER. 244O.

world in denunciatiOn of these executioni
and had che long since visited prompt and
effective punishment on the guilty parties
the moral support she would have gained
thereby would have largely exceeded any
corresponding detriment.
On the eleventh of February, 1875, Mr.
Gushing wrote to Senor Castro, the Spsnisl
Minister of State. expressing his views q.
to the precise sum of indemnity proper t.
be allowed to the United States in, the mat
ter of the Virginius, and in the course O,
this communication said: "Your excellency
will observe, in reading the note of MI
Uiloa to Mr.. Mcdonnell of August 6, tha,
the sum paid to Great Britain in this be
half purpOrts to be en- advance or partial
fixed by future negotiations. Now, az your
excellency has already, induced by q
laudable desire Of concord, agreed tina,
the sum allowed to the United
States shall be unconditional, propose
in the same desire of concord that it shall
be definitely fixed, and without having the
door remain open for further reclama atiOn
be acceptable to the Spanish government.
Moreover. the arrangement made with
Great Britain comprehended another con-
ditoin which. l think, it is for the interest,
both of Spain and the United States, to pre-
termit-that is, the engagement of Great
| britain to account for the distribution of
the sum in the first instance accorded. Il
seems to me that such condition might
lead to dispute, which it would be better
for our respective governments to prevent
and avoid"
Alter indulging in some argument ON
these points. MIR. Gushing went on to pro-
pose that $50 900 be paid by Spain to cover
all claims of the United States for pecuniary
indemnity in the matter, and that this sum
oh h< g.
as regards its distribution to the discretion
of the United States.
."lf," said he, "your excellency shall be
pleased to signify assent to these views,
1t will be my most agreeable duty to tele-
graph home that this painful controversy,
transmitted to you by previous administrs-
tiOnR, has. by our joint effort, been at length
concluded in manner honorable to both
nations, and emiDently conducive to perma-
nent understanding between the respective
governmental
On the fifteenth of the same month
Minister Castro replied to Mr.. Cushing,
conveying the Spanish governments full
acceptance OF the propositions stated on the
sixteenth. Mr.. Gushing telegraphed to
Secretary Fish the points of the|convention
agreed upon on the twepty.fourth. Imme-
Gushing. that the President approved of the
proposed agreement, and directed Mr..
Gushing, as soon as he received and pre-
sented his credentials, to sign the final
agreement and telegraph the fact.
On the second of March, 1875, Mr.. Cush-
ing telegraphed to Secretary Fish as fol-
lows:
The credentials have arrived. but will
not be delivered till after hearing from
you. All the European powers have recog-
nlzed Alfonso. The draft of the agreement
is as follows: In consideration of the reasons
set forth and the reclamatiOns made reci-
procally in various conferences to that
effect had between his excellency Don
Alexandra Castro, Minister of State, and
bis excellency Mr.. Caleb Gushing, repre-
sentative of the United States, as also of
the notes which have passed between them,
and desiring at the same time to put an end
by means of an equitable and friendly
record to the reclamations presented
by the government of the United States
in consequence of what occurred at
Santiago de Cuba in regard to the persons
OF the officers. crew and passengers of the
steamer VirgiDlus, it being understood that
from these reclamations all to be excluded
in so far as respects the ships company,
all individuals indemnifed a. British sub-
]ects. and with respect to passengers, in
cluding only certain American citizens,
they have agreed:
First-The Spanish government engages
to deliver to that of the United States the
sum of $4,000 or 100000 pesats for the
purpose of relief of the families or persons
OF the ships company and passengers afore-
said OF the steamer Virginius.
Second-The government Of the United
States engages to accept the sum mentioned
in satisfaction of reclamations of any sort
which, in the sense of pecunjary indemnifl-
cation in this behalf, might otherwise bo
against the Spanish government.
'Hhirn-Whnn t1,n T.
ticle one shall have been received the Pres.
ident of the United States will proceed to
distribute the same among the families or
the persons interested in the form and man.
ner which he may Judge most equitable
without being obliged to give account Of
this distribution to the Spanish government.
Fourth-The payment of the CSC, 900 or
lOo,ocO pesatas shall be effected by tho
spanish government at Madrid in specie,
snd in three periods of two months each,
e3o,o ,oOO or 10000 pesatas for each of the
irst two installments, of 81, 900 or 100, 900
)esatas in the last.
FIfth-The present agreement will be rat
fied by both the undersigned as soon as his
.xceilency, the representative of the United
states, shall have presented the credential
etters which accredited him as minister
# Spain.
Secretary Fish telegraphed Minister Cush-
ng. March 3, 1875: "Y0u are authorized to
PRESENT credentials, If Immediately there
pon final agreement will be signed" Min.
ster Gushing telegraphed Secretary Fish,
larch 81 "Otficial agreement has been
lgned; substantially a. telegraphed on the.
econd; credentials to be presented on the
enth." Minister Gushing again telegraphed,
1arch IL, Credentials presented on the
enth, ratification signed on the eleventh,
nd sent the same day by express"