Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-05-21

ciIcI5 uyiugs anu BIlil worse those VINO
were wounded but still alive-into the
shallow trench. Then came the crown
ing barbarity. A company of artillery,
till now kept in reserve, galloped for
ward ard crushed with its inhuman
1uggernaut Of hcofs and wheels the dy-
Ing, dead and wounded into one indis-
tinguishable mass. The bodies were
subsequently tumbled into mule cars
by chain gang of negroes and carried
to the place OF burial. It had been the
intention OF Gov. Burriel to repeat this
mode Of butchery till the entire crew
OF the yirginius had been massacred,
but on Nov. 5, a few hours before the
time fer third slaughter, a British
warship, the Niobe, appeared in the
harbor and her captain promptly in
formed the governor that he would toll
crate no further bioodsned until the
matter had been referred to the home
authorities. In consequence the re-
mainder Of the captives were saved
/ from death. Their rescue was, howey-
er, the act Of an individual English
| man, or Irizhman, rather, Commander
Ryan. When Ryan returned to Eng
land he was dismissed from her males
tvs service lin Disgrace Yet his
name will be remembered forever in
the hearts of all who have read of his
humane act.
The insurgents in Cuba were fight
ing for their independence. The ma
tives were making silent and pathetic
bid for the protection of the American
flag, and the technical misunderstood
ing which arose out of the Virginius
fostered hope that in the event of
trouble between Spain and the United
States the immediate expulsion of the
4 Spaniards from Cuba would ensue. The
universal excitement in the United
| States at the conduct of the Spanish in
Cuba for time appeared to make
war between Spain and the United
States Inevitable.
The United States maintained that
the capture of the Virginius was a
derogation of its sovereignty, assum-
! (The Spanish Officer Who Ordered the
4 Murder of the Virginius Prisoners.)
ing simultaneously that the vessel was
United States merchant ship lawfully
floating the American flag. The Span
ish, however, maintained that the ship
was manned with pirates who were
also their rebellious subjects, and that
the claim to the protection of the
American flag was fraudulent. Com
plications thickened, and long course
of diplomatic correspondence ensued.
The United States demanded that the
virginius be surrendered: that the sur
yivors be delivered safely to them, and
that the vessel be saluted as rightful
American ship. However, 1t was
agreed that the salute should be dis
pensed with If before the 25th of De-
cember, Spain could satisfy the United
States that the Virginius had no right
to carry the flag. The Spanish ulti-
mately succeeded in convincing the
Americans that the claim of the Vir-
ginius to the flag was unlawful, and
the salute was consequently dispensed
with. However, the other demands
were duly complied with, and a dis
claimer of an intent of indignity to the
flag of the United States was expressed
by the Spanish minister on behalf OF
his government. Thus after a pro
tracted and complicated network o.
diplomatic negotiations, a peaceabl,
settlement of the difficulty was effected
Thus the loss of many lives through
the clash of war was peaceably averted
though no apology, however abject
could bring to life the innocent mar
tyrs to the cruelty of Spanish murder
, ers.
J 1t may be reasoned, possibly, tina
according to international law. Spair
was technically right in the virginiu
affair; but there can be no possibl,
| palliation for the horrible barbarity O
! the murder of the unfortunate prison
; ers captured with the vessel, not on,
, of whom would have been spared bu
: for the opportune arrival of the British
: man-of-war, whose captain prompt,
: and courageously put a stop to tn,
: brutal and inhuman proceedings. Their,
is no more revolving chapter in the his
tory of nations; indeed, one might q
into the annals of the barbarous age,