The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-04

lives we're saved The Spanish afterwarii
asserted that the executions were stopper
l-because OF orders received FROM Madrid
The next time Sir I.anlbton Lorraine was
in New York he was offered reception
which he declined. He was presented
| however, with a silver brick, on which
| we're engraved the words: Blood is thi.k
en- than water a resolution OF thanks TO
| him was laid on the table in the house OF
representatives and never passed.
| when the news OF all tits reached tile
United States public Indignation rose rap-
| idly. Mass meetings were held demanding
vengeance on Spain President Grant sent
special messages to congress, and the state
department began diplomatic negotiations.
Hamilton Fish. secretary ok state declared
that the Nirtinius, having been registered
as an American vessel. carrying Official
documents regular upon their face and
teaiing the United States flag, was entire.
ly beyond the Jurisdiction of any other
power on the high seas In the time of
ttace; that il she had secured fraudulent
entry or committed any other fraud against
tho laws of the United States II was Tor
her to be turned over to the United States
courts FOR punishment and not FIR her to
be captured and punished by some other
rover. The Spanish minister OF foreign
affairs at that time was Admiral Polo lie
Bornabc, father oil the new Spanish minis
ter who succeeds he Lone. He wanted TO
submit the matter to arbitration and Seq
ietary Fish replied to him that the
United States was rcaGy to refer to arr
bitratiUn all questions Of un indignity to
the flag OF the nation and the capture in
time of peace on the high ssas of vessel
bearing that flag and having also the re-
lister and papers of an American ship, ii Is
not deemrd to be one referabe 10 other
rowers TO determine A nation must he
the judge and custodian Of It's own honor"
Most OF the men were executed after
protests TO Madrid began TO be made. Mad
rid mobs made demonstration against
the American minister, General Sickles.
November Secretary Fish cab.el Sickles:
In case of refusal of satisfactory repara-
ton within twelve days from this date
close your legation and leave Madrid.'' Ten |
days later. when the executions were over |
he telegraphed: IF Spain can not redress |
these outrages. the United States will" |
Ten DAYS after that he wired "if no set !
Element is reached by the close of tomor-
row, leave" Next day Spain became tract
able and war wss averted. BY his conduct |
In Madrid at that time General Sickles
made many friends of these who wanted
TO see energetic action and many enemies
among those who wanted peace at any
price. Ii was alleged afterwards that the
latter Influence became dominant, and that
his recall from that post was the result OF
their work to punish him for his energy
that was not always diplomatic in its
forms.
The terms Of settlement Of the trouble
were that the Nirginius should be surren-
iered 10 an American warship, with the
survivors OF those who had been captured
With her, and on December % the Uni,en
'tatts should be salnted by the Tornado.
The surrender was made in the obscure
iLrhor OF BAHIA Honda December H. the
Spanish having taken the Nirginius there
o avoid the humiliation of surrender in
Santiago or Havana. where il should have
been made. Captain W. d. Whiting the
,hief of staff OF the North Atlantic squad
on. was appointed to receive the surrender |
IT the Virginus. and the gunbcat Dispatch
Vas sent TO Bahia Honda with him fo-
hat purpose Lieutenant Adoiph Mark
vas the flag liuetenant of the Dispatch |
he same who Is now he Judge advocate ]
II the court of inquiry on the Maine dis
lister. The Virginius was delivered with
he flag flying, but she was unseaworthy | /
md, struck by Il storm off Cape Hatteras. ! /;
vas sunk on her way to New York The ,
alute 10 the flag that had been arranged ,
YES waived by the United States because ,
he attorney general gave an opinion tina.
he Virginius had no right to fly the Amer
can flag when she was captured. No In
'emnity was paid for the lives OF the !
american citizens who had been executed /
nd the incident was declared closed. a
1