The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-06-21
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Chance Thought That Helped
Settle virginius Crisis.
President Woolsey's Opinion, Given W
an Interview, Determined the
Line of Action Adopted by
Secretary Fish.

Every American whose memory goes
back to the year 1873 can doubtless
! easily recall the intense excitement,
bordering on bad case OF war fever,
that prevailed throughout the country
when 1t became known that the Amer
lean ship Virginius, while engaged In
a fiIibustering expedition In Cuba, had
been captured by the Spaniards and
the captain and crew were being
held as outlaws for probable execu-
ton.
At the height of the pressure that
was being brought on President Grant
to demand of Spain that she release
vessel and crew, or take the conse-
quences of her refusal to do so, my
newspaper duties took me to the
home of Theodore d. Woolsey, who
was then finishing the last OF his 20
years as president of Yale. Dignffied
and courteous scholar that he was.
interviewed him as he unceremonious-
ly lay on the floor of his library while
engaged In romping with his grand
children.
My mission ended. was preparing
to take my departure-to the evident
delight of the youngsters--when the
thought suddenly occurred to me that
President Woolsey was worldwide
recognized authority on international
law, and that l had heard he was
often informally consulted by the
state department on matters Of inter-
national law, and possibly he could be
induced to say something about the
| Virginius affair. Therefore, I asked
him If he would care to tell me his
opinion of the proper position for our
| government to take in the interna-
tional crises confronting 1t.
! I can see the old gentleman now,
sitting on the floor, and with his
head resting on an arm which he had
thrown on chair, as he replied:
"If the facts are as have been
stated, then 1t Is inevitable that the
United States cannot demand the re-
lease Of the Virginius. 1t might be
asked as q favor done by one friend
ly nation to another, but 1t cannot be
demanded. No nation which recog-
nizes and practices the principles of
international law would support the
United States In an attitude Of that
kind. II 1t be true that this vessel
took on, under the shelter of ehe Amer
lean flag, arms and munitions intend
ed for those who are In revolution
against Spain in Cuba. and cleared
from our ports concealing that fact
then the vessel has forfeited the rights
which the American flag would other
wise give 1t. l see no possible es
cape from this, provided. Of course
that the facts are as have been stated
1t may be that request for friendly
consideration would receive favorable
consideration from Spain, but that II
another matter"
| realized at once that had wha
newspaper men call "a good story,
and l eagerly asked President Wool
sey II | might give 1t to the press tina
night He hesitated a moment al
though he shrank from appearing t
have volunteered an opinion upon {
matter that was giving the admins
tration the greatest possible concern
But when l assured him that the pub
lie statement would show that hi
opinion had been sought and not vol
UNFAIRLY made, he consented to m,
making 1t public.
Coming from the source It did, /
was inevitable that the statemen
should be widely published: and tn,
action taken by our government sool
after was substantially in line will
DR.. Woolsey's opinion. But not I'm
I'll after the Virginius had been con
demned and her captain, SO of tn,
crew and 16 OF the passengers sho
In the suburbs OF Santiago de Cuba
did learn from United States sena
tor from Connecticut that the state
ment had secured from DR.. Woolse,
as an afterthought had served to con
firm the secretary of state, Hamilton
Fish, In his view of the attitude tina
the United States should take. Presi
dent Woolsey was clearly an author
ity whose views could not be ignored
said the senator. and his opinion def
nitely determined Secretary Fish /,
take the stand he did, despite the well
grounded fear that the intense publ
clamor in favor of the hlibuster
might be made to serve their politica
ends by the opponents of the admins
tration.
Quite naturally. l dare say, have
until now, taken not little secre
pride in the fact that chance though
OF mine should have proved OF som
ultimate service to the country Il