Year: 1873

WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1873


Views OF Congressman Th0rnburg.


Representative Jacob M. Thornburg, OF Ten
nessee. Is native OF that State, and was strong
Union man during the civil war He is republi-
can in politics, and is from the Knoxville district
which heretofore has been represented by Horace
Maynard who takes his seat at the
coming session as member at large. He says
that his constituents warmly in favor of de-
clded action on the part OF the government in the
matter OF Cuba war for the acquisition OF that
island would be exceedingly popular in that State.
Tennessee might be safely counted upon
for 10000 volunteers Those who had been
Confederate soldiers would jump at the opportu'
nifty TO show their loyalty TO the dag The very best
men would volunteer. Disciplined soldiers, who
had served either in the federal or confederate
service, would look upon the invasion OF CUBA
as a regular frolic and they would fight the Span
iards with that confidence in themselves
which would be itself the certainty Of success
In every battle that might take place. So far
as driving the Spanish army of the island, that
would be an operation of not much difficulty,
and would take but comparatively a short
time after the landing Of the American forces;
but, after all, whatever may be our desire
about acquiring the island, members OF Congress,
upon whom devoves the responsibility OF
ueCdTabOu oI war, nave tO CVHSiueT very carefully
all the facts OF the case and whether they are
justified in such action. There some nice
points to be decided.


Had the Spanish man-ofwar the right to capture
a vessel flying the American nag and having
regular Custom House clearance and q consular
acknowledgment AS to calling the Virginlus
piratical craft and condemning her passengers
and crew as pirates, that was nonsense.
They could not be deemed such by
any possible Interpretation OF international or
maritime law. The vessel was notorousy nlli-
clustering vessel, engaged in carrying arms and
supplies to the Cuban insurgents but she was SIM
ply blockade runner, and as such, when
liable to forfeiture. We had hundreds OF
such cases during our civil war. Our naval vessels
captured many OF these blockade runners, put,
other than the confscation OF the vessels and the
retaining OF the passengers Tor time as
prisoners, no penalty was inflicted II, when
the Tornado had captured the Nirgnius and had
taken her INTO Santiago de Cuba, the vessel
had been conflscated after due process OF law we
could have had no grounds OF complaint against
Spain. The United States authorities should have
had ample time TO settle the point OF international
law whether a vessel sailing under the American
nag and with the papers she possessed could
be legally seized by a foreign man of-war on
the high seas. Pending the settlement h OF this
have been held In durance, so that if il
should be settled that the spaniards were IN
the right In the capture the persons on board
OF her might be held TO answer so far as their acts
made them amenabe for transgression OF the





courts aud not for the summary vengeance
of a drumhead court martial The mill
tary % coartmf If, it car can be called 81 such
sengers and officers and crew OF the VIrglnius
murder. 1t can be characterized as nothing else
There is no law civil or military, to justify it. The
whole manner in which the affair conducted
was an evidence that the perpetrators were
telegraph In' wre rs were cut 50 1Sat there
could be no communication with the Captain
General and no orders could be received to check





crafty the bloodthirstness and cruelty which
seems to be the delight OF Spanish commanders
irresistible. The suffering OF the victims was
better In It's excitement than the national sport
of bun fight. The deed was hurried through
to prevent interference so that the perpetrators
might say, Well you are too late to stop 1t. Ii s
over. anu what are you gong to do about 10 ~ 1t
which demands the most ample reparation. When
the Acting American Consul attempted TO inter
cede in the AFFAIR and asked that the prisoners be
accorded the rights OF law he was grossly IN.
suited and at the time OF the execution guard
was placed over his house.


This excitement Will produce one good effect 1t
will teach Congress the necessity OF an efficient
navy. His opponent in the Congressional canvass,
among the complaints made against the ex.
that naval forces cost entirely too
much and the service should be reduced.
that the navy should be considerably increased
and rendered in every way ehclent so that the
government could protect American rights and
commerce in every part OF the world Western
members were 100 ready TO decry the navy and
vote against any measures which might be taken
to enlarge it, This was bad policy. What affected
the commercial interests OF the country affected
all portions ofitthe western and interior sections
as well as the eastern.


Even though this threatening difficulty should
be satisfactorily arranged he thought that an
American man-ofwar should be stationed
At or in the vicinity OF every Cuban port
ready at a moments warning TO pro-
tect the rights and property OF American
citizens Had there been an American man-ofwar
In the harbor OF Santiago the massacre would not
have taken place. Nothing would have been done
except in strict accordance with the law Of
nations. This narrow minded economy OF strip
ping the country OF its proper naval protection will
prove In the end very expensive.