Year: 1873

40AA Wv 4lA4N4 AbOAA w AApA~AAsA - S~s'
Some Light Thrown on the Action Of the


Governme ment--InstructiOns to Sfckies


Laconic and to the Potnt-Spafn Plead


ing for Timc-The virginius Beyond q


Doubt an American Vesscl-Ugly Cases


In Point for Spain.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 1873.


Another exchange OF kilograms took place to-day
between Secretary Fish and General Sickles. Their
contents have been guarded with the usual strict
ness but are represented to be, on our own side,
rigid in tone. They are also understood
to 60 further toward sustaining the view
that the CASTELAR, government is on 1t knees,
but still contending for delay that our Minister is
not permitted to grant. The necessity OF fuller
and more authentic information concerning the
whole transaction, beginning with the departure
of the virginius and ending with the last
batch of executions, is pleaded, well
as the usual necessity OF fixing the extent
OF the responsibility incurred by the several
Spanish officers engaged IN the capture and execp-
tions, before settling the proceedings to be taken
against any. But our government, it Is rep
resented contends that the principal facts
sufficiently well established and understood to
warrant and require


AN INSTANT DIsAvOwAL OF THEM


by the Spanish government, and that the removal
and arrest OF the immediate actors may be ordered
without awaiting the result or the investigation OF
details that the Cabinet at Madrid wishes to i'm
pose upon before definitely acting at all. 1t is
strongly suspected here that the mere diplomatic
expression of regret and assurance of
justice for once will not be accepted
by government without accompanying
acts OF energy and power against the insolent and
insubordinate officers in Cuba, even though these
are all tnat the Madrid Cabinet can safely offer,
tn ~, Hnlp Il
Havana or as strong as the popular Indignation is
in this country. On the other side, the
government OF CASTELAR, is believed to
know that it possesses the sympathy
OF our own government to greater
degree than any that is likely to follow its down
fall, it is suggested as possible that some
softening OF demands may be OBJ
tanned If the position of affairs should
not be made worse by what may occur
in Cuba or in our own country within the next
10 or 10 days. This, however. is but conjecture,
and the dispatches OF to-day are not considered
giving any encouragement TO the hope OF an
abatement Of our very first demands. What makes
the pending matter worse or Spain is that the
question OF


THE EMBARGoED ESTATES


OF American citizens in Cuba has become neces-
sarily connected with the case OF the Virgnus and
an imperative demand for their actual release
Is pressed WIFI tue same PERSISTENCE as the
at time when it is doubtful whether such
demand be much better met. The
threat OF Secretary Fish to the Spanish Minister
what the President would recommend to Congress
II these estates were not returned to their owners
within the brief time named by the Secretary to
the Minister, and which the former would not con-
sent to extend two days, became


TERRIBLY SIGNIFICANT OF ACTUAL BUSINESS


to Admiral Polo, when coupled with the fact that
!
to say the same thing directly to the government
at Madrid, in the first despatch about :hesexecu.
tion OF Ryan and his three fellow victims, namely
that If the Spanish government could not and
did not act at once and effectively the
United States would act for themselves. 1t is gen.
orally known now ior the first time that this
question OF the failure to execute the DEGREES Tor
releasing embargoed estates was in itself assum-
ing large ana dangerous proportions when
overshadowed by the affair OF the Vir-
gnius, the President having all along
determined that he would not let his message go
into Congress without either positively saying that
the property taken without due course OF law,
and, therefore in violation OF the explicit terms OF
the treaty of 1885, had been actually restored, or
recommending that the means be put at his dis
| posa for executing the DEGREES himself The per-
sonal question OF damages suffered by the owners
OF the estates was, OF course, intended to
be left to the adjudication OF the Spanish American
Claims Commission In session here at Washington;
but the acts OF embargo themselves were griev-
ances suffered by this government, and therefore
not within the jurisdiction OF the Claims Commls-
sion. 1t is quite certain from all this that


WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL AGGRAvATIoN


of the capture of the virginius and slaughter of
those on board there would nave been crisis in
our Cuban relations about this time, but on the
assumption that the stronger the CASTELAR, govern.
ment became at home the easier the crisis could
pe solved by the actual restoration Of the
estates. The final demand was drifting along
towards the meeting Of Congress. and was 80
caught undelivered when the event OF the vrginius
came suddenly upon both governments. One cause
Of delay, however, is alleged to have been the ex-
pressed wish OF the CASTELAR, government when the
question was brought before it, to have the DEGREES
executed by the new Captain General it proposed
! to send to Cuba: and 1t is presumed that General
Jovolar brought out with him orders for the release
OF the emoargoed estates as among his most i'm
| portant duties The attempt OF the Spanish gov.
| ernment to delay any momentous action upon the
virglnius case until full Information is received on
all points is taken in some quarters here an in
dcation of the intention OF that government to
| DISPUTE THE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES
over the vessel by attempted disproof OF her legal
American character, and this opinion is held to be
strengthened by the tone and position OF the press
| OF Madrid and Havana, as far as reported. De-
| spatches from this city have already, in the
| past day or two, raised doubts as to whether
the virgnus was, after all, entitled TO the
| protection she had received from the navy or her
slaughtered passengers and ships company the
atonement now demanded for them. strong
presumption raised against her by the publica-
tion OF the absence Of her name from the list OF
registered enrolled, licensed and numbered yes.
sells, required by law to be kept and published by
the Bureau Of Statistics This omission would not
have been fatal, II true, as the Custom House
record Of vessel at her home port and at ports
where she has taken out temporary papers is the
original proof Of nationality; but an overhauling
Of the Treasury navigation records took place to-
day for the satisfaction OF the authorities and IL