Year: 1873

Is IL Suppressed!


II has been announced from Washington
that the correspondence between the Spanish
government and our own in relation to the
Virginius outrage is withheld from Congress
and the people for the reason that having
been carried on by means OF the cable, and
sometimes in cipher, it is deemed desirable, in
view of its great importance, to await the
receipt of the original papers by mail before
its publication. We regard this explanation
as unsatisfactory, and are disposed to believe
that the delay is prompted by other considera-
tions. The seizure of the virginius and the
swift murder of one batch Of her passengers
were known to our government on the 9th
day Of November. or just one month ago. A
great portion Of the official correspondence
growing out Of the outrage must have passed
between the two governments within the first
twelve days thereafter, and European mails
up to November Is have been in Washington
since last Saturday or Sunday. Our own
share Of the correspondence, at. least.
must be ready for publication. and this is
what the American people are the most anxious





the Spanish government were sufficiently
plain and free from the chance of misinter-
pretation to warrant the conclusion Of set
tlement and the formal execution of a proto-
col based upon them, they ought certainly to
be in at condition to meet the public eye.


1t is an insult to the people and to their
representatives in Congress to place before
them the terms Of the surrender Of their
honor agreed upon by feeble Secretary of
State, requiring them to swallow the offensive
dose whether they are willing or not, and to
withhold from them the correspondence by
which the unworthy settlement has been pre-
ceded Under the modern rule in Washing
ton it appears to be forgotten that the peo-
pie are the sovereigns Of the Republic, and
that it is especially their privilege to be in
formed of oil the details Of a question affecting
the national honor. Secrecy may occasion
ally be prudent and proper in the con-
duct of negotiations with foreign Powers
until the result has been accomplished, but in
this Virginius matter the end has been reached,
SO far as the governments of Washington and
Madrid are concerned, and we have right to





know by what steps it has been reached.
There has been studied effort on the part of
our State Department to misrepresent facts
and to befog the issues involved in the Spanish
Cuban outrage which is not calculated to win
public confidence or to dispose people to
accept the conclusions Of the Secretary of
State without inquiry. Were the first demands
IL Ixvo ~ To- f1,a
ditions of the Fsh-Polo protocol? If so,
what meant the heated controversy between
our Minister at Madrid and the Spanish
Minister Of Foreign Affairs? What the
demonstration by the bowling mob outside the
doors of the American Legation? If not,
were these demands modified or abandoned by
Mr.. Fish? Has the Madrid government
acknowledged the violation of inter-
national law and treaty obligations involved
in the seizure of an American vessel
on the high seas in time of peace? Has it adj
mitted the unlawful character of the De Rodas
proclamation and given orders to the COM
manders of its navy not to act hereafter upon
the instructions contained in that proclama-
ton? Or has it openly or by implication
maintained its right to visit and search ''sus-
picious" vessels, and if found to contain
Cuban insurgents or "contraband of war"
supposed to be designed for the insurrection-
lists, to treat them as pirates, carry them into
port and summarily execute their passengers
and crew? The American people have right
to official information on these points-in-
formation to be gained only from the full COR
respondence that has passed between the two
governments on the subject. It is to be hoped
that Congress will call for the immediate
publication of this correspondence, however
anxious Mr.. Fish may be to suppress it until
the terms of his disgraceful compromise, the
Casino Espahol permitting, have been carried
out.


nF No Arcf nj