No. 8.
Mr. Jay to
Mr. Fish.
American
Legation,
Vienna,
December 24, 1873. (Received January 12,
1874.)
No. 683.]Sir: I have to acknowledge your circular of the 3d
December, marked “confidential,” transmitting the President’s message and
the accompanying protocol touching the Virginius.
As I have before remarked, the attention which the text of the message would
otherwise claim at Vienna, is in great part forestalled by the summary by
cable given in the London Times, and reproduced by the continental
press.
The New Free Press had a leading article this morning on the new phase of the
Virginius question presented by the announcement that the United States had
recognized the soundness of the view presented by Spain that she was not
entitled to carry the American flag.
[Page 16]
The article, while attributing the decision of the Government on this point
not to the Attorney-General, but to the House of Representatives, and
exhibiting, perhaps, in one or two other particulars, the carelessness and
inexactness of statement to which you adverted in your No. 282, as marking a
letter I had sent you from the columns of the same journal, exhibits a
spirit of appreciation of the moderation and justice shown by us toward a
sister republic in this matter, which I think deserving of notice, despite a
few inaccuracies of form and an apparent ignorance of the terms of the
protocol.
I append a translation of some brief extracts, which will show the spirit of
the article on this point, as well as the appeal to Mr. Castelar, at the
close, to extend to the Spanish prisoners in Cuba the rights of
belligerents.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure.]
leading editorial on “virginius
question.”
[Translated from the “New Free
Press.”]
* * * The matter was no more examined in the newspaper columns, or in
stormy assemblies convoked for the occasion, but in the Hall of
Representatives, not by wildly excited masses, but by considerate
politicians. Public opinion had first called for war, afterward for
unconditional satisfaction. Now, satisfaction had been given, the
passions had subsided, and the Congress weighed the matter slowly and
considerately, and lo! what, was most unexpected occurred. The Congress
acknowledged that the Virginius had wrongfully carried the American
flag, and it possessed the courage and honesty, not only openly to
confess it, but officially to communicate to the Spanish government the
supprising result of their consultations. This conduct deserves
unreserved approval. As we were obliged to find, in the former phases of
the “Virginius question,” the procedure of the United States harsh and
unjust, we must now pay our tribute to the self-knowledge, the sincere
explanation of the Congress. Nothing is more difficult than the
confession of being in the wrong. Even an individual with difficulty
makes up his mind so far to overcome vanity and self-love; nations and
states, as a rule, prefer sacrificing their goods and lives to saying to
an injured neighbor, we were in the wrong. Such a step as that of the
American Congress could not at all be imagined in a monarchical state.
Here the foreign policy does not rest with the legislative body; this is
subject neither to their direction nor supervision. * *
This is seemingly an abandonment of a success attained, but, in truth, a
victory worth as much as any gamed in the open field, and not less
honorable.
* * * * * * *
Would it not be more humane, and, perhaps, more wise, to grant to the
Cuban insurgents the same rights as have been granted long ago to the
Carlists in the mother country? Cowards, who are afraid of bullets, are
far from combating in the ranks of the Cuban insurgents; executions do
not cause any fear, but only unquenchable thirst for revenge, which is
very often reeked in a dreadful manner on the Spanish soldiers. If
Castelar resolved to utter the great words, “captured Cubans are to be
spared like captured Carlists,” his name would perhaps shine more purely
and brilliantly than hitherto in the history of his native country, and
the Virginius question would find a conclusion conciliatory and worthy
of his country.
