About The Virginius

The backofBrother Jonathan has boon projuoted upward tó its highest angle during the last week or ten days, and throughout the length andbroadth of the land hoarse mutterings of war and conquest- have been heard. The cause of this great coinraotion is the capture on the high seas of the so-ealled American steamer Virginius, by a Spanish -ar steamer, and the summary exocutio in the Cuban port of Santiago, of hor ofiicers, crew, and passengers. Now, without approving for a moment the barbarous and inhuman slaughter, and for whieh the Spanish volunteers or Cuban authorities, and not the " home govtrnment," are or seem to be responsible, we venture to put in a word of caution. Our Governwenthasjust extracted from the English treasury vaülts tho snug round sum of 115,000,000 in gold, and for what P For permitting the Alabama and other blookade runners and cruisers to escape from her ports- or rather for not preventiag their eseape-to prey upon our oommerce and supply the rebels with umnitions of war. Could not a stronger caso be made by Spain against the Virginius if she was sailing uniler Amoriean colors and proteeted by American papers p We use " American " simply as a more convenient word than United States. It is said that tbe Virginius has not entered an American port since 1871; since which b.er known career has been that of a priva teer and blockade runner in the interest of the Cuban insurgents - or to use a term . familiar to our country, "rebels." Her constant work has been to ply between the ports of other islands in proximity to Cuba and the Cuban ooast, landing cannon, small arms, munitionsof war of all kinds, and men - filibustera - for the aid and comfort of rebellious subjccts of Spain, whose movements have been directed by the " Cuban juna " or somestimes called "llepublic," having its existenco and habitation in New York City. And when captared she was loaded with adventurers and munitions of war, in fiict had on board the prominent officers of the insurgent government, including Feaxchi Alfaeo, who it is said was going to Cuba to assurae the Presideney of the " Cuban Republic " - which never has had an existence on the island or elsewhere out of New York. His associatos and fellow passengors were all chronic revolutionists or füibusters, thcir rfeparture from New York by the Atlas- from which they wero transfered to the Virginius was no secret either to our authorities or the Spanish authorities of Cuba, who were keeping watch for her. And they went from our ports as avowed belligcrents, violators of our neutrality. The capture of tho Virginius out of Cuban waters may have been a'violation of international law - though considering her well-known character and mission that may not be so self-evident and indisputable ; the summary execution of her crew and " passengers," without due trial, may have been massacre and murder, but are our national skirts so clean as to warrant an extraordinary aiuount of indignation ? and unloss Spain assumes the responsibility by approving whatever outrage was perpetrated upon whom shall our indignation bc vented ? These are questions to be considered by thoso who so flippantly cali for war, and in advising caution may we not well use language attributed to so distinguished an authority as Caleb CusHINQ : " The people of this country are running stark mad because a few filibusters, who have forfeited their rights to the protection of the United States by their conduct, have been shot." - We may also add by way of suggestion, that itia more tlian probable that the Spanish-Cuban authorities inimediately responsible for the flagrant outrage in question niay have heard aud remember the lamentations put up by a la.rge class of the " trooly loil " of our citizens over the failure to hang or shoot Jeff. Davis and other rebels " at sigh." Profiting bv their escape through the meshes of the law - and they are nümerous and unaccountable - they proposed to leave no loop-holos and relieve the Spanish Eepublio frorn pressure. The New York World does not desire tosee Cuba annexed to the United States. It conceives that that island more naturally, eiimate, people, interests, religión, etc., bcing considered, belongs to Mexico, or would fiud politiealuniou with Mexico more congenial than with any other nation. This result, ho wever, it considera impossible, and therefore favors its independence, with a treaty establishing free commerce and exchange with the United States. Touching annexation the World s;iys : " Politically - it would, with its present population, be misplaeed as a member oí' the Union. There are no ties of sympathy between its people and ours. It is too importent and populous to be governcd under our system as a Territory, and it is uufit for self-government as a State. lts possession would afford constant temptittions, and even justifleations, for treating it as our own States carmot be treated without subverting the principies which lie at the foundation of our government." Every word of which is truc, and henee the conclusión of the World isalso sound : "lts annexation is to be deprecated as fraught with incalculable dangers,especially with theelements of disturbance which exist in -the South since the late war." Wo had better become a moro homeogeneous people, better leam to govern the territory and peopie we already have, than to absord the islands of the sea with their diverse populations and interests. I