DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE AND FOREIGN RELATIONS. 



Ml 



to the abdication of the King, Mr. Sickles 

 writes: "Conspicuous among these is the law 

 for the emancipation of slaves in Porto Rico. 

 As soon as it became apparent that Seflor Zor- 

 rilla's cabinet seriously entertained tho imrpose 

 of passing this measure, giving to it the support 

 of the crown, the project was made the pretext 

 fur the formation of a 'league,' in which all 

 parties in Spain, except tho Republicans and 

 the Radicals, were influontially represented. 

 Carlists, Alfonsists, Conservatives, forgetful of 

 all differences, united in this organization. It 

 embraced Marshal Serrano, Admiral Topete, 

 r Sagasta, General Caballero do Rodas, 

 hitherto supporters of the dynasty, besides a 

 number of generals and cabinet ministers of 

 Isabella. Nor were the adhesion and support 

 of the leading Carlists in arms in tho distant 

 provinces rejected. 



" The league was understood to command 

 ample pecuniary resources. It at once ob- 

 tained the support of a largo majority of tho 

 journals in Madrid and in tho other principal 

 towns. It established corresponding organiza- 

 tions throughout Spain. Failing in alternate 

 efforts to dissuade and to intimidate the cabi- 

 net from proceeding with the emancipation 

 project, a formal demand was addressed to the 

 King invoking his interposition. The King 

 declined to interfere unless he should be en- 

 abled to do so constitutionally with tho sanc- 

 tion of Parliament. From that moment his 

 Majesty, abandoned by the conservative load- 

 ers who had united with General Prim in es- 

 tablishing the new dynasty, became tho object 

 of renewed and embittered hostility at the 

 hands of all the factions in Spain. 



Subsequently, on February 15th, Mr. Sickles 

 appeared before the President (Figueras) and 

 thus recognized the Spanish Republic : 



ML PEEIIDZXT : In obedience to the command of 

 my Government, I come to salute, In your person, 

 the Republic of Spain. 



If permitted to forecast something of the future, I 

 would say that the tranquillity and dignity which 

 have accompanied the recent transition, and the wis- 

 dom which lias confided to your excellency the presi- 

 dency of the executive power, are good omens of the 

 happy destiny of the new commonwealth. 



The United States of America, occupying a con- 

 siderable part of the continent consecrated to civili- 

 sation by the valor and faith of Spain, cannot wit- 

 ness without emotion and sympathy the establish- 

 ment of a republic in the empire of Ferdinand and 

 Isabella. 



Taught by the uninterrupted practice of free In- 

 stitutions during the past century, their inestimable 

 value In promoting the welfare of a nation, It Is a 

 source of ^profound satisfaction to the American peo- 

 ple that Spain finds in our example the means by 

 which her prosperity and power may rest on sure 

 foundations. 



Conveying to your excellency the fervent wishes 

 of the President of the United States for the success 

 of your administration, I perform tho most agreeable 

 duty of my mission in recognizing the authority 

 plaoed In your hands by the sovereign Assembly. 



The following joint resolution, tendering tho 

 congratulations of the American people to the 

 people of Spain, was adopted on March 3d: 



BMotud. by On SenaU and BiniM </ Ryruenfatica 

 oftht United State* o/ America in Conart* autmolid, 

 That, in the name and behalf of the An, 

 pie, the congratulations of Congress are 1 

 dered to the people of Spain ui>on their recent efforts 

 to consolidate tho principles of universal liberty in a 

 republican form of government. 



That the President of the United States be, and 

 hereby is. requested to transmit this resolution to 

 the American minuter at Madrid, with instructions 

 to present it to the Spanish Government. 



THS STEAMER VIBOINIUS. Her capture by 

 the Spanish man-of-war Tornado was an occur- 

 rence which excited much interest, both in tho 

 United States and Spain, and led to an exten- 

 sive correspondence, by which peace betv 

 the two nations was preserved. Tho whole 

 matter was fully set forth in a message of 

 President Grant to Congress, on January 5, 

 1874, and the accompanying documents. The 

 message and a summary of the correspondence 

 are here presented : 

 To the Senate and Bbute of Byraentatit* : 



In my annual message of December last, I gave 

 reason to expect that, when the full and accurate text 

 of the correspondence relating to the steamer Vir- 

 ginius (which had been telegraphed in cipher) should 

 Be received, the papers concernini,' the capture of the 

 vessel, the execution of a part of its passengers and 

 crew, and the restoration of tho ship and the surviv- 

 ors, would be transmitted to Congress. In com- 

 pliance with the expectations then held out, 1 now 

 transmit the papers and correspondence on that sub- 

 ject. 



On the 26th day of September, 1870, the Virginius 

 was registered in the custom-house at New York as 

 the property of a citizen of the United States, he 

 having first made oath, as required by law, that ho was 

 the true and only owner of the said vessel, and that 

 there was no subject or citizen of any foreign prince 

 or state directly or indirectly, by way of trust, con- 

 fidence, or otherwise, intcrcstc.l therein. Having 

 complied with the requisites of tho statute in that 

 behalf, she cleared in tho usual way for the port of 

 Curacoa, and on or about tho 4th day of October, 

 1870, sailed for that port. It is not disputed that she 

 made the voyage according to her clearance, nor that 

 from that day to this she has not returned within 

 the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. It 

 is also understood that she preserved her AtDcrican 

 papers, and that when within foreign ports she made 

 the practice of putting forth claim to American na- 

 tionality which was recognized by the authorities at 

 such ports. When, therefore, she left the port of 

 Kingston in October last, under tho flag of the 

 United States, she would appear to have had, as 

 against all powers except the United States, the 

 right to fly that flag nnd to claim its protection as 

 enjoyed by all regularly documented vessels regis- 

 tered as part of our commercial marine. No state 

 of war existed conferring upon a maritime power tho 

 right to molc-1 ami .U tain n]on the high-seas a doo- 

 niiK'iite.l vessel, and it cannot be pretended that the 

 Vilnius had plaoed herself without the pale of all 

 law by acts of piracy against the human race. It' her 

 paper's were irregular or fraudulent, the offense was 

 one against the laws of the United States, justifiable 

 only in their tribunals. 



When, therefore, It became known that tho \ ir- 

 ginius had been captured on the lii^'h-neas by a Span- 

 i-h nmn-of-war, that the American flag had been 

 hauled down by the captors, that the vessel had 

 been carried to a Spanish port, and that Spanish tri- 

 bunals were taking jurisdiction over the persons of 



t'liind on her, and exercising that juris.. 

 upon American citizens, not only in violation of in- 

 ternational Uw, but in contravention of tho provi- 



