264 DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT!' AN'D FOREIGN RELATIONS. 



will oonaent to take charge of them. You will signify 

 the reception of thU by telegraphing to mo in plain 

 the word, " New Jersey." 



The same day protests were made to the 

 Spanish Government against the summary 

 execution*, and on the 15th Minister Sickles 

 telegraphed to Mr. Fish: 



Made demand by not to-day, at three o'clock in 

 the afternoon, and on the name day telegraphed. 

 Received an ill-tempered note to-day from the Min- 

 i-tor of State, rejecting the protect, and aaving, that 

 Spain would nevertheless consider and decide the 

 questions according to law and her dignity. 



Mr. Fish telegraphed to Minister Sickles, No- 

 vember 15th, reporting fifty-seven more exe- 

 cutions, and saying, " If Spain cannot redress 

 these outrages, the United States will." These 

 instructions to Minister Sickles were to be used 

 cautiously and discreetly. 



On November 16th General Sickles sent a 

 copy of a note to Senor Carvnjol, demanding 

 reparation, and a copy of the Litter's reply, 

 and also General Sickles'* rejoinder. General 

 Sickles alluded to the abusive attitude of the 

 Madrid press. General Sickles telegraphed to 

 Secretary Fish, November 16th : 



Mr. Layard informs me he has received instruc- 

 tions from his Government concerning seventeen 

 British subjects among the crow of the Virginias, 

 executed, and seven more under sentence of death 

 the Utter all minors. Of the seventeen dead, six 

 were executed Immediately on the arrival of the 

 Virginius in port. A British frigate ia ordered to 

 Santiago. 



On November 18th General Sickles trans- 

 mitted a copy of the reply of the Minister of 

 State to his note of November 16th, respecting 

 reports from Havana. Sickles regarded it us 

 refusal, and proposed to clone the legation 

 unless otherwise ordered, and on the 18th 

 asked Secretary Fish that a vessel might bo 

 ordered to Valencia to take him to France. 

 The next day Si.-kl.-s transmitted a copy of 

 Carvajal's reply, rejecting the protest. On tin' 

 19th no informed 8ecrot;iry Fish he ws wait- 

 ing instructions, and said: "The popular feel- 

 iiiL' runs high here against the United States 

 ami this legation. The press is violent, ad- 

 vising Government to order me out of Spain. 

 Last night a mob was collected to attack and 

 sack the legation. The authorities interfered, 

 and preserved the peace." 



Mr. Sickles also telegraphed: "Spain has 

 asked the good offices of England. I.onl (ir.-m- 

 ville declined, unless on the basis of ample 

 reparation made to the I'niied Stnt.-s." Mr. 

 Fisli l.-Ii'.Tii;ilied to Mr. Sickles November 

 19th, that the Spanish minister at Washington 

 had shown a telegram from his Govern 

 .asking time for inquiry, and expressing an in- 

 tention to make reparation. This being re- 

 garded as a reoon*>i'liT:itin of the d- 

 communicated to Mr. Sickles, he was instruct- 

 ed to defer hi* departure. On the 2<itli. Mr. 

 Sickles announced that the tone of the 

 fmm the Minister of State was unsatisfactory, 

 and says: 



If permitted to offer a suggestion with reference to 

 your instructions of the Itrth, 1 would remark that 

 the tone, temper, and substance of the written com- 

 munications made to me by the Minister of State arc 

 M the apparent purport of the tele- 

 gram sent to the 8pani*ii minister m Washington, 

 and communicated to you. The refusal to say a 

 word about the merits of the case in reply to a de- 

 mand repelled as arbitrary, inadmissible, and humil- 

 iating, was announced to me bore on the name day 

 that different professions were made to you. Softer 

 Oarvajal's notes to mo are exhibited here as showing 

 the real position of this Government. They are 

 offensive in form and unsatisfactory in substance. 

 If we hesitate, it would be asserted and believed, in 

 Spain and Cuba, that we pause before the defiant 

 attitude assumed by this Government and people. 

 This boast will be supported by the official and for- 

 mal declarations of this cabinet in reply to commu- 

 nications I have made to it in obedience to your in 

 struct ions. Misapprehending our forbearance, S|>uin 

 would abuse any success obtained by duplicity and 

 delay, and show herself more than over arrogant and 

 regardless of our right* and dignity. On the other 

 hand, any concession now obtained at Washington 

 will appear to corroborate the intimation made here 

 in high quartern, and generally believed, that my 

 action in the matter of the Virginius has not been in 

 c informity witli the instructions 1 have received, and 

 is not approved by my Government. I have the best 

 reasons for the opinion that my prompt withdrawal 

 from Madrid, in default of the reparation the Presi- 

 dent h directed me to demand, will convince Spain 

 we are in earnest, and she may yield to our terms, 

 and peace may be honorably preserved. The fact 

 that Spain holds one attitude here, and another in 

 Washington, on the same day, would seem to im- 

 peach her sincerity, and this dissimulation, I am 

 sure, is due to the fear of a diplomatic nip! lire, or 

 something worse. This cabinet hns already ob- 

 tained alftho information it will ever get from Cuba 

 about this transaction. The Italian Government. 

 hw kindly consented to allow Count Maffl, charge 

 faffaint of Italy, in Madrid, to take care of Ameri- 

 can interests here, and accept the custody of the 

 library and property of this legation, on application 

 bailiff made oy your authority through onr minister 

 in Rome. I hope you will make the request, and 

 that this courtesy may bo duly acknowledged. 



SICKLES. 



Mr. Fish telegraphed to General Sickles, No- 

 vember 21, 1873: 



Your telegram suggesting a possible difference of 

 attitude on the jmrt <f Spain in Madrid and here, 

 which you think culls for your withdrawal from 

 Madrid, and asking a request to the Italian Govern- 

 ment to authorise Its representative to take cure of 

 our library at Madrid, has been laid before the I'rvsi- 

 dcnt, who decides that public interests require Unit 

 you should remain at your post until the expiration 

 of the time heretofore named, orontil further orders. 

 If a difference exists, as yon suggest, the President 

 feels it his duty to tnkc into consideration the repre- 

 sentations made at Washington, which approach 

 nnarly to compliance with our jnst demands ; 

 lie depends upon you to cooperate with our efforts to 

 induce Spain to make such concessions as mav avert 

 a rapture between the two republics. Without 

 questioning the sincerity of the Madrid cabinet, it 

 will not ho possible to send a vessel to Valencia. 



1 1SII. 



After further correspondence, M r. Fish tele- 

 graphed, November 25fh. to Mr. Sickles: "If 

 no accommodation is reached l>y the clone of 

 to-morrow, leave. If a proposition is snlunit- 

 ted, yon wil! refer it to Washington and defer 

 action." Mr. Sickles informed Mr. Fish, No- 



