No. 414.
General Sickles to Mr. Fish.
United States
Legation in Spain,
Madrid, July 27, 1873.
(Received August 16.)
No. 668.]
Sir: Last week Lieutenant-General Contreras put
himself at the head of a seditious movement in the city of Cartagena, and
being followed by a turbulent element common in most Spanish towns, he
declared the province of Murcia an independent state, and renounced all
allegiance to this or any other government. A considerable part of the
troops of the garrison, and the crews of five or six of the best ships in
the Spanish navy lying in the harbor, joined the outbreak. Cartagena is a
fortified place, and a naval depot of importance.
The government at once took measures to stop the revolt. Among other steps a
proclamation was issued denouncing the people on board the war vessels as
pirates, and authorizing and inviting their capture by the armed forces of
other nations as good prize. I sent a copy and translation of this decree to
Admiral Case, commanding our European fleet, and also to Captain Wells, of
the Shenandoah, the latter supposed to be lying off Malaga.
Our consul at Cartagena transmits to me, under date of 24th instant, a
communication addressed to him by General Contreras, and a copy of his
reply.
I have the honor to forward herewith copies and translations of these several
documents, and the correspondence incident thereto.
It is not supposed that General Contreras can maintain himself many days in
Cartagena. He is not distinguished for address or ability in the conduct of
his rash enterprises. If he escapes the resentment of his disappointed
adherents, and is able to quit Spain for foreign parts, he may congratulate
himself, as the government just now is not in the humor to deal leniently
with such characters.
A sort of epidemic seems to seize town after town in succession. The symptoms
are the same everywhere. Under the influence of the disorder a revolutionary
junta is improvised, the militia and the troops fraternize, the authorities
are ousted, occasionally the civil governor and the military
[Page 1011]
governor join the insurgents, and almost
uniformly these officers acquiesce in the movement or leave the place. In
Cartagena a thousand or two sailors and soldiers profited by the occasion to
have a frolic in the streets. One of the Spanish fleet, the Vigilante,
commanded by a committee appointed in the forecastle, put to sea under a red
flag, and having visited Torrevieja and levied a contribution of thirty-six
thousand dollars, was returning to port when she was overhauled and captured
by the German iron-clad, Friederich Karl, and taken to Gibraltar. The
movement in Cartagena having as usual exhausted its strength in about a
week, is understood to be near a collapse.
In Cadiz the volunteers, joined by some regular artillery, made an attack on
the adjacent naval station of San Fernando, and were easily repelled, with
severe loss. In Malaga a serious collision occurred in the streets between
the forces led by rival chiefs, resulting in a hundred killed and wounded.
In Seville there seems less disposition to fight, and the consuls are
negotiating for terms with General Pavia, commanding a division of the army
sent by the government to restore order in Andalusia. In Valencia the
resistance is more obstinate, although it can scarcely be prolonged, since
General Campos has sent for some mortars to bombard the city, and will open
fire to-day if necessary.
The government maintains a firm attitude and is supported by public
opinion.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure A.—Translation.]
ministry of marine.
Decree of July 20, 1873, declaring the naval insurgents at Cartagena
pirates.
preamble.
In the midst of the grave situation through which the country is passing,
when an interrupted series of intestinal discords have brought it to its
present melancholy condition, a new complication unhappily arises which
may be followed by varied and distinct consequences, the more
transcendental in that they affect or may affect our international
relations.
Several vessels of the navy at anchor in the port of Cartagena, making
common cause with the insurgent masses in that maritime department, have
set at nought the legitimate authority of their commanders and officers,
and in open rebellion against the sole power organized by the will of
the Cortes, have put to sea with the purpose of carrying out their
criminal designs on the Mediterranean coasts.
The government in consequence cannot allow itself in any way to be held
liable for this action, hitherto unparalleled in naval annals, nor
permit that, perhaps under cover of party aims of a certain character,
these vessels should commit acts of positive piracy which would
compromise the dignity of Spain in the eyes of foreign nations, for,
according to international law, all vessels are pirates which hold no
lawful commission from a government, or carry no legal sailing-papers,
and which are not under the command of an officer competently authorized
to represent the public forces.
In view of this and of the urgent necessity of attacking the evil at its
birth, the undersigned minister has the honor to propose the issue of
the following decree.
The Minister of Marine,
JACOBO
OREYRO.
Madrid, July 20,
1873.
decree.
- Article I. The crews of the frigates of
the national navy, Almansa,
Victoria, and Mendez
Nunez, the crew of the steamer Fernando el
Católico, and of any other war vessel among those in
mutiny in the department of Cartagena, shall be deemed to be pirates
wherever found in the jurisdictional waters of Spain, or beyond
them, by Spanish or foreign naval forces, according to articles 4,
5, and 6, section 5, chapter 6, of the general ordinances of the
navy.
- Article II. Commanders of war vessels of
powers friendly to Spain are hereby authorized to seize the vessels
specified in article I, and to pass judgment upon the individuals
composing their crews in the sense expressed in that article, the
Spanish government reserving to itself the ownership of the vessels,
to be established by the proper reclamations through diplomatic
channels.
- Article III. In like manner are declared
pirates any other vessels of the national navy, which, being in a
state of mutiny and not under the command of officers of the navy,
may put to sea from any port of the peninsula.
- Article V. (IV?) The minister of marine
is hereby charged with the execution of this decree, and shall
communicate to the minister of state for the information of the
foreign diplomatic body.
Madrid, July 20,
1873.
- The Minister of
Marine,
JACOBO
OREYRO. - To the President of the Government of
the Republic,
Nicolas Salmeron.
[Inclosure C.]
General Sickles to Capt. C. H.
Wells, commanding Shenandoah.
Legation of
the United States,
Madrid, July 22,
1873.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for
your information, a copy and translation of a decree of the government
of Spain, dated 20th instant, and published yesterday in the Official
Gazette, denouncing as pirates the officers and crews of certain Spanish
vessels therein described, and inviting their capture as lawful prize by
the armed ships of other powers.
This decree of the executive was yesterday approved by the legislative
authority.
You are therefore authorized by public law, and by the express consent of
the government to which these piratical cruisers belong, to capture any
one or more of them that you may encounter, and take them into port for
condemnation.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure D.]
General Sickles to Rear-Admiral Case.
Legation of
the United States,
Madrid, July 22,
1873.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for
your information, a copy and translation of a decree of the government
of Spain, dated 20th instant, and published yesterday in the Official
Gazette.
The same documents have been sent to Captain Wells, of the Shenandoah,
with a letter, of which a copy is inclosed.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure E.]
Mr. Molina to General
Sickles.
Consulate
of the United States of America,
Cartagena, July 24, 1873.
(Received July 25.)
Sir: I beg to inform you with reference to the
political movement of this town, as mentioned in my last communication
of the 13th instant, that the iron-clad ship Victoria left this port to
pronounce Alicante in the morning of the 20th instant, having returned
on the 22d, without any particular news further than they had seized the
Spanish gunboat Vigilante. The member of parliament, Antonio
Galves Arce, the chief of the movement, went on board the
Vigilante to Torrevieja for funds, and in coming into port yesterday
morning was seized by the Prussian iron-clad ship Federico
Carlos,
[Page 1013]
(Friederich Karl,) mounted with sixteen heavy
guns, and commanded by Captain Werner. This has been done on the
strength of the decree issued by the Spanish government declaring said
vessels to be considered as pirates. The Vigilante was immediately
manned by a Prussian crew, and hoisted the Prussian flag, and the
Spanish crew were retained by the Prussians. Immediately the news came
on shore the whole of the town was in a most alarming state, and
actually many threats were given to the Prussian consul, who had to go
on board of his vessel with his family.
General Contreras summoned all consuls of this locality to inquire if we
had received any instructions from our respective governments to hostile
vessels belonging to, as they term themselves, the Canton Murciano, to which we all answered in the negative.
Then he appointed a deputation, composed of the members of parliament,
Sanvalle, Caravajal, and some members of the Junta de
Salud Publica, to go on board of the Federico
Carlos and arrange matters. This was at once done, and
the result has been, that they, together with Galves, came to the
conclusion, and signed an act to the effect, that the Vigilante was
legally seized not having on board any official documents nor crew, in
consideration of which Galves and his crew were left at liberty,
together with the funds they had, and the Vigilante, under the Prussian
flag, left yesterday afternoon for Gibraltar.
The Prussian consul leaves to-day for Madrid, with the act signed in
proper order.
I herewith inclose a copy of a communication received from General
Contreras, who calls himself commander-in-chief of the army and navy of
the federal republic of the Canton Murciano.
In consequence of the before stated, and as very likely we will be called
again, I beg you to give me full instructions how to act.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure F.—Translation.]
General Contreras
to Mr. Cirilo Molina.
Federal Army, Canton of Murcia.
(Appendix 1.—Mr.
Molina’s letter.)
I have the honor to transmit the accompanying note to you as the
representative in this port of the government of your nation, in order
that you may be pleased to give it due course, and requesting you to
kindly acknowledge its receipt.
Health and federation.
Cartagena, July 23,
1873.
The General-in-chief,
JUAN
CONTRERAS.
To the United States Consul.
[Inclosure G.—Translation.]
Circular of Getteral Contreras to the consular body
in Cartagena, dated July 23, 1873.
[Inclosed with appendix 1, Mr. Molina’s letter.]
The Constituent Cortes having proclaimed the federal republic as the form
of government of the Spanish nation, the people looked for the
fulfillment of that solemn pledge with all the speed that their anxiety
and their enduring efforts in the cause of federalism merited, and on
beholding a month and a half pass by without either the Cortes or the
government performing even the most insignificant act in favor of the
speedy establishment of the federal cantons, the Spanish provinces
wherein the liberal spirit has ever attained, its highest development
erected themselves into cantons without thereby entirely refusing to
recognize the powers of the Constituent Cortes.
One of the provinces, that of Murcia, joined to its declaration of
cantonal independence the naval forces of this port and a portion of the
army, and with these tendered her aid to the spontaneous movement begun
in the neighboring provinces, when she was surprised by the decree of
the central government declaring the sailors who had joined the people
pirates, and invoking the aid of foreign powers to prevent the people
from realizing the fulfillment of the solemn constitutional
enactment.
The committees (juntas) of the Murcian canton cannot believe that the
powers friendly to Spain will intervene in a pending question between
two political groups
[Page 1014]
which
as yet have not declared mutual hostility. They cannot believe that the
navies of enlightened nations will come to interfere in differences
involving no great or transcendental issues for the future, when in
other civil struggles, disastrous in their effects and protracted in
their duration, no intervention has taken place. But our position
demands a declaration of the fundamental facts of the present movement,
not by way of convincing foreign powers, but as a refutation of the
bases on which the forces of friendly nations might rely for
intervention in our acts.
The attitude of the Murcian canton, like that of the others proclaimed in
Spain, is sustained and justified by sixty representatives of the nation
holding seats in the Constituent Cortes. And there, where the
sovereignty of the people is embodied in the three hundred and
fifty-eight deputies legally proclaimed, the attitudes of our cantons
cannot well signify a transcendental crime when a fifth part of the
representatives of the nation justify our acts.
Seven of them are now in this canton, legalizing by their presence all
that is done here. Five are in the neighboring canton of Valencia, who
authorize the realization of the constitutional resolution, and all who,
both in Madrid or in the provinces, have made declarations favorable to
the immediate organization of the cantons are ready to sustain them on
all occasions.
If, therefore, a simple question of procedure separates the cantonal
authorities from the system established by the Cortes, can this be an
adequate motive to call forth a declaration of civil war against whole
provinces animated by the memory of the energetic struggle of eighteen
hundred and eight in the cause of our independence?
The cantonal committee has declared treasonable the executive power of
Madrid, or its decree of foreign intervention.
The Spanish federation holds the fortified cities of Cartagena and Cadiz,
and of Marcia, with the Important cities of Seville, Valencia, Alicante,
Jaen, Granada, and a multitude of the intervening towns, and therefore
we have a right to demand that our acts be respected.
On the other hand the cantonal authorities have the full assurance that
foreigners resident in the territory, under their jurisdiction, shall
not be molested in the least degree, and pledge themselves to give them
assurances for the future, because not only has the present prudent
movement given rise to no acts of disturbance, and still less of
bloodshed, but also because it has been an unequalled example of wisdom
and moderation.
To the cantons belongs the right to ask for the fulfillment of the
constitutional resolution. Justice is on their side because the cry
raised by the people in aid of the government that convened the Cortes
is now repeated by the cantons; and, lastly, abundant reason is on their
side when they demand respect and consideration from foreign powers
because of the proportions of the movement, the order with which it has
been realized, and the facility with which all the authorities of the
cantons continue in the full exercise of their powers.
Founding his action on these considerations, the undersigned,
captain-general of the federal republic of Spain, general-in-chief of
its army and navy, fully authorized by the first temporary authorities
thereof to treat with the representatives of foreign powers, requests
them to suspend the action they are called upon to execute by the decree
of the government of Madrid of the 21st (20th) instant, and to maintain
meanwhile all customary consideration toward the constituted authorities
of the cantons of the Spanish federation.
I wish for you many years of life and prosperity for those you
represent.
JUAN CONTRERAS.
Carthagena, July 23,
1873.
[Inclosure H.—Appendix to Mr.
Molina’s
letter.—Translation.]
Mr. Cirilo Molina to
General Contreras.
Consulate
of the United States in Cartagena [, undated.]
General: I have received the communication you
are pleased to address me under to-day’s date, accompanied by a document
which you request me to transmit to my government, which I hasten to do
forthwith. Up to this time I have received no communication from my
government concerning the decree of the minister of marine, of date 20th
instant, published in the papers, and to which you refer in your
communication.
Until either I or the commanders of the war vessels of my nation receive
instructions, you may rest assured of the amplest neutrality on my
part.
Receive, general, the assurances of my most distinguished
consideration.
