No. 652.
General Sickles to Mr. Fish.
After a careful perusal of the note of this date, I have to suggest that it means substantially that if the authorities in Cuba cannot, within thirty days, furnish some allegation on which a debatable issue can be made respecting the papers of the Virginius, this government will order them to release the ship and prisoners and deprive them of their employments. It will also be observed that no purpose is indicated to punish the officer responsible for the capture, and that the authorities at Santiago may be arraigned before a Cuban tribunal, whose decision would be final.