No. 591.
Mr. Cushing to Mr. Fish.
Legation of the United States,
Madrid, March 11, 1875.
(Received March 29.)
No. 312.]Sir: I inclose herewith an original of the
agreement as signed on the 5th instant, for the settlement of the
indemnity reclamations in the matter of the “Virginius,” with the
ratification thereof, as signed the day after my official presentation
to the King.
* * * * * * *
I am, &c., &c.,
[Inclsure In No 312.]
Agreement.
In consideration of the reasons set forth and the declarations made
reciprocally in various conferences to that effect had between his
excellency Mr. Caleb Cushing, representative of the United States,
and his excellency D. Alejandro Castro, minister of state, as also
of the notes which have passed between them, and, desiring at the
same time to put an end, by means of an equitable and friendly
accord, to the reclamations presented by the Government of the
United States, in consequence of what occurred at Santiago de Cuba,
in regard to the persons of the officers, crew, and passengers of
the steamer “Virginius,” it being understoodthat from these
reclamations are to be excluded, in so far as respects the ship’s
company, all individuals indemnified as British subjects, and, with
respect to passengers, including only six American citizens——
They have agreed:
- First. The Spanish government engages to deliver to that
of the United States the
[Page 1251]
sum of eighty thousand dollars in
coin, or four hundred thousand pesetas, for the purpose of
relief of the families or persons of the ship’s company, and
passengers aforesaid, of the “Virginius.”
- Second. The Government of the United States engages to
accept the sum mentioned in satisfaction of reclamations of
any sort, which in the sense of personal indemnification in
this behalf, might hereafter be advanced against the Spanish
government.
- Third. When the sum referred to in Article one, shall have
been received, the President of the United States will
proceed to distribute the same among the families, or the
parties interested, in the form and manner which he may
judge most equitable, without being obliged to give account
of this distribution to the Spanish government.
- Fourth. The payment of the eighty thousand dollars, or
four hundred thousand pesetas, shall be effected by the
Spanish government, at Madrid, in specie, and in three
periods of two months each: Thirty thousand dollars, or one
hundred and fifty thousand pesetas, for each of the first
two installments, and twenty thousand dollars, or one
hundred thousand pesetas, in the last.
- Fifth. The present agreement will be ratified by both the
undersigned, so soon as his excellency the representative of
the United States shall have presented credential-letters
which accredit him as minister plenipotentiary near His
Majesty the King of Spain.
Done at Madrid,
this
twenty-seventh day of February, in the year one thousand
eight hundred and seventy-five.
- C. CUSHIN
- ALEJANDRO CASTRO.
Ratification of agreement.
His excellency Mister Caleb Cushing, envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary of the United States of America, and his excellency
Don Alejandro Castro, minister of state of His Catholic Majesty, in
fulfillment of the stipulation contained in the fifth article of the
agreement provisionally signed by their excellencies aforesaid in
this city, on the twenty-seventh of February last past,
declared:
That his excellency Mister Caleb Cushing having yesterday presented
the letter of His Excellency the President, which accredits him as
the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the said
States near His Majesty the King of Spain, they ratify, by the
present document, all that is stipulated in each one of the five
articles of which the above-mentioned agreement is composed.
In witness whereof, both the undersigned have signed their names and
set their seals to the present declaration.
Madrid, the eleventh of
March, of the year one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five.
The minister plenipotentiary of the United States of
America,
[
seal.]
C.
CUSHING.
The minister of state of His Catholic Majesty,
[
seal.]
ALEJANDRO
CASTRO.
