Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-07-13
rUr HANao MASSACRE.

T6B AAN0o AA0oAGAS.
Iii. not denied that the Russians fired,
on q boat at Haago which was approach.
ing land uaier tho protection OF a dag OF
truce, aud that all of the boats crew, With
one exception, we're killed. The disgrace
fol affair is aggravated by the fact that the
boat had been sent from an English vessel
fcr the purpose cf libera,ing some Russian
prisoners. aud though the Russian au,ho7i-
ties attempt TO pslliate the atrocity on the
plea that they fearei treachery, aud on tie
assertion that sonniings and plans OF their
harhors saa fortidcaaons had heretofore
been surrepsisioasly taken under cover o.
nags, that tact by no means eScul2a'es the
authors OF the Hangn outrage.
b., while the Russian authorities are
desrryeily censnred for this ATTRACTION OF
IL. rules Of civilized warfare. IL ought not
u be forgotten thai the tendency Of war IS
20 break down ~. rules OF ciyility aad all
forms Of politcness. War. a, any rate, is
disgrace TO humanity. but il becomes the
bite-est satire when il IS waged with any
punct;lons attention to the demands OF
dccarousnsss; when, as in the contests OF
The seventeenth century, compliments
wou.d pass beiween the commanders OF
the rival forces. and they were mutual par
t;etuants in the festivities OF the ballroom
aaa lie erjeym nts Of the chase which pre-
cesea sai followed the bloody exci,ements
os the aa,ile field. II seems to Us that If
men are ever in earnest, they ought 10 be
20 when st war with each other, and until
cy..;zation eradisates the folly and wicked.
ness which are the causes Of war, we may
expec, the repetition OF such atrocities as
the Hanro massacre. If such 4 deed as
that be not in accordance with the rules of
civilized warfare. il is the legitimate fruit Of
The uncivilzed passions which are created
and fostered by state OF var. II seems
10 US to be morbid sen,imentaiism which
causes men to be so shocked al the casual
killing Of ten or dozen men in an acciden-
tai encounter, while at the same time they
regard with comparative indifference, the
destruction OF thousands of lives at other
points of contact between the beiligerent
parties.
We will not be suspected OF thinking,
from what We have said, that the Russians
are not TO be blamed for the matter to
which We are referring, nor will be accused of
being unduly partial to the csuse OF Russia
l. ka yanarnhayad III
this Haneo massacre il by no means without
presidents 10 the history of the most civil
lied nations OF a large number OF similar
instances which might be cited, the follow
ing may serve as an example,
The English annals are stained by many
IN airoc;ty TRANSFER ding this act in enormi-
ty. The massacre al For. Griswold in this
8 country. where the American commander,
CO delivering up his sword. had il thrust
through his heart by the English officer,
and the gurrisen were butehered TO a man.
strikes Us as quite as atrocious uud dishoDor-
able as the affair at Hango. We have no
word OF Justification for this or any other
afrDcity, but we msy Is well bear In mind
that the Russians in this respect are not so
much worse than those nations who boast
thai thee are more civilized and humane"
We agree with the Chicago Press, from
which we make this extract, in not justify
ing any OF these atrocities. But the con-
duet Of the Russians is in keeping with SIM
liar facts with which history is crowded
The great crime of the Russian Emperor
was in commencing an aggressive contest
which Involved Europe in all the calanii-
ties OF a protracted war: the massacre at
Hango. II rot one Of the civilized. is one Of
The natural conse quences Of the present
embi,tered hostiliiies. II is not expected
ths, crazy persons viii! be very decorous,
aud whea men are made mad by the taste
ofhuman blood, il is not probable that their
proceedings viii be characterized by the
qaiciness aud regularity Of Quaker meet
ing.