The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-11-20

look lot HluCu EOOu 10 result TO our town
and community from their labors among
our people.
In the almost universal cry for war,
on the part of the newspapers, it is com
forting to find enc leading paper that
talks sense and reason The Cincinnati
Guzsttc says
'THE SAD FATE OF THE -F1IBUsTERs.
The supposition appears confirmed
that the filibuster steamer Nirginius had
an American register, and that at the
time she was taken she was sailing under
the American flag. In this she followed
the example OF the infamous Alabama.
which. during all her piratical career.
had British register, and sailed under
a British flag. save when she went into
British port or was in the presence of
British war vessel AT such times she
Haunted the Confederate flag, and put on
the character of a Confederate ship of
war. ..- f
This outrage upon the register and
flag and nationality of the United States
is Of a nature that justly tends to de-
prive the persons engaged in this expe-
dition of any sympathy that might be eK-
cited by their sudden meeting of the
fate they, challenged by an expedition to
levy war against their government. 1t
can not be doubted that If they had
found at sea any Spanish merchant ships.
they would have used our flag to ap
proach them till they could command
them with their guns, as the AlabaHla a
was wont to do to approach cur defense
less merchant ships; and then they
would have run up the Cuban rebel flag,
~ he 10 mead xvhor, cha had not
one of our ships in her power.
All the rumors and reports on this af
far accept the fact that the Virginius
was carrying an expedition of Cubans to
make war on the government OF Cuba
and on all citizens who adhere to it. Had
they come within reach of any Spanish
merchant ship, they would have plumber
ed and. DESTROYED it. Had they landed,
they intended to kill every loyal Spaniard
and Cuban they could, and to join the
bushwhackers, who. unable to levy war,
| keep in inaccessible places until they can
make a raid upon unguarded villages and
| plantations, rob, burn, and destroy prop
/ terty and industry, and so make a desola-
ton OF Cuba.
The work they went TO do was one of
blood; they could not expect to be treat
ed as peaceable citizens, and they would
not have treated any loyal Cuban inhabi-
tant as peaceable citizen. They could
not expect to- be treated as prisoners OF
war it captured; for such terms do not
exist in Cuba, and can not exist in a
State in which law and government and
all the force that dare keep the field are
on one side, and only bushwhackers and
ugitives are on the other. who never
come out from their hiding places but to
rob, murder, and burn.
r.
| very hard that we had to treat the cap
tured rebels as prisoners of war, although
they had. from the outset, government
the possession of half the country, a
great army, and great victories. What
would have been our-view if on the other
side had been only party of -bushw ack-
ers, who kept in mountains and swamps,
and other inaccessible places, and only
emerged to destroy the defenseless and
| their property, and who kept this up
year after year, and called it war for
liberty? -
1t appears that nearly all the party on
on the Virginius were Cuban rebels, who
had no pretense to American character,
although, upon the point of capture,
some tried to disguise themselves as fire
men and other hands. If any one or
more was citizen OF the United States,
he forfeited that character by entering
upon an expedition to levy war upon a
country with which ours IS at peace. So
tar as any of these assumed an American
nationality, while going to take part
with the rebel subjects of Spain in a war
against their government they insulted
our nationality. Had they honestly
hoisted the Cuban flag. they would have
received the sympathy which generally
accompanies those who bravely stake
their lives in what they believe a just
cause. and which hefoism draws even in
an worthy cause.
! OF course these men expected that by
means of the abuse of the United States
register and flag, and by whatever other
ways they could put on an American
character, they could avoid capture; but
they could not have expected to escape
/ death if captured. Had they sailed tor
Cuba to make war upon the Spanish gov
ernment and its adherents, calculating
that if captured they would claim the in
tervention of our government to rescue
them from the consequences of their own
acts, they would deserve a short shrift.
Their execution was very summary.
On the other hand it will be said they
We're taken in the fact There was nc
them would deny it. Probably they de
/
the fate they had challenged There
would seem to be no excuse for prolong
ing the trial afer everything was made
clear; and if men must die, it is question
able mercy to prolong the time of thi,
horrible dread. The only question is
Was their execution lawful--that is had
SPAN the right to execute them? Sc
, far as it is an affair Of Spain and the Gu
oans, it is a matter with which our gov
! ernment has nothing to do; and if any
OF the party were Americans, and hac
enlisted with the Cubans, they threw of
their allegiance to this government, vic
lated Its laws, aad subjected themselve
to the same fate as the Cubans.
| The death OF this party is shocking
but the shock to our sensibilities doe
not alter the right OF the matter. Ii thi
: was an expedition going to levy war upol
! the Spanish government and the loya
Cuban inhabitants there does not seen
to lie any cause for interference by ou
government.
rATv WTTu cTrpcrnrprnc