The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-11-21
The Spanish AtrOcity IN Cuba-a War
Threatened.

by the Spanish war steamer Tornado. and
the execution at Santiago de Cuba, of Gtener-
al Ryan and three of his associates, captured
on the vessel More recent dispatches tel,
the horrible story that all the prisoners can
tured ON board the Virginius, except eighteen,
were murdered at the slaughter house wall
al Santiago de Cuba. on the 9Th and 9th in
slant, by order ofGeneral Bumicl the Span
ish commander at that place The eighteen
who We're spared were condemned to labor
Tor life in the chain gang, and are supposed
70 BE- f.nglishmcu.
The details of the affair present one ofthe
most shocking records of brutal tcrocly con.
ceiYable.
The whole party wore marched out, and
ten prisoners detailed to execution at a time.
When these ten were murdered, another ten
were marched up, and their dead bodies fell
across those of their companions. When all
had been shot, the dead bodies were thrown
into carts and hauled away.
The Spanish butcher Burriel, to prevent
any protest against his infamous measure
being received, from his own government, or
the United States, had the telegraph lines
, cut, and refused to listen to the appeals of
the American and English consuls for delay,
until an investigation could take place The
former was treated with the utmost indignity
by the Spanish commander.
AT the time of the capture, which took
1,Ian in ,;,.,,
sailing under the American flag, and with
clearance papers duly granted by the L. S.
consul at Kingston, Jamaica. When over
hauled, no resistance was made and the Vir-
ginius was boarded by crew from the
Spanish vessel, who hauled down the Ameri-
can flag, and ran up that of Spain. A prize
crew was then put on board and the Virgini-
us taken to Santiago.
These facts are of themselves sufficient to
Justify the United States in demanding from
Spain the most ample restitution and apology
for the insult and as to the murder of Ameri.
can citizens, nothing short ofthe immediate
punishment of the murderers and satisfactory
guarantees against the recurrence of similar
acts, should satisfy the government
No matter what suspicious may have at
tached to the captured vessel or her passcn-
gers, no overt act had been committed; and
even if they had been captured in the act of
landing munitions of war, or captured upon
the soil of Cuba with arms in their hands,
they were at least entitled to the treatment
due prisoners of war We have yet to learn
OF any code of war, among civilized nations,
that justifes the indiscriminate slaughter of
captives of war.
Besides, the Spanish government has never
accorded belligcrent rights to the Cuban in
surgents no blockade of Cuban ports has ev-
,.er been declared, and therefore no state of
Mrs existed to prevent vessels of any ma
gtion from entering, unmolested, any port of
Cuba, and carrying in anything they pleased
The action of the Spanish authorities,
viewed in any light, is q high.handed out
rage, and an act Of atrocity that has scarcely
a parallel in the history Of modern times.
Whether the capture was made in neutral wa
tiers or not the Spanish murderers should be
taught by severe lesson, that the slaughter
of unarmed prisoners is disgrace TO hu-
mainly that shall not be permitted 10 pass
unpublished.
The government Of Spain is profcssedly
republican in form, although the powers of
CASTELAR,, its President, are little short of
those of a Dictator; it has been too much
taken mp with considerations for its own safe
ty to bestow much attention upon Cuba, be-
yond sending thither the most brutal soldiery
whose ranks are augmented, in Cuba, by
still more ferocious cut-throats, whose officers
even if disposed to do so, are not able to con-
troll them; and the consequence has been,
that the war upon the Cuban patriots has
been conducted so as to make it shame
and disgrace to the civilization of the age.
No mock sentiment of sympathy for the
SO called republic of Spain should be permit
ted to outweigh the dictates of humanity or
a just regard for the dignity and honor of the
nation.
In this condition ofaffairs, it is not likely
that Spain can offer anything besides bar
rem apology for the insult and outrage COM
mitted upon American citizens.
Apologies, however humble, and promises,
where the power of performance is manifest
Iy impossible, can neither restore the dead
nor prevent the recurrence of the atrocious
acts. In this case it is clearly the right and
s-ttIhh;a duty of the United States to administer
Dsice herself, even if by doing so a war with
ebnuh no IN rpuilf
Ifthe administration at Washington hest
tates for an instant in demanding protection
to American citizens, it will forfeit the respect
of the whole American nation, whose scon
and contempt will hurl them from their DO
sitions.
The American people are unanimous in
the desire to see the honor Of the government
maintained and the outrages against Ameri-
can citizens by Spanish barharians guarded
against in the future. Democrats and Repub.
licans alike-North and South-occupy COM
mon ground in this matter, and the admins
tration, if it is wise, will listen to the voice of
the people, so clearly expressed.
--~.e-.--------
U. $. Senator.
AS the duty of electing U. S. Senator, in
place of Hon VIM T. Hamilton, whose term