The sun., 1896-02-28

wounded insurgents who were seized in
| two other hospitals burned by the Spanish
troops in Pinar del Rio, where even the
women nurses were shot rs guilty OF counte-
nancing the insurrection. The Dtdrto puts
| the number OF ",inarmed individuals" " in
the Mayea hospital at eight. but there is no
probability that either their number or their
fate will ever be known unless a report OF
the affair shall be received from Cen GOMEZ,
or until some participant in the affair boasts
OF his deeds at the Mayea hospital
We dislike exceedingly to read Of an Incl
| dent like that narrated in the Dfdrio, under
official Spanish sanction. 1t Is hard to be-
lieve that the military officers of any
civilized country would perpetrate deeds
like those described in the self-accusatory
confessions which we have printed from
time to time. We wish we could regard
them all as gross falsehoods invented by
official liars for the purpose Of frightening
the insurgents. 1t Is grief for us to
think that we cannot thus regard them.
WEYLER has made it impossible for us to do
so. We know OF this mans deeds IN Cuba
during the ten years. war. We know how
he has Haunted the black flag since his ar
rival at Havana few days ago. We are
which he issued from the Captain Generals
palace on Sunday of last week.
AS for the two affairs near Havana, at
Punta Bravo and at Guatao. on Saturday
last, each Of them was wanton butchery,
and that OF peaceful inhabitants or pdctfcOs.
BY the Spanish accounts there were "insur-
gent bands" near these places; but, by more
Trustworthy accounts, confirmed by the
names of the killed, 1t was the unarmed vii
layers who were the sufferers, including
men at work, old people. invalids, wayfar-
ers women, and the gravedigger handling
his spade. We could not bring ourselves to
believe these reports IL they were not sup
ported by direct evidence, or il the mon
strous WEYLER were not in command at
Havana. under the black flag. 1t would
seem from n Havana despatch that "the
Spanish troops were drunk" when they fell
to killing at Punta Bravo last Saturday;
but even the plea of drunkenness furnishes
no defence for their savagery, no mitigation
of the judgment of mankind against them
for their atrocious deeds ut was Il glori-
| GUS victory for Spain after n severe strug-
| gle" are the words descriptive Of the car
mage which have been sent from Havana,
under the authority Of the Spanish censor.
There has not been an engagement of any
| consequence between the Spanish troops
| and the revolutionists since WEYLER's ar
| rival in Cuba; but there have been incidents
Of terror and shame every day by order Of
the red-handed malefactor. every slaugh
ter that has occurred, WEYLER was the
| butcher. 1t is WEYLER who must be held
responsible for the hospital incident at
| Mayea. 1t was almost under WEYLER's eye
that the massacre OF Saturday last was
| perpetrated near Punta Bravo. You know
my character" said WEYLER when address
ing the Spanish officers upon his arrival at
Havana. Ay, indeed; and we in this coun-
try also have known Of it in two ruthless
wars against Cuban freedom.
The horrors in Cuba ought to be brought
to an end, in some way, right speedily. WEY-
LER would have to give some heed to the
laws Of civilized warfare II the belligerent
rights of the Cuban revolutionary patriots
were recognized by the Government of the
United States.
Every day Of delay in the passage through
Congress OF Senator MORGAN's concurrent
resolution is another day of supremacy for
the Black Flag in Cuba.