The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-08-28
PUBLIC BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
A British Admiral and General
Responsible for 1t.
THE LONDON TIMES EXULTS.
What President Madison Thought
of the Destruction.

History. since the introduction OF
Christianity, records no more barbarous
act than that pcrpetiated by an English
general, who burned the capitol of tho
United States and other public and pri-
Vate dwellings in the beautiful city
where the affairs of this great republic
nave been governed for nearly a.centrry
The act was most wantun and bar
barous one, entirely unjustitird and un-
Warranted even by the rules or require
ments of war, says a writer in the
Irish World.
1t was an act for which no parallel
can be found, only in the dark ages OF
North European barbarism. nearly 1000
years ago, before the civillziny intiu-
cnccs of Christianity had reached the
hearts of men: 1t was an act rcprohatcd
and condemned by the whole world
outside of England.
Tho struggle known as the war of
1872 was substantially a continuation
OF the fight of American indcpcndcnce.
When the last British soldier Quilted
the soil of America in 1888. the freedom
of the new nation was an accomplished
fact, but 1t was not yet In the full sense
an independnt nation. benjamin Frank
lin. when a fellow countryman remark
cd to him that the war for independence
was successfully closed, replied: Say.
rather, that the war of the revolution.
Tho war OF independence is yet 70 be
fought" Franklin knew that though
England was driven from America. shc
had not given up hope forever of re-
establishing her power there. 1t WAS
with grudging and heart burning that
George LII. and the Parliament of Eng
land recognized the fact that they had
been beaten and recognized officially tho
separate existence of the United States
OF America. Though compelled to ac-
knowledge defeat and Americas rank
as nation, they still insisted on
claiming large numbers of prcpostcrols
principles embodied in the theory.
"Oncc a British subject. always a Brit
ish subject On the strength of this
doctrine. proclamation was issued
by the British government giving au-
tholity to the commanders of British
war vessels to press into the service
British born" citizens wherever found
I'm the course of fifteen years." SAYS
l,ossing thousands OF native Ameri-
cans had thus been made to serve
master tGnglanD whom they detcsted
The United States government frcqucnt-
ly demonstrated against these outragcs
and demanded their disnontinuancc, but
without effect "No arguments" con-
tinucs this historian, mo remonstrances,
no appeals to justice Or the demands of
international comfy could induce the
British government to relinquish It's
great advantage Nmpressing Ameri-
can citizens into the British service),
Day after day proofs were received Of
the suffe1ings of American citizens On
account OF the imprcsR and 50 fragrant
and frequent were these o,ltragcs to-
wards the close OF 1905 that in tho
memorials presented to congress on the
subject of British deprcdations upon
American commerce the impressment
Of American seamcn was a prominent
topic"
In reading the history of the war Of
1872 we first become acquainted with
the nefariolls deeds of the English Ad-
miral Cnckbnrn In his attack on the
towns on the Delaware coast In Feb
1919 lic,I,
pearcd in the Delaware bay, which de-
stroyed many vessels. On the 10th
Lewiston was bOmbarded because the
Inhabitants refused to supply the enc
my with fresh provisions. ut was"
says Spencer. "in the Chesapeake Drin-
cipally that this new and discreditable
species Of warfare was carried on by
the British ships. Admiral Cockburn
was in command of the ships here, and
he rendered his name and character no.
toions on account Of the numerous
praticaI incursons in which he in
dulgcd. the houses he robbed, the fam
lilies he plundcred, the wanton destruc-
tion Of property he authorized, and The
shameful insults and injuries he inf1ict-
ed upon defenseless women and chill
dren." Frenchtown, Md, was attacked
and plundered on April 29. On this oc-
casion Cockburn, in waging the GUS
tomary "civilzei warfare of England"
burned and plundered the village to the
amount of $4,000, besides some ships
that were in the harbor. The following
day Cockburn wrote an account of the
affair to his superior admiral War
ren), taking care" says Losing, "that
hn 1vas fol1owinp ont his oriars In ld1Y