The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-29

government for Cuba Gen,r Gomez,
the commander-in-chief Of the patriot
army, gave fair warning that no sgent
Of the Spanish government would be
received unless he came to negotiate
for peace on the basis of independence
for Cuba. At the same time, under
standing the wiles of his enemy, the
patriot chief gave fair warning that the
emissaries of Spain, entering his lines
with proposals of autonomy, or with
any scheme of settlement of the con.
tentiOn between the colony and the
parent country other than one founded
on independence, would be shot. Not
withdrawing this warning, Col. Ruiz,
Spanish officer, with the approval OF
Gen. Blanco, wrote Col. Aranguen, an
insurgent officer in the province of
Havana, desiring meeting. The two
officers had been friends. The Cuban
advised the Spanish officer that unless
he "desired to talk about the ipdepen-
dence of Cuba, for Gods sake do not
come" But Col. Ruiz went, presum-
ing upon Col. Aranguen's friendship,
and believing he could persuade his
friend to abandon the Cuban cause.
The officers met. The Spaniard be-
sought the Cuban to return with him to
Havana. and asked him what more he
could desire than autonomy. There
upon the order OF the Cuban .comman-
der-in chief was carried out. Ruiz was
seized and fell before the rifles of the
guard accompanying Col. Aranguen,
and the guides who had piloted the
Spsniard to the Cuban camp were
hanged. Under very trying circum-
stances, military duty was true to a
military order deemed necessary for the
safety Of the Cuban cause.
Now we hear men and newspapers,
who have rarely found anything to
denounce in the unspeakable atrocities
Of the Spaniards during this Cuban
war, crying out against the shooting Of
Ruiz, and characterizing tho act as bar
barrie beyond precedent. Documents
found on the person Of the unfortunate
Spsniard show that he was prepared to
offer the Cuban patriot large bride as
the price OF his treachery, il his fealty
to "Cubs libre" could be shaken.
Americans are accustomed to applaud
the integrity and patriotism Of the yeo.
man soldiery who, in the war Of the
Revolution, captured Andre and spurn-
ed the bride he offered for his freedom.
No American is accustomed to regard
the hanging Of Andre as an "atrocity."
Ruiz was q menace to the Cuban
cause, as Andre was to that of the
American revolutionists. The secre-
tary Of the Continental Congress
answered the attempt Of a British
agent to seduce him that he was not
worth buying but, poor as he was, the
King of Great Britain was not rich
enough to effect the purchase. This
man was true patriot. The shooting
Of Ruiz by the Cubans, no more than
the hanging Of Andre by the Ameri-
can patriots, needs defense or extenu-
alton. The Cuban rebel who repels
the Establishments of Spain is the peer
OF the American rebel that fouted the
bride of England. Gomez's order, like
similar orders of military commanders
before him, was justified by the new
peril to which the interests committed
to his hands were exposed, and its faith
full execution by all his subordinates
was patriotic and military duty from
which they could not seek or desire ex-
emption. The order is the patriots
answer to the autonomy scheme. Its
execution is evidence of the iron reso-
luton of the insurgents. Indepen-
dence will be their reward.