The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1898-04-22
|PRESI Den T MADE FIGHT
Madison WAS A PEACE MAN
Teinposixed Until the Public wopId
Stand Il No Longer---SItuation
Similar to That Of Today.

Similar to That OF To-day.
~ When war threatens nowadays, the
cable and the telegraph flash the orders
Of the war and the naval chieftians
: across miles Of land and ocean in mo-
ment's time. Huge locomotives hasten
with the troops from inland post to'e$-
posed. coast line, while great, ordinance
shops throw out in enormous volume the
hourly product of shot and shell. In the
meantime, the newspapers print columns
and columns and the utterance of the
President at noon is known i'm Madrid, is
there commented upon. and the reply
printed in the same issue Of the enter
prising paper
1t was not always thus. There was
time when news travelled slowly, and
was happening on the other side of the
world. In the spring Of 1912. for in
stance, the war feeling was running very
high in the United States, Just as it is
today. War came. just as it is now
threatened. but the circumstances sur
rounding it are so foreign to the present
experiences that it seems like reading the
record Of some far-off and distant time
some centuries, instead of a little over
eighty years ago.
Many people are living today who
were children in the davs Of 1912. when
the only thiIg that the United States
Rad i'll common with its present Cener-
alton was an abundance of patriotism
Even in those days, however, there
We're people who thought war. even for
national honor. was unnecessary. They
were called "tories" then, while nova
days they are known by the less harsh
term Of representatives Of the financial
interests.
MAKING MADISON FIGHT.
When the WAY of 1912 was impending.
Madison was President He had many
of McKinley'S characteristics ''ue was
man," says newspaper writer of that
period, ''Of kindly temper and g. eat re-
tinement and courtesy. lie had many
great qualities. but he was not the kind
of genius who could manage war success
fully. He was, above all. a man OF
peace. He hated war with all his heart:
and like his three predecessors i'm the
Presidency, he felt that the best interests
Of the American nation req tired that it
should keep out Of war"
The easy-gOing and vaciiatinG PreSi-
dent soon found that he must face the
situation. Excitement ran higher and
higher with the news of every fresh
outrage upon American Seamen. The
people called aloud for war with such
persistent din that even the President
could not help hearing it. In Congress
the impatience became uncomfortable
Congressman Archer, a member of the
committee on foreign affairs declared
that the time had passed for ''empty
threats and he was in favor 2f carry
ing the war into ihe heart of the British
colonies. 1t was no wonder that his
words were applauded. and yet the peo-
pie were long-suffering and kind Con-
stant Outrages were committed and re-
dress was not Obtainable. A letter from
Boston, dated March 10, 1872. to the
authorities at Washington. told how
Capt. Ockington, Of the schooner Cath
crime, had just arrived after an expert
ence of capture and detention. He
brought with him stories of twenty-three
American seamPn impressed in che
French naval service. one of whom had
been subjected to the most barbarous
treatment, being kept for four months
in irons, with one arm chained to the
floor, until he made his escape. Ills
deposition will he published. the oil-
cials here were Informed. 'and will
arouse the Indignation of every true
hearted American
SPIRIT OF TIE PEOPLE.
Still President Madison did nothing,
beyond suggesting the settlement of
claims by diplomatic correspondence,
and the clamOr in the newspapers grew
louder and louder. Open letters ap-
peared. Their writer's declared, in capi-
tai letters, that "a day of retribution
must arrive,' and the British Judges of
admiralty were cOntemptuously called
''things,' also in large letters In the
name of the widows and perishing or
plans aggressive action was demanded
Stories of the cruel treatment of Amcri-
cans were related with humiliating de-
tail. When the sailors were seized and
carried aboard the British ships, they
h were watched like thieves and treated
Slike the lowest animals. They were
larly allowed to go ashore, and then
Nnly under guard. In the abOunding
)se.aieforic of the early part of the century
the writers for the press gave utterance
to their grievances. Here, for instance,
= is what shamrock" wrote to the Ma
4 tiOnal lnteiigencer, III the CITY, III April.
iSl3, when tile war feeling was getting
SbeyOnd control:
\ ANOTHER INSTANCE OF BRITISH Tl-
RASNY.
N While about thirty unfortunate young
Irshmen were approaching our shores to
vbreath the air of liberty, thev were de-
y Aipd that blessing by the relentless per-
Esnecutor. Instead of lcapng with youth
kiSll and manly vigor on the beach of that
III UAyen, to attain which they sacrificed
&rhaps their dearest connection and
M the bonds of Juvenile attachment,