The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-06-23
BENTON LOUISIANA THURSDAY, JUNE 23 $685.

government, against the crusade of
mercy which our nation has started.
Had 1t been on our part war OF con-
q lest, 4 war of annexation, a war of
aggrandizement, there would have
been by this time enough flying squad
rons coming to this country across the
Atlantic to throw into panic every city
on our American seaboard.
The wars of the Crusaders were only
to regain an empty sepulcher; the Ma
poleonic wars, with their 100000
slaughtered men, were projected and
carried out to appease the ambition of
one man; of the 25, 600, 900 slain in jew
ish wars, and of the GO, 900, 900 slain in
wars under Julius Caesar; of the $780,
10000 slain in wars with Turks and
Saracens; of the sc, ,OOO, 900 slain in wars
of Xerxes; of the 2o,00", 900 slain in
wars of Justinian, and the $4,000, 900
slain in the wars of Genghis Kahn, not
one man was sacrificed by mercy; but
shooter, Or cavalryman, or artillery
man, or engineer, who falls, falls in
the cause of mercy, and becomes
martyr for God and his country.
Another alienation of this war is
that it is for the advancement of the
sublime principle OF liberty, which
will yet engirdle the earth. Not only
viii this war free Cuba, but finally will
free Spain. BY what right does a
dynasty like that stand and corrupt
court dominate a people for centuries,
taxing them to death, riding in gilded
chariot over the necks of beggared
population? There are 10000 boys in
Spain growing up with more capacity
to govern the nation than will the weak
boy now in the Madrid palace ever pos
sess. Before this conflict is over the
Spanish nation will be well on toward
the time when constitutional conven-
ton Will assemble to establish free
government instead of the worn-out
dynasty that now afflicts the people.
The liberty of all nations, transatlantic
as well as cisatlantic, if not already
established, is on the way and it can
not be stopped.
Napoleon III. thought he had sue
cessfully driven the principle out of
France, when, on the second day of
December, 1851, he rode down the
Champs Elysees of Paris, constitutional
government seemingly crushed under
the hoofs of his steed. But did it stay
crushed? Let the batteries on the
heights above Sedan answer, and the
shout of 250,Ooo conquering hosts, and
the letter of surrender to Emperor
William tell the story. ''Sire, My
Brother: Not having been able to die
in the midst of my troops, it only re-
mains for me to place my sword in
your majesty's hands. l am, your
majesty, your good brother, Napoleon.
Sedan, September 1, 1870" That mon
republic resumed its march.
Another alienation is that the war
opens with great victory for the
United States. It took our govern
ment four years to get over the tiasco
at Bull Run. A defeat at the start of
this present war would have been dis
heartening to the last degree, and
would have invited foreign interven-
ton to stop the war before anything
practical for God and humanity had
been accomplished, and would have
prolonged the strife for which we are
hoping a quick termination. In the
most jubilant manner let this victory
Of our navy be celebrated. With the
story Of the exploding battleship fresh
in the minds of the world, it required
no ordinary courage to sail into the
harbor of Manila and attack the Span
ish shipping That harbor, crowded
with sunken weaponry of death; to en-
ter it was running a risk enough to
make all nations shiver. But Manila
is ours, and the blow has shaken to the
foundation the palacee at Madrid, and
for policy's sake the doubtful nations
are on our side. For Commodore Dew
ey and all who followed him let the
whole nation utter its most resound-
ing huzza; and more than that, let Us
thank the Lord of hosts for His guild
ance and protecting power. praise
We the Lord! Let everything that hath
breath praise the Lord!"
Another alleviation is the fact that
in this war the might is on the side Of
the right. Again and again have lib
erty and justice and suffering humani-
ty had the odds against them. It was
SO when Benhadad's Syrian hosts, who
were in the wrong, at Aphelx, came
upon the small regiments of Israel,
who were in the right, the Bible put
ting it in one Of those graphic SEN
tences for which the book is remarka-
ble-"The children of Israel pitched
before them like two little focks
of kids, but the Syrians filed
the whole country" 1t was SO in
the awful defeat of the Lords people
at Gilboa and Megiddo. 1t was Sc
recently when gallant and glorious
Greece was in conflict with gigantic
Mohammedanism, and the nayies Of
Europe lowering about the Bosporus
were in practical protection of the
Turkish government, fresh from the
slaughter of 10000 Armenians. Il
was so when, in 1875, the 10 colonies
with no war shipping and few un
drilled and poorly-ciad soldiers, were
brought into contest with the might
lest navy Of the earth and an army