Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-04-08

The Spanlards are cruel people,
They have wreaked vengeance upon
the poor Cubans, whenever they have
had the opportunity. Our sympathy
is with the liberty loving Cubans.
When we see Congress moved to
tears by the recital of Spanish cruelty
and the terrible outrage Of burning
the homes of pon-combatants and
of driving defenseless women and
children away to starve among
strangers, we are forcibly reminded
of the scenes of a few years ago.
Our people know what war is. They
looked upon Sheridan's raiders as
they dashed through this fair Valley
armed with burning torches. They
saw their mills. their barns, their
homes and even their churches
erected for the worship Of the living
God, reduced to ashes by the gang
that was commanded by the heart
less Sheridan, name that will con
tinue to be execrated by future gen.
erations. And yet Sheridan simply
did his duty as a soldier in executing
the cruel order of his heartless com
mander.
Sherman, when the Confederate
army was almost destroyed and there
was no longer sufficient force to
stop his progress, or infict the
punishment which he so richly de-
served, boosted that in his march to
the sea, he had made path forty
miles wide in which were only left
standing chimneys, mute reminders
of homes destroyed and the sufferings
of a brave and patriotic people.
They tell us that the Spanlards
murder non-combatants. So did the
United States soldiers by order OF
United States officers. We need not
90 away from our own home for III
stances. Poor Davy Getz, a harmless
simpleton, not required by the Con-
federate authorities to do military
duty, because in intellect he was
mere child, was seized by a lot OF
Clusters men and charged with be-
inc a guerrilla. The ladies of our
town and men, who were always
recognized as Union men, fully in
formed Gen. Custer, of the circum-
stances and of facts which one NOM
ment's gaze into the idiotic face would
have convinced him were true. In
spite of this evidence, the heartleSs |
creature, clad in the uniform Of the
United States army, had this poor
boy tied behind a wagon like a dog,
compelled hun to walk to Bridge
water, a distance of about 40 miles,
and there had him dig his own grave
and then shot him down like brute.
They tell us that the cruel Span
iards drive non-combatants from
their homes. Did not Milroy, the
Weyler of the Valley division of the
United States army, tear hundreds of
women and children from their homes
and place them outside of his lines
to starve and die?
1t is not the cruelty of the Spaniards
that is stirring the hearts of Congress
to cry for war; If their tender
hearts were so touched by cruelty, Z,
would they permit their own army to
be commanded by man who, when
he had the army of the nation at his
back, a United States fort and doors
and windows barred with iron and
steel, and was required to guard a
distinguished citizen-one who had
won fame and honor upon the field
of Buena Vista, in defense of his
country, one who in the United
States Senate, when that body was
composed of patriots and statesmen |
stood the peer of any man, one who
had been at the head of 4 nation
for the principles upon which
is based the constitution of the
United States, to crafty the
natural cruelty of his heart, unnecess-
arily placed irons upon his distinguish
ed prisoner?
They say that the Spaniards kill
their prisoners. 1t may be true and
the United States cannot deny that
prisoners from the Southern army
were permitted to die Of starvation
with the approval of E. M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.
We do not defend the Spaniards in
their cruelty, but we do say that a
nation, whose history is besmirched
with the cruelties practiced by the
United States, is in no position to
Justify itself in going to war with
Spain and basing its declaration of
war upon high moral and humanitar-
ian principles.
Let us treat Spain, as we would a
nation as strong as we are, and there
will be no war.
War means increased debt, harder
limos the loss of thousands of our