New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-12
READY FOR WAR WITH SPAIN.
TIE UNITED STATES AS Az INSTRUMENT or
THE ALMIGHTY TO AVENGE WRONGS
DONE TO AMERICA.

DONE TO AMERICA.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Spain may not be proven responsible FOR the
destruction Of the Maine and that terrible event
may not he direct cause OF wa. But cannot
avoid the conviction that the time has come for
war with Spain. which ia in some way TO arise out
Of existing conditions. II it is OF enough mpor
lance will tell your readers why.
In all history there is chapter o. such savage
humanity as that which describes the Spanish
invasion OF Mexico. Peru and the adjacent coun-
tries L occurred Just az the time when Philip II
broke the record for royal depravity With the tort
Of the Inq1istion and the slaughter OF the
HollanderS: when he set The pace so high that no
royal ruffan has ever tried equal H. The cruel
ties perpetrated bv the wrc;ched Duke Of Alva were
horrible enough but they pale into nsignifcanco by
the side OF Spanish atrocities In the New World.
The chroniclcr Of this record Of infamY was Las
Casas. the venerable Catholic Bishop o. Chiapas. In
Mexico. His account has never been impeached.
II chills the blood 10 read 1t as II lies before
me-peacefu Indians stretched on beds Of live Goals.
their flesh torn by redhot pincers. their hands and
feet chopped off. their bodies hung on hooks head
downward: their sight blinded. their women violated
and then mutilated before their dying eyes, Span
ish swords tested by trying how old child they
could divide in halves by a single stroke These
we're some OF the means by which the knights Of
Spain compelled tho natives 20 surrender their
ornaments OF gold and silver and az the same tine
depopulated the country
They were successful, The Spanish ad, enturers
collected these ornaments and images by the shin
load. which enriched Spain and made their own
fortunes: and their qualities became Hereditary
they run in the blood. The descendants OF these
invaders in every generation have been Just as
trescherous their ancestors. The ranchero who
In 1905 invites the stranger 10 his ranch and. wa
ing his arm toward his broad possessions, exclaims,
"Au OF these yours: use them as your own
will stab his guest In the back II he can thereby
gain a pescta, And 1t il the nineteenth-century
spaniard who Stays prisoners q war without
neare. T Wall and sSoot Rem down. Who mmures
our citizens IN filthy dnnseons and drives then to
municado" He has perpetrate1 greater volume
Of m M g and S%S V dane h sv a or Sar
wears Of civil War plus score OF AndersonvlNe
i was; impossible that the crimes ot Spain under
Philip should escape me judgment ~ Just ON
layed she was, then one Of tho great Powers of
the aTa GGr Shps %fLe On f1e 9 s com Sn
the ayorS Of the PoE wh9 s h2d gwen a15 der G0m
had every~hore followed her enterprises and her
Now her, punishment began. More than hall her
In wrecks along the Caribbean sands and the
OTTER nations Her colonsts FOUND It was safe TO
rebel agains; her tyranny. One by one they have
since thrown of her hated yoke. until now Of all
her American possessions only ono unfortunate.
tempest-torn island pretends half 10 a:knowledGe
Cuba within her weakening grasp all the world
knows.
IN view Of the unrepented national sins Of Spain
AMI her innum1n nifty FOR tire" centuries. cannot
resist ,he conviction that the time OF her expulsion
from continent r. near. and that her final pun
ishmeni is ne administered by our ndnis The
purposes Of the Almighty are unchangeable and
they 20 point 10 the destruction Of tho Span
i-h traasatlantir powe'.
But We should ne careful 10 DO no injustice 70
Spain II the Colr, of Inquiry has AIRY doubt OF
her responsibility. In Heavens name give her the
bencht % the douht There is no necessity. for
haste. our time Will come. and II VIII be long
DELAYED. our people IN favor Of a with
Spain. They have had enough Of her practices.
We well prepared now be in
time OF peace. ~ The first summons should
have such rush Of volunteers our country has
never vet witnessed. Every State and Territory
every city town and hamlet would send up It's
tale o. twice told. Such would
aside All minor issues and unite and consolidate
Republic.
Let Ne. then trust IN the Lord and wait patiently
for Him. In His good time ana ont OF tho
present situation He will give ia Just cause for
var with Spain and show nov 10 execute His
judgments. II Spain IS respons bic for the lives
OF the brave who nc; death ~ the posi- 81 duty
on tho Maine. her crime will be- MD from the
eye OF the Al Seeing. And then there shall come
such reckoning MS will satisfy Divine and human
Justice and sweep from orr continent the last
vesiire ~ . Power which has never occupied II
except degrade itself AMI dishonor humanity.
Network. March .. 1895 l.. T.. CH1TTENDEN