The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-17
FORCED INTO FIGHTING
THE INFLUENCE OF POPULAR FEEL
ING ON THE WAR OF 1912.
President Madison Was Peace Man,
but Was Ultimately Forced to
Issue War Proclamation.


and the telegraph fash the orders OF the
war and naval chieftans across miles OF
land and ocean in a moments time. Huge
locomotives hasten with the troops from
inland post to exposed coast line, while
great ordnance shops throw out in enormous
volume the hourly product of shot and shell.
In the mean time the newspapers print
columns and columns and the utterance OF
the President at noon is known in Madrid.
is there commented upon, and the reply
printed in the same issue of the enterprising
paper.
1t was not always thus. There was
time when news travelled slowly and ii took
a nation months to know what was happens
ing on the other side of the world In the
spring of 1872, for instance, the war feeling
was running very high in the United States,
just as it is to-day. War came. just as 1t Is
now threatened, but the circumstances sur
rounding it are foreign tn the present
experiences that it seems like reading the
record of some far-off and distant time
some centuries instead of only Il little over
eighty years ago.
Many people are living to-day who were
children i'm the days of 1872, when the only
thing that the United States had in COM
mon with it's present generation was ar
days however there were people who
thought war, even for national honor, was
unnecessary They were called tories then.
while nowadays they are known by the less
harsh term of representatives of the imam
cial interests.
When the war of 1872 was impending,
Madison was President. He had many OF
McKinley's characteristics. He was a
man." says a newspaper writer of that
period, ''of kindly temper and great refine
ment and courtesy. He had many great
qualities. but he not the kind of genius
who could manage war successfully. lie
was. above all. a man of peace He hated
with all his heart: and like his three
predecessors in the presidency, he felt that
the best interests of the American nation
required that it should keep out of war
The easy-going and vacillating' President
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 Pres
ident could not help hearing it. In Com
gress the impotence became uncomfortable.
Congressman Archer, member of tho ccm-
mittee foreign affairs declared lrat the
time had passed for empty threats" and
he was in favor of carrying the war into
the heart of the British colonies. 1t was no
wonder that his words were applauded. and
yet the people were long-suffering and kind.
Constant outrages were committed and no
redress was Obtainable. A letter from BoS-
ton, dated March 10, 1872 to the authorities
at Washington, told how Captain Ocking-
ton, of the schooner Catherine, had just
arrived after an experience of capture and
detention. He brought with him stories OF
twenty-three American seamen impressed
in the French naval service, one of whom
had been subjected to the most barbareus
treatment being kept for four months i'm
irons, with one arm chained to the floor
until he made his escape His deposition
will be published" the officials here were
informed, land will arouse the indignation.
of every true-hearted American.
SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE
Still President Madison did nothing, be-
yond suggesting the settlement of claims
by diplomatic correspondence, and the
clamor in the newspapers grew louder and
louder. Open letters appeared. Their
writer's declared, in capital letters. that "a
day of retribution must arrive and the
British judges of admiralty were contempt-
uously called things" also in large letters.
In the name of the widows and perishing
orphans aggressive action was demanded.
Stories of cruel treatment OF Americans
were related with humliating detail. When
the sailors We're seized and carried aboard
the British ships, they were watched like
thieves and treated like the lowest animals.
They were rarely allowed to go ashore, ana
then only under guard In the Astounding
rhetoric of the early part of the century tho
writer's for the press gave utterance to their
grievances. Here, for instance, is what
Shamrock wrote to the National Intelli-
gencer, in this city in April. 1872, when thu
while about thirty unfortunate young
Irishmen were approaching our shores to-
breathe the air OF liberty they were denied
Instead of leaping with youthful and manly
Vigor on the beach of that haven, to attain
which they sacrificed perhaps their dearest
connection and rent the bonds of juvenile
attachment, they were bounced upon by thd
blcod-stained Vulture and hurried TO "A
cheerless abode, from whose bourne few
men e'er return
"Merciful God When will the thirst OF
Great Britain for slavery and blood be
quenched? Or is 1t Unsuitable? Has it been
in ths dispensation of thy providence that
manly a part of the creation should be
prtsiestined to become slaves-sayes of the
lowest grades? Two or three hundred West
india negroes may have one driver; the
crew Of a British man-of-war has many.
The negro raised in ignorance. is contents
ed nay, often pleased. with his lot-can sea
his relatives around him ana even boast
that once Il week he has u holidays the sea-
man on board q man-Of-war has a. mind,
May the just spirit of revenge never cool
in your breasts until the power of England
IS driven from this continent into that
privilege SHAMROCK"
This was the spirit which found utterance
in the newspapers of that day. Information
travelled slowly, but enough was brought
by couriers and stage drivers to spread the
var feeling in the little hamlets and larger
cities There was general dissatisfaction
with the delay of the President, ana nnaily
there came this outbreak in the newspaper
that was generally considered To be the
Presidents organ
News mas Deen Drought Oh al dltOElDuo
outrage by French national vessels. The
President wisely abStained from suggesting
the propriety of offensive measures against
France until late doubt shall become pres
ent certainty If ample atonement be not
made by France, VIC trust in God she viii
be made to feel, by "A vigorous retaliation.
the resentment of a rational and Spir1ted
people.
NEWSPAPERS OF THE PERIOD.
III those days newspapers were very diff
ferent from what they are at the present
time They were small, and gave but little
space even to war news. Instead of COLI
umns and pages being devoted to the ALI
absorbing topic, people had 70 be satisfied
with a few paragraphs. 1t seems almost in
credible TO Us, in these days of telegraph
and steam. that a dispatch from Batavia,
n. y, should be thirteen days in reaching
washington. The editor of q Batavia pa
per in those days of 1912 announced in his
little shetland one can almost ina gine his
excitment as he penned the sines-that we
stop the press 10 announce the intelligence
Of an armed British and Indian force on the
Canadian side of the Niagara river. appa-
Iently with an intention 10 make descent
on the American side II the appearance
of IAN armed force was to be disposed Of
I'm three lines. it is TO wonder that European
news nearly month old received no better
treatment One of the paragraphs publisned
about that time was thus displayed;
Very late and important news from Eslg~
ftssfTs s43It .cr s1t