Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-25
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CAPT. JOHN CUssONs' VIEWS

CAPT. JOHN CUSSONS' IL =" :
Captain John Cussons, ordusnce OFT
Ger on the staff Of General A. l.. Phil
Iips. was seen Saturday by Richmond
Dispatch reporter, who asked him Tor
an expression concerning the war now
in nropress between this country and
Spain.
The Captain expressed himself as be-
ing much opposed TO war, asserting 1t
as lis belief that it was an altogether
unnt ces. airy one. He said, however,
that ne expected to engage iu it, for
the reason hat he could not reconcile
himself to playing soldier in peace and
citizen in war.
When the reporter called upon him
at the JEFFERSON, Captain Cussons was
engaged in reading paper.
"Yuu seem Interested in your paper,
said the scribe, as he entered.
81 am replied the Captain.
Anything special =
81 should say so Here's what I've
been looking for ever since the pow
WOW began-lhe real motive and OBJ
ject of this war;
Yes; and it is"
"Humanitarianism, sir; pure and
simple humanitarianism. Nothing to
acquire; nothing to defend; moth
ing to resent. No enemy 10 pun
ish, no rival to restrain, no com
merce to extend, no territory to
seizs, no oppression to repel. We are
simply overwhelmed by sense Of our
own goodness, aud we cannot rest with
out bestowing on our fellow-mortaIs a
share of our redundant bliss.
"But, seriously, give me your views. ="
''Well, sir-a single point-read that
paragraph. See how we are now TO
complete and rouHd out the imperfect
work of three-and-thirty years ago
We were turning the negroes loose
then, and endowing them with the pc
litical privileges which it took our race
six hundred years to win. Now the
cry is for social equality. Here is the
c., r. and S. railroad accused of AN in
toierable aflront' by putting negro
troops in negro cars Aud here we are
indignantly and didactitally assured
that when a negro decks himself in q
blue uniform he is good enough to ride
in any Car with anybody and that
sontherpers must treat him wherever
he goes as 'an honored public guest. :"
"And you are not ready for thai ?"
mo, not personally. And yet my
views on The subject are liberal enough
As the writer truly says, it is simply q
matter of custom, ard | am sure that
there ought not to be he smallest OBJ
lection to the closest bond of brother
hood between such OF the blacks and
whites as really enjoy it,"
"Do 70 think there is any danger Of
embarrassment arising flom this race
question ?"
"Oo, | hope not. You see, We all
have 10 be reconstructed some time OF
other. And the present scheme ought
to link US to the past, SO that unitedly
we may carry out the principles OF the
old crusade We may ,il up new
carpe,- oaeping outfit, aud by afliliating
with the Cuban ecalawags, | suppose
we can turn loose fresh set of moDg
rels, and by giving them votes anC
things, we shall lift them up somewhere
and shall doubtless establish powerful
claim on the gratitude and admiration
of mankind"
"Oh, yes there'll be precious liltl'
else 10 do for the next few y'ars. Eacl
generation, it seems, as well as eacI
nation, has its own lesson to learn"
"Tnen you believe this war will las
several years ?"
Il most unquestiouably do" ant
then the captain retired TO his room.