Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-11-22
AN ELOQUENT TRIBUTE TO
SCHLEY.

=
Here are few sentences in which
Mr.. Rayner summed up the case.
Even in cold type they give some
idea of the beauty and force of their
expression, but it must be realized,
to feel their effectiveness, that they
came at the conclusion of a passion
ate defense which had stirred every
responsive chord in the hearts of the
audience.
81 have now briefly presented this
case as it appears to me in its general
outline. Such a trial as this has
never to my knowledge taken place
IN the history of the worlds man
tried for achieving q great victory
for his country, and an effort made
to condemn him for having carried
to a successful termination as great
a naval triumph as ever was won
upon the waters of the world. 1t
seemed to my mind that this case had
hardly opened with the testimony of
Capt. Higginson before itcommenced
to totter, and from day to day its
visionary fabric dissolved from view.
When Capt. Cook, their last witness,
was put upon the stand the entire
structure collapsed, and now, when
the witnesses from our own ships
and the gallant captain and crew of
the Oregon and Admiral Schley have
narrated their unyarnished tale, the
whole tenement, with all of Its COM
partments, from its foundation to its
turret, has disintegrated, and lies
like mass of hlackened ruins, a fit-
ting monument to its architects and
designers.
cit has taken three years to reveal
the truth. 1t has taken thus long
to lay low lie and expose it in all
its naked deformity. There is not
single word that has fallen from the
tongue of single witness, friend or
foe, that casts the shadow of a re-
Election upon the honored name of
the hero of Santiago. He has never
claimed the glory of that battle. No
word to this effect has ever gone
forth from him to the American peo-
pie. The valiant Cook, the heroic
Clark, the lamented Philip, the in
trepid and undaunted Wainwright,
and all the other captains, and every
man at every gun and every soul on
board of every ship are equal par
ticipants' with Admiral Schley in
the honor wrought upon that i'm
mortal day. You cannot strike down
his figure standing upon the bridge
of the Brooklyn. Says the Boatswain
Hill, Every head was bowed but his
as the Spanish shot and shell fell
thick and fast and sent the life
blood streaming from young Ellis,
this gallant martyr for his country's
cause. You cannot strike him down,
/ say. You may assassinate me but
you cannot intimidate me- said the
Irish patriot, Curran, as he turned
upon his accusers and traducers.
There Schley stands upon the bridge
of the Brooklyn, his ship almost
alone receiving the entire fire of the
Spanish foe until the Oregon, as if
upon the wings of lightning, sped
into the thickness of this mortal car
mage. God bless the Oregon was
the cheer that rang from deck to
deck, and on they went, twin broth
ers in the chase, until the lee gun
was fred from the Cristobal Colon
and the despotic colors of Spain were
swept from the face of her ancient
possessions. well done. Congratu-
late You on the victory was the
streamer that was bent from the hal
yard of the Brooklyn, and from that
day to this no man has ever heard
from Admiral Schley the slightest
whisper or intimation that he has
usurped the glory of that imperish-
able hour.
DESCENDANT MUSIC TO ENvIoUs FOES.
sThe thunders of the Brooklyn as
she trembled on the waves have been
discorSant music to the ears of envi-
ous foes, but they have pierced with
a ringing melody the ears of his
countrymen and struck responsive
chord at the fireside of every Ameri-
can home. And what is more than
all which has been revealed in this
case, as matchless as is his courage
and as unsullied as is his honor, is
his beautiful character and the gen.
erous spirit that animates his soul
and the forgiving heart that beats
within his bosom. Yes, you cannot
strike him down. Erect he stands as
the McGregor when his step was on
his native heather and his eye was
on the peak of Ben Lomond. His
country does not want to strike him
down nor cast blur upon the pure
escutcheon of his honored name.
"For three long years he has suf-
fered as few men have suffered, while
tho fsrao of v,aroaout,on lo~~ 1.x