The Irish standard., 1902-02-01

have burned no fewer than six farm
houses; the wife watched from her sick
husbands bedside the burning of her
home n hundred yards away. 1t seemed
rs though kind Of domestic murder
was being committed. l stood till late
lHSt night and saw the flames lick
around each poor piece of furniture-the
chairs and tables. the baby's cradle. the
chest OF drawers, containing n world
OF treasure, and when saw the poor
housewives face pressed against the
window OF n neighboring house, nv
own heart burned with the sense of
Outrage. The effect on the colonial
troops, who are gratifying their feel
ings Of hatred and revenge, is very
bad. They swarm into the houses,
looting and destroying. filling the air
with high-sounding cries of vengeance"
Private Stanley, of the NJ s. W., con.
tingcnt, writes to the Sydney Tel.
egranh: "When within 800 yards OF
the farm we halted, and the infantry
blazed a vollcy into the house; we
broke open the place and went in. 1,
was beautifully furnished, and the Of
ficers got several things they could
make use of. There was lovely
library--books Of NIL descriptions, print
cd In Dutch and English. secured
bible; also II rifle, quite new. After
getting all we wanted out of the house
our men put up charge under and
blew 1t up. 1t seemed such pity; 1t
was Il lovely house"
DO these reports not disclose bar.
barous, vndictive, systematic attempt
to tcrrorze and crush brave enemy
in arms by devastating country
which It was found impossible to con-
qucr, by running the homes of soldiers
and exposing their wives and children
to poverty and want?
Ihis is n violation of the recognized
laws of civilized war, and was ex-
prcssly forbidden by The Hague con-
ference.
The British, having been accustomed
to the wholesale slaughter of savage
black men and their wives and chill
drcn in Asia and North Africa, have
become so bloodthirsty that when it
comes to fighting against civilized
white people they still retain their
barbarous customs, and are fiendish
and cruel in the extreme.
We. as the citizens Of the greatest
Of republics, ought to protest vigorous
ly against this inhuman treatment Of
the people of the smallest republics
who nave modelled after us in every
particular.
Our nation has always sympathizcd
with people struggling for liberty and
a republican form of government eve.
rywhcn
The United States ever since the
adoption Of rhe Declaration of Inde.
pendence has been the sympathetic
friend Of oppressed nations through
out the world, having freely displayed
itS SyAIphHiy LOI EldIltC III Iuc udyS VI
Inc first republic, for Greece in her
struggle for independence, for Hungary,
for Poland, for Mexico, for the South
American republics, for Armenia and
for Cuba, and has repeatedly expressed
such sympathy through resolutions
passed by the congress of the United
States. Then, why should we not
now sympathize with the two South
African e. republics? Is the word
liberty to become obsolete in our ma
tional lexicon? Shall the fair name
of this great republic, whose prowess
on land and sea has been the marvel
of the century, in this morning of the
new era receive a stain that shall nev-
er pass away until time shall be no
more!
Oh, let us mot drift away from the
principles and doctrines of our fathers:
Let us listen to the cry for help from
all who struggle for liberty and justice.
Let it not be said by future historians
that this great republic arose in splen-
dor and grandeur that made the world
stare, but it hated justice and liberty,
it halted on its bright and shining j.
80