Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1893 — NOT WAR, BUT BUTCHERY. [ARTICLE]

NOT WAR, BUT BUTCHERY.

Frightful Slaughter of Native* by the British In South Africa. The remarks of Henry Labouchore in the House of Commons, Monday, regarding the disgrace and shame to the British Government of the blocdy and inhuman war now being waged on the Matabelo tribe in Soutnca:tarn Africa by the British forces under the control oi the British Fait Africa Company, will find ready and hearty approval In many (sections. The accounts as received show that the English are waging what is practically a war of extermination against the tribe of which Lobengulals the King. While the loss to the British forces has been but little more than a score—if, indeed, it has reached that number—the Matabeles killed are estimated at not far short of (>,OOO, with a strong probability that that figure has been exceedod. The battles have been waged with a desperation born of despair on the part of the negroes. To the whites they have more in the nature of a battue—a round-up of game to be killed by ambush hunters. The slaughter of the natives has been merciless. Such destruction of mere animals would be wanton cruelty. The primitive weapons of the Matabeles have been of but slight effect when met by the modern Implements of war, with which the British company’s forces are armed. Against rapid-five guns and the rifles of sharpshooters the assegai is but a poor weapon. Before the raking fire of shot from the machine guns the mangled bodies of hundreds upon hundreds of these Degrees have fallen. The land they have always held, the land they have regarded a i theirs by the right of long possess’on and occupation, a right until now undisputed, is red with blood. Against the further Invasion of the white man who already has possessed himself of so much of their country they are fighting. According to figures published in 1891 the British possessions in Africa amounted in all to 2,462,43(5 square miles, 1,097,367 square miles of which were in what is known as East Africa, including the section where the present war against King Lobengula’s tribe is being carried on. This total exceeded, by more than 440,000 square miles, the area in Africa at that time unappropriated.