Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1901 — Dealing with Captured Revolutionist Leaders. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Dealing with Captured Revolutionist Leaders.

At the present time, as Emilio Aguinaldo is likely to discover, there is nothing particularly dangeijaus about playing the part of a revolutionist. A hundred years ago it was different. Then a man or woman who revolted against established authority was fairly certain to have his or her head cut off, and was likely to have other unpleasant things happen. Now, so long at least as one is careful to rebel against a civilized and enlightened power, a captured leader is likely to be furnished with a handsome residence on some salubrious and beautiful island, paid a liberal allowance by the government against which he has rebelled, and asked to live a quiet and healthful life, with nothing to worry about In all the law books the old definition of a rebel and the punishment for rebellion remain, but, though the “high treason” be proved the death penalty is rarely enforced. A good example of the way in which rebels were treated only a century ago is found in the story of Toussaint I’Overture, the famous negro slave, soldier and statesman, who founded the black republic of Santo Domingo. In 1793, when the English invaded the island, Toussaint, who was already a trusted military leader among the blacks, declared in favor of France and took the oath of allegiance to the French republic. He took the field against the English and drove both them and the Spaniards off the island. Then he was made commander-in-chief of the military forces of the island. In 1801 Toussaint assumed control of the government. A constitution was drawn up making him president for life. When this constitution was sent to Napoleon he broke out into a fury and sent an army of 30,000 men, under General Leclerc, with a fleet of more than sixty war vessels, to subdue the black usurper. But Toussaint was an able soldier, and the climate fought with him. Within a few months 20,000 of the French soldiers perished of yellow fever, and the negro soldiers and "slaves, rising in a general rebellion, put 60,000 white people to death. Finally peace was restored, and Toussaint was treacherously seized and imprisoned. Then he was transported to France and confined in a cold and dismal dungeon, where he suffered from lack of food and sickness, dying at the end of ten months’ imprisonment of consumption and starvation. Another more modern rebel is Arabi Pasha, the Egyptian, who defied for a time the united power of England and France. In 1881 Arabi Pasha, at the head of the Egyptian army, became practically the military dictator of

Egypt, and in 1882 both British and French warships were sent to Alexandria to overawe and defeat the rebels, and to make a prisoner of Arabi as their chief. For many weeks Arabi was able to hold off the enemy, but finally he was overtaken and his forces cut to pieces at Tel-El-Kebir. Arabi was captured by the British troops and placed on trial on a charge of high treason. He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced, with the members of his staff, to banishment to the island of Ceylon. There he has lived ever since, a welcome guest at the houses of British authorities on the island, and the recipient of a large allowance from the British government. When Arabi gave up his sword and went into exile he was only 42 years old and was in appearance the typical leader of a savage and fanatical people. Now that he is past 60 his expression has softened, and he has become a venerable and gentle old man. Practically every member of his staff who went into exile with him is dead, and his last wish is to go home to Egypt and die in the land of his fathers. The United States has had to deal with a number of rebels. One of the first was Daniel Shays, the leader of a rebellious force of Massachusetts men, who objected to the collection of the large taxes after the close of the revolutionary war. Shays organized a force of 2,000 men, marched on and captured the town of Worcester, and finally demanded thq surrender of the United States arsenal at Springfield. The United States officer in command fired a number of cannon over the heads of Shay’s army, which broke and ran. Shays and a number of leaders were arrested and tried on charges of high treason. Several of them were convicted and sentenced to death, but these sentences were never executed.. Finally a free pardon was granted to all who had taken part in the rebellion. A little bit later the so-called whisky insurrections broke out in Pennsylvania. These disturbances were of so much importance that President Washington ordered out 13,000 troops and sent commissioners over the mountains to deal with the rebels. There was some bloodshed and many cases of violence shown against the officers who were sent by the national government to collect the tax bn whisky and other alcoholic products. No arrests were made, however, and the rebels were not punished in any way. Often, as history, shows, a rebel is safer and enjoys a much longer lease of life when he is captured by a humane foe than when he achieves the object for which he started on his ca-

reer of violence. As example, Danton may be cited. Born a farmer, he went to JParis and became a barrister. He was master of a sort of rough eloquence which proved effective, and he grew daily in power and popularity. In personal appearance he was a giant. Finally he became minister of justice under the revolution and then president of the terrible committee of public safety. Then he aroused the enmity of Robespierre and was sent to the guillotine in April, 1794. A few months later Robespierre met the same fate. Both of them might have lived on for years in comfortable retirement if their rebellion had been put down and they had been sent into exile by a generous king. But the most unhappy, as well as the most beautiful, rebel in history was Lady Jane Grey. She was not a rebel of her own will and choice. She had no thought for reigning as Queen of England until the plan was brought to her by her ambitious father-in-law. Then she consented, and when, after holding the title of Queen Jane for nine days, she was sent to the tower she was ready to plead guilty to the crime of treason. She was young, beautiful, and the most learned woman of her times, but she was executed on the charge of which she had admitted her guilt Not so was Queen Ranavalona 111, of Madagascar treated when a few years ago the French, who had claimed Madagascar for a good part of two centuries, decided to take her into exile. She and her two uncles were detected in a plot to overthrow the French authority. The men were tried and executed, but the Queen herself was captured in her palace, where she lived almost like a hermit, and taken first to a little island in the ocean. There the spirit of revolt followed her, so that the French finally decided to transport her to Algeria, where she would be too far from home to head a rebellion. Accordingly, she has been given a fine villa, a staff of servants, and an allowance of $5,000 a year by the government, and it is said that she has a much better time than when she was locked up all the time in her palace at home, with no amusement except to fly paper kites out of the window. Now she has developed a great taste for French millinery, as well as a liking for cigarets, chewing tobacco, and jewelry. In the line of jewels, it is said that her collection is valued at $2,000,000. The proposition to send Aguinaldo to Guam will probably meet more opposition from his friends than from himself. His oath of allegiance may cause this idea to be abandoned.

SOME NOTABLE REVOLUTIONISTS OF HISTORY.