Show allom SPANISH HISTORY A great public speaker says the spaniards have not yet shown a yellow streak meaning that they had not exhibited the attributes of cowards and recalling the battle ot manila it is evident that he has spoken the truth admiral of the squadron had his sunk under him and the captain and the greater portion of the crew went down to a watery grave on that memorable ally moraine half of the spanish forces either suffered death or were seriously wounded yet not a ship struck its colors this chivalry and heroism ot the spanish marines have led a number of writers to speculate on the probable resistance that will be offered by the spaniards in the defense of havana the denver history of the almost forgotten of the heroic defense of saragossa Sara gosea and wonders if the manhood and woman hood of past still lives in spanish character capable of repeating the wonderful endurance ace and heroism of that eventful time the republican bays let us not be unjust or fear to make every acknowledgement that justice may demand let us the fortitude of the women who can endure and the bravery 0 the men who in days of despair can be heroes xerxes with his thousands could hardly force ther and he met defeat at last at salamie history is replete with illustrations trat ions that as the race 1 not to the swift neither is the battle to the strong alone in the defense of the spanish exhibited a fortitude and heroism for which it would be to find a parallel without boim goim back to the day when the bonon of carthage gave their hair to be used by carthaginian warriors wing the light of arrows that carried death to many a boastful roman soldier let us not make light of our foe nor the valor of the men who guard the walls of havana let ua not deceive ourselves in the belief that this 1 a holiday parade and that with prancing steede and nodding plumes we can march gaily into the heart of the be league red city ninety years ago on the day of the comine the eidee of wag begun by the french palafox a young man of 28 was the comma der of the spanish forces the city tho inhabitants united with him in a determination mi nation to resist to the death and after abu biege had continued for many weary weeks he dept in answer to the french demand lor surrender the famous reply of a to the knife since become the watchword of desperate resie tence at last on august 14 the french were repulsed and compelled to raise the a they returned on december 20 of the same year and renewed the attack but it was not until the of february 1809 and after more than people had lost their lives that the city surrendered of those who died by far the greater number were victims to an epidemic without which it is doubtful if the spaniards would have yielded at all even after the french had possessed themselves of half the city the heroic people continued to resist lighting ligh hand to hand battles ia bouges and streets with the the glory of that defense coee not belong to the men alone tor the women also took part and the fame of aritina Au itina the maid of will endure as lony as poetry history and bong can preserve the stary of her heroism the of saragossa knew that they fighting desperate odda the power of the mighty french empire waa behind the invaders but love of country and hatred of their foes were in the hearts of men and women alike and when that is resistance Is dearer etian ufa and a halo of martyrdom encircles the heads of all who fall |