The war is ended; the protocol has been duly signed; the white-winged dove of peace once again hovers over our country. This event is indeed cause for deep thanksgiving and profound rejoicing. The war has been in many respects a marvelous one. In its naval characteristics it has astonished our own people and the world. Such sweeping victories, accompanied with scarcely any loss on our side, are quite unknown in the previous history of naval warfare. Our land forces, though unfortunately not free from severe casualties, yet, in view of the conditions, cannot be regarded as having met other than the usual fate of war. Indeed, when we consider all the circumstances, we may justly claim a remarkable freedom from injury, sickness, and death throughout the army. We think the history of the war will acknowledge this fact.
We shall not undertake, at this time, to prognosticate the good results of this war. That good will come of it, admits of no question. War ever appears to be evil, yet there have been few, if any, wars in the world, that have not been productive of measurable good. We do not infer from this, however, that war is of divine origin, but discern in it the omnipotence of Good in the face of that which, to human sense, is evil.
We now mention two events of the war that furnish cause for the greatest rejoicing among our people, as well as good people everywhere. Firstly, the abolition of Spain's cruel and despotic reign in Cuba and her other possessions in the West Indies. It liberates many thousands, who for long years have been held in chains of a slavery scarcely less abject than the worst forms of servitude arising from the ownership of one human being by another human being.
