WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1853
427
imitate what was worthy of imitation; and at least they could not say that we were acting inconsistently with our professions. I would like to talk about Nicaragua and Cuba and the Sand- wich Islands; about there being natural accretions to the power here to be built up if we remain a united and just people, just to ourselves and to other nations; maintaining the good faith of treaties; interfering with no one; permitting no interference with us. But there is not time for that. It is not necessary that we should proclaim to the whole world that we are going to do this or that. Let us be staid, quiet, industrious, and reflective. When subjects are presented requiring action, let us act. Sir, this nation is destined to fill a vast space among the nations of the earth. Already in its youth it is great and mighty; majestic in its renown and most infinite are its resources; but those resources must be husbanded and they must be cared for, for a while. It is in vain to extend speculations beyond the necessity of the times, and involve ourselves in fruitless troubles by an- ticipation. Sir, we have much to do for ourselves to give us that iron hoop, of which General Jackson spoke, which should be thrown around our continent. Sir, let us make an iron hoop binding California to the Atlantic. It is worth all the resolutions that could be introduced here in a thousand years on inter{naUonal law, foreshadowing our policy. That is a matter which enters into the very vitals of our national existence, and one that must be cared for, looked to, and by some means executed. It is a vast and eminently national work. Without it, we are two nations. With it, we should be one; and we should command the trade of other nations. Mr. President, I have no idea of going about bantering the whole world when nobody is bantering us. An occurrence which once took place will perhaps illustrate this way of boasting better than any comment of mine could do. I refer to an incident which has been described by a great man. I mean Washington Irving, a man known to fame, and of high literary distinction. Washington Irving, on one occasion, describing the boasting of some of us, said that the best illustration which he could possibly give of it would be to narrate an incident that occuned on board a British vessel in which he had come over from England. There were on board the ship two large Gallipagos turtles, a very large animal, as it is known, something resembling terrapins. I pre- sume many Senators who have never seen turtles have seen
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