PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LA:M:AR 319 in nearly every case in which they have fought in defense of the op- pressed, their toil and sufferings have been rewarded by ingratitude. They followed Miranda to Venezuela and were unfortunate; they ac- companied Mina to l\Iexico and were destroyed; they sailed with Mexia to Tampico and were inhumanly ,;hot. They fought with Canales, Melano and others in the war of the Federation beyond the Rio Grande, and in the end they were sold to the e_nemy; and now, Sir, in case they went with you to Cuba and should find, on their arrival there, that the natives do not want war, what could save them from other misfortunes similar to those which their unfortunate predecessors ex- perienced? How could they hope to escape complete destruction? These misfortunes did not proceed from lack of any talent and virtue on the part of the aforesaid commanders, because, with few exceptions, all of them were wise, just and energetic men, but the only reason for the failure of their enterprises was the cowardice and contemptibleness of the people whom these brave adventurers went to liberate. The same, perhaps, might happen with you. Who knows? In truth, I am fully convinced that you will not find in Cuba the enthusiasm and cooperation which you have imagined, and that you will find yourself surrounded by obstacles which it will be impossible to overcome. .You should not infer from what I have said that I am disposed to underrate and defame the inhabitants of Cuba. Such a thought is far from me. I do not wish to say that there are no elements of lib- erty in that country. Cuba can with reason be proud of having many wise, valiant and patriotic sons who know how to 'appreciate liberty and who are quick to die for it, but these are few and they cannot start a revolution by themselves. I only wish to say that the greater part of the population does not possess the virtues necessary to obtain in- dependence and -establish a good government. I grant that they have all the virtue compatible with their political and social condition, but it is undeniable that a despotic cruel and corrupt government is not the most adequate to the perfect and vigorous production of the moral and intellectual qualities required for attaining and conserving social liberty. In truth, the character of a people is formed by the institu- tions of its country. There is no clearer and better founded truth. If the latter are .liberal and intelligent, the former will be valiant and virtuous, and if, on the other hand, they are despotic, cruel and super- stitious, the people will necessarily be that also. It cannot happen any other way, because the government and the people exercise a reciprocal influence over one another, and, consequently, they cannot fail to have the same char"acter and nature. One cannot be good and the other bad. The nature of tyranny is to enervate and destroy all that is grand and sublime. The soul becomes debased, the mental facul- ties of man are dulled and he is reduced to a mere machine or autom- aton. The inhabitants of Cuba are not exempt from these mourn. ful consequences. The influence of despotism on its character is clearly manifested in the fact that while they consider themselves the most oppressed people in the whole world, they nevertheless suffer their griev- ances more peacefully than any other people while cheerfully kissing the hand of their oppressor. The truth is that they have been burdened with heavy chains for such a long time that habit has become with them second nature. The custom of obeying, inherited from their
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