PAPERS OF llmABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR 409 of the pleasing subject which has inspired them; but I am not able to make them any better in so short a time. I regret that I was not able to write them in your language; but the task of translating them Cf!D serve as an exercise for one of your admirers; and if he who aspires to this farnr should not be wholly successful in the performance of his undertaking- even as I have not been successful in mine- so that in his translation he would not improve on my original, I will not then be the one to recommend him for his literary ability, notwithstanding the many accomplishments which he may have in other ways. Your friend. [MIRABEAU B. LAMARl
No. 2722. LA:MAR TO JUAN RAFAEL lIORA
Confidential [Translation from the Spanish]
[About 18581
HONORABLE PRESIDENT I am sorry that I cannot have a conference with Your Excellency without the aid of an interpreter; not only because I have many things to say to you, that I do not wish that anyone, with the exception of yourself should know or hear; but likewise for the reason that I experi- ence great difficulty in communicating through an interpreter, my ideas, opinions and sentiments with the clearness and exactitude that are always desirable and should be observed in the di~cussion of im- portant affairs. Similar difficulties, ijnd even greater ones, offer them- selves to the use of the pen, whether I write in English, or in Spanish; because if in the former, what I write has to be translated; and if in the latter, I can scarcely express myself in an intelligent manner, on account of my knowledge of that language being very limited.- Never- theless, despite all obstacles I am resolved to take the pen and write the best that I can. Doubtless the attempt will be bad enough; yet it is better to do it than to be silent.- Before stating the matters of which I propose to treat, I must hope that Your Excellency will not bear any ill will if I shall express myself with too much liberty and frankness, and shall speak to Your Excellency as to a private individual and friend rather than ·to a high public official. In acting thus I have no intention of offering to Your Excel- lency the least disrespect. My limited vocabulary will not permit me to write in any other manner; nor can I suppose that the truth will be displeasing to Your Excellency because it is expressed in simple terms. Truth like Beauty, does not need any .adornment to make itself be- loved.- It is lovely in itself. Nor .should the diamond be regarded as less valuable, because it has not passed through the hands of the lapidary.- · , The first thing to which I would call the attention of Your Excel- lency is an observation that cannot fail to be evident to all the world- namely-that all Central America is clestiried, sooner or later to ex- perience vast and important changes, not only· in the h3"-bits, manners, usages, and customs of the people, but likewise in their political and commercial relations with other nations.- The truth of their rapid progress cannot be hidden from the world-the extent of commerce
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