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TEX . .\.S STATE LIBRARY
when she recollects how recently she has been stnatched [sic] by my Government from the grasp of the Filibusters; and how my government is at this very day, not only vindicating her territorial rights; but coun- seling her in common with all the Central American States to unite in a strong, federal Republic like that of the United States, as the best means of securing the sovereignty of each and the good and the glory of all. Does this look like a meditated conquest? And yet I hear it everywhere proclaimed that not only have the filibusters destroyed Granada, but that the Governement of the United States is now seeking to seize upon the whole country by means of an insidious treaty. If Nicaragua can perceive in all those facts, nothing to excite admiration - nothing to inspire confidence and awaken good feelings, then is it use- less to urge anything further upon this point. I can only remark that the United States are as far from offering wrong to the weak, a,: brook- ing it from the stroll!,!:; and that ?\ icaragua, in contfmning their prof- fered friendship, does more injustice to her1-elf than injury to them. What is the present condition of Nicaragua? She has existed as an independC'nt nation more than thirty years, and during- that time, she has been inrnlved in ,lesolating wars and intestine commotion, to the total nC'glect of agrieultme, of education, and all the industrial and civilizing pursuits, until her citiC's, towns and Yillages - her magnificent churrhes and great fortifications hrwe sunk into utter ruin and decay, and the great ma,:s of the people into lamentable igno- rance. - From the date of her indPpenclence, which ought to have been the beginning of her progress and agrandizement, she has continued to retrog-ade until the pre,;ent momrnt - anr1 now, when the hand of friendship is extended to her, to raise her ahm·e this subordinate condi- tion, and to place her in the high road of prosperity, dignity and peace, her people virtually say - "we want no change - we want no treaties- we are contented with little; and that little is supplied by a bounteous Providence: We haYe our bananas, our plantains, our frijoles ;-and if we cl1oosc to live upon these, and while our lives away in a dreamy hamock -'- whose business is it but our own?" - True. It is, indeed, a matter of little concern to others; but it is one of vast importance to themselves. It is not optional with the people of Nicaragua, whether they will continue in their present condition or not. No nation can remain stationary amidst an almost universal progress. It mu.st either adrnnce or retrograde. It must join in the great labors - in the vast operations and pursuits of the ag-e - or he left far, far behind, to sink into hopeless imhecility and final extinction. If Nicaragua would avoid this fate - if she does not wish to he run over and crushed forever by the giant car of improvement, which no earthly power can stay, she must hC' up and adoing - l'hc must arousr herself from her slumbers - shake off hrr long continned leathergv, and assume, somewhat of the activity and energy of other nations. Nicarn7na with a population not exereding two hundred and fifty thousand sou],: - one third of which are uneducated Indian;;:, and the balance inYohw1 in grrat ignorance, with wr:r limited exerpti011;;, 64 po;:,:esses an f'Xtrnt of 'l'erritofy arnl rn1tnral r<>sonrcrs to '"l11l<'rli11P1l with pe11cil i11 Lamar·R ha11cl are the fnllowi11g words: "Xntwith- stamli11g lwr limill'd popnlatio11-the greater portion of whkh is composed of unecln<'ated indians and the balance but slightly enlightened."
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