115
PAPERS OF }hRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
should be influenced in its policy by such wonderful absurdities; and yet those are the very arguments and considerations chiefly relied upon for the defeat of the treaty. Many of the most influential citizens and enlightened Statesmen of the Country believe, in good earnest, that England - with France as her faithful ally will assume any quarrel between Nicaragua and the United States. She will do this - say they- upon the broad principle of preventing any portion of this country from becoming Americanized. "England and France will pro- tect us!" - is the general, rejoicing cry. Protect you, against what? lfy go,'ernment is neither offering, nor meditating wrong to Nica- ragua. A fair and equitable convention has been celebrated with her Minister; and the country is no,w free and at full liberty to accept or reject it according to its own p1easure. There is no coertion in the matter. My government employs no force but reason; and seeks no purposes but good. Then what complaint has this country to bring against it? Let the wrong be stated before redress is asked. Does Nicaragua desire the British government to protect her against the opening of the Transit route? Where is the inducement to such an enterprize? Can it be supposed, for a moment, that Great Britain would be willing to waste her blood and treasure for the mere gratifi- cation of Nicaragua in a matter so preposterous and unreasonable- so adverse to the will and welfare of the whole world? Or is it for the preservation of her Sovereignty, that she invokes the British arms? That is neither invaded nor threatened by any power that I know of, except by Great Britain herself. She is now sustaining a rival au- thority upon the soil of this Republic-a King against the President. Why does not Nicaragua seek protection against this violation of her Sovereignty? No -a kick from that power is a compliment. What then is the nature and object of the protection desired? A word explains it all. She merely asks the simple favor, that Great-Britain will keep the Americans from coming into Nicaragua. A modest re- quest indeed! But surely Nicaragua forgets that Great-Britain in this very day is directing the thunders of her artillery against another nation for the admittance of her own subjects and commerce. How then could she declare war against the United States in opposition to the very principle she is contending for in the East - and do this too, not only without any adequate motive; but at an expense which all Nicaragua could not reemburse. - Yet Nicaragua's faith is great. - The difficulty with Nicaragua is easily ex- plained - She has allways been jealous of foreigners coming into the country; because she dreaded their superior energy and enterprize. Nevertheless, feeling the necessity of invoking the aid of foreign in- dustry for the developement of her natural resources, she invited emi- gration into the country under certain laws and regulations which were not wanting in wisdom and liberality. These laws, however, did not secure the object intended, in consequence of the unsettled condition of the nation. No emigrants came - or at least they did not come in numbers sufficient to create allarm. Few foreigners of enterprise and capital were willing to remove to a country distracted by continual wars, and affording but little security for life or property. Hence the people of Nicaragua have never been disquieted by their natural fears of being overshadowed by the activity and energy of an emigrant popu-
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