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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
globe - from the Indus to the pole - and wherever her commerce spreads its broad pinions to the breeze, it goes protected by her glitter- ing arms. - Her banners float upon the mountain-tops, and the vallies. ring with the thunder of her cannon. She is indeed a great and a mighty nation; and I venerate her much, not only for the good she has done and is capable of doing, but still more for being the mother of a beatiful inheritor of all her virtues wi:thout her faults.- Behold the young America! Child of genius - bright image of a noble pare.nt ! She is now in the joyful days of her youth-in the spring-time of life- full of hope, spirit and grace- with the radiance of Aurora; the health of Hebe, and the ajile step of Camilla. - Her smile is the rainbow of affection - her voice is the melody of truth - and every throb of her glowing heart is but the bounding echo of a generous thought. - Then let the joyous nymph go forth in the gladness of her beauty, and in the overflowing benevolence of a noble nature - dis- pensing blessings in her bright carreer - smiling on the right - frown- ing on the wrong - and scattering everywhere the seeds of virtue, knowledge, freedom and prosperity. These are her glorious impulses, and her high prerogatiYes - and who shall arrest her in her onward march? Who shall fetter the freedom of her motion - impede her progress - or prevent her from treading the same high-road which her parent trod to grandure and to good. Surely the mother herself can never dream of such a thing. Envy and jealousy are not the growth of noble minds. 65 The mother may, indeed lament, that time lias touched her locks with silver gray, and slightly furrowed her Minervian brow; hut let her not for this repine at the sunny ringlets ancl the parian forhead of her own bright child. She has her gemed and jeweled cliadem." 5 Let her wear it with her native dignity and grace. Its splendor suits her well. But leave - 0, leave to the young un- sulliecl Beauty, her own sweet, simple, unambitious crown of flowers. It is at best but a wreathe of roses, interspersed with a few sprigs of the green laurel - and if she wears it with a little vanity - forgive the fault - for the flowers were gathered with toil from her own dun forests and her dewy fields; and were woven with her own fair hands. - But all powerful as Great Britain is acknowledged to be, it is not possible for her - eyen if she desired to do it - to keep the Americans from entering the Republic of Nicaragua, as private, indous- trious and orderly citizens. How would she begin the task.? -Would Rhe lmild around the conntry a wall of brass; - or encompnsR it with a forrcst. of havonets? All the resources of the world would scarce suffice for rnvh an {iudertaking. Or would she establish her military posfa, throughout the country and along the line of the transit, to intercept and i-hoot the Americans as they entered the territory? This too woulcl he an expensive operation; and one without encl; for as soon as the system should be abandoned, the Americans, always alert, would find their way into the country again. How then are they to be kept out? It is said that England and France will combine to chastise the United- States until she agrees to keep her people at home. To do this, might be a little difficult; but even if they should succeed in extorting such an agreement, it would be impossible to execute it; for the United
"'~ote in pencil by Lamar: "Retranslate these lines."
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