The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume IV, part 2

TExAs STATE LrnuARY

States would be as little able to prevent her citizens from leaving the country, and wandering where they pleased, as the combined powers themselves. Thus we perceive that the end in view could not be ac- " complished, even by war - unless the war should be perpetual - always victorious on the side of the Allies, and mantained within the limits of Nicaragua. Gigantic operation this! In the mean while, what would the world say whose commerce was effected by it.? - The interests of other nations would be inrnlved; and should they enquire - as necessarially they would - into the cause and object of the strug- gle - what would be the answer? Simply that of keeping the Amer- icans out of this country. - And wherefore? Because, if admitted into it, they would bring with them their industrious habits and civili- zation. How long would the world tolerate a bloody and proscriptive war upon such a false and barbarian principle as this? And where would be the profits to the two great actors in the scene - England and France? The Nicaraguences finds a ready reply to this question in the supposed Anti-american feeling of those two nations. Their com- 1wnsation - say they - will be in humiliating the pride of a rival, aud clipping the wings of a high-soaring irntion. There is abundance of folly and madness in all this. Nevertheless, it is a cud of delight to the Nicaraguences; for in spite of every absurdity, they believe, as firmly as they do in the Bible itself, that France and England - as soon as a plausible occasion shall offer - will unite with them in a war of tripple alliance against the United States, on the ground of national jealousy. Such a war - if such war were possible - might, indeed, retard the development and civilization of Nicaragua; hut it could not finally defeat these ends; - not only on account of the phisical difficulties alluded to; but for reasons of a much higher nature. There are some things impossible to man. He cannot dive to the bottom of the sea; nor can he pluck bright honor from the pale faced moon. And just as difficult the task, to mark the boundaries of human progress. God has decreed that the light of his law and his love shall beam on this benighted region; and France and England, nor all the powers of earth and Hell combined, can no more extinguish that light, or check it in its onward course, than they can blot out the great luminary of day, or roll it back from the West to the East. There is a Providence that shapes our ends rough-hew them as we may. God is the builder-up of Nations, as well as their dethroner. The Jews were the children of his choif'e; ancl wt thev were also the victims of his wrath. While they walked by the· law ol his loYe, they were strong and prosperous; but when they departed from it, they were scattered like the lea,·cs of the forest. And so will it be with the English. They too haYe bcrn a chooscn people. They ha,·e been the Standard- bearer of the Lord of hosts - charged with the vindication and the <liffusion of the great principles of truth, justice, right, ei,·ilization and liberty; and it is glorious to behold how well they have carried for- ward the great ends and ohjPcts of their mission. And what has en- abled them to do this? 'fheY have <lone it in the strcn!!:ht of God. His breath, has been their rn·lor - His inspiration, thei/ wisdom - His smile their bnekler - and His will their victories. - But woe to the la1Hl that hctrays her trust! Though her hnm1cr be

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