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PAPERS OF l\IrnABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
the Milky-way, and every star a bayonet - they can nothing avail her; for there is a power whose breath can rend that banner, and whose frown can darken the planets. And where then shall be the traitor nation? Go - seek its history in the ruins of Jerusalem, and in the woes her scattered children. If Great Britain, in an evil hour - drunk with success - maddened by rivalry - or fired by unhallowed cupidity, should apostatise from her ancient faith - turn recreant to her own principles, and attempt by arms to arrest the progress of that civilization which she has toiled for ages to advance - how can she hope to escape the penalty of so great a derelection. How can she fail to forfeit that providential protection, which . has conducted her to glory and agrandizement? - Treason to civilization, is war upon J ehova; and death is the doom of all nations that madly rush upon His buckler. Who dares like Lucifer must fall like Lucifer. - Then away with the idle threat of the power and the vengeance of Great- Britain. - Whenever that nation - for the gratification of a frenzied jealousy-shall draw the assassin dagger against the bosom of her own offspring - that moment will her strenght depart like that of a stricken paralictic; - and the arm that smote the Great Napoleon, will be struck down by a greater power. It will fall as faint and feeble as Nicaragua's. No - she is strong only in .the right - and when Nicaragua shall place herself in the right, she too in time may become strong. - What then remains for Nicaragua to do? Her course, in my opinion is a very plain one. Let her ratify the Treaty; and modernize herself. Let her discard those foreign 'influences which have so long enslaved her understanding, and embittered her feelings towards the United States - her only true friend and natural pro- tector. The treaty will not only bind the two nations in the bonds of perpetual friendship, harmony and mutual interest; but it will lay the foundation of an instantaneous and glorious prosperity. Peace, commerce and protection, combined with the advantages of the Transit route, will soon enable Nicaragua to outstrip her sister Republics in knowledge, power, wealth and influence. Away then with her aniquated [sic] ideas - her slouthful habits -her unfounded apprehensions, and causeless jealousies; and let her inhabitants - assuming the activity and energy of the times - the manly, self-reliant spirit of other people - push forward, in bold competition with other nations to that lofty goal - that high and honorable destination to which she behold!' all the principal powers of the earth aspiring. Does she fear to make the attempt? Those fears are not her own - they are not natural to her - they are the vile inspirations of those jealous enemies and ma- lign traducers of my nation, who are willing that this whole Country should be locked in eternal darkness rather than see it advance to grandure and greatness, lest some commercial or political advantage might possibly accrue from it, to the United States. - Surely, . it is time that Nicaragua - as well as the States of Central America - should awaken to the degradation of those influences - shake off those shameful foreign fetters of the mind - and begin to think and act for themselves as free and independent people. They have been duped and deluded long enough by those whose counsels haYe never yet con-
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