72 KANSAS UNIVERSITY QUARTERLY. 



account, vv'hy restrict ourselves within the narrow limits that have 

 just been assigned? I give you the United States, bounded on the 

 North by the Aurora Borealis, on the Soath by the precession of 

 the equinoxes, on the East by primeval chaos and on the West by 

 the Day of Judgment." 



The revival of this spirit is indicated by the frequent recurrence 

 of articles in the magazines advocating the annexation of Canada, 

 by a very general desire not long since for the acquisition of the 

 Hawaiian Islands, by a strong feeling in some quarters at the pres- 

 ent time for the occupation of Cuba and by the demand sometimes 

 heard that we make the Isthmus canal our southern boundary. 

 Such exuberance and enthusiasm are natural to youth. The fact 

 seems scarcely to be considered that nearly ever}' one of these 

 measures involves war. I do not mean to disparage the importance 

 of our vast extent of territory and of our boundless resources, a just 

 source of pride to every patriotic American. The annexation of 

 both Texas and California has been productive of incalculable good 

 to us and to the territory involved but that does not justify the mode 

 and motive of their acquisition. We ought not to accjuire more 

 territory by war and conquest. We ought not to annex islands so 

 far removed from our present boundaries that a great and expensive 

 navy would be necessary for their defense, costing more than the 

 value of their total product. And we ought not to acquire territory 

 of which the population is unfit to constitute a state in the Union. 

 Quality is more important than quantity; domestic peace more 

 valuable than foreign commerce. 



A second cause of the war spirit is to be found in the existence 

 of deep seated prejudices against particular nations, prejudices un- 

 reasoning and unreasonable. The strongest of these prejudices is 

 directed against England. This is in part a survival of the passions 

 of the revolution. Aversion to England and partiality to France 

 were potent factors in our domestic politics from the revolution to 

 the war of 1812. So strong indeed was their influence that a 

 foreign observer was led to remark that "he found in the United 

 States, man}' French and a few English but no Americans." 

 Rightly understood the revolution furnished little reason either for 

 hatred of England or gratitude to France. At least after the lapse 

 of a century and especially as we were victorious, we can afford to 

 be magnanimous. The English do not cherish the same resentment 

 against us. An Englishman once said to me: "We don't bear you 

 any grudge, you know, for beating us in the revolution. We are 

 proud of you. It is just what we would have done in your place." 



