206 Manhood and Statehood 



unity was sacrificed to local independence, and as a 

 result the Greek world became the easy prey of for 

 eign conquerors. The Romans kept national unity, 

 but only by means of a crushing centralized des 

 potism. 



When the modern world entered upon the mar 

 velous era of expansion which began with the dis 

 coveries of Columbus, the nations were able to de 

 vise no new plan. . All the great colonizing powers, 

 England, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, and 

 Russia, managed their colonies primarily in the in 

 terest of the home country. Some did better than 

 others, England probably best and Spain worst, 

 but in no case were the colonists treated as citizens 

 of equal rights in a common country. Our ances 

 tors, who were at once the strongest and the most 

 liberty-loving among all the peoples who had been 

 thrust out into new continents, were the first to re 

 volt against this system; and the lesson taught by 

 their success has been thoroughly learned. 



In applying the new principles to our conditions 

 we have found the Federal Constitution a nearly per 

 fect instrument. The system of a closely knit and 

 indestructible union of free commonwealths has en 

 abled us to do what neither Greek nor Roman in 

 their greatest days could do. We have preserved the 

 complete unity of an expanding race without impair 

 ing in the slightest degree the liberty of the individ- 



