292 [Assembly 



iheiT poverty, can only imagine the luxury of wealth, and fancy 

 ever}'' wanderiug son of America to be the child of fortune. 



Many illustrations of the prevalence of this idea might be given, 

 but I will mention only one. It occurred among the ruins of 

 Thebes. A little Arab boy, whose pertinacious application to be 

 received as a guide was refused by our party on the plea of be- 

 ing too poor to hire him, replied in almost the only words of 

 English he could speak, " oh no, Americans all rich." 



Others again, cherishing a romantic love of freedom, are dis- 

 satisfied with any degree of liberty which seems to fall short of 

 that possessed by us, and look on every citizen of this republic 

 with the eye of fraternal affection. " Sono fanatico pro los 

 Americanos," exclaimed an Ionian Greek, as he dwelt with 

 democratic fervor on the happiness of our country, and contrast- 

 ing it with his own subsidized islands, prayed that they might bo 

 transferred from the protection of England to that of the United 

 States. 



And yet again, there are nations, which, having the form of 

 freedom, but wanting the spirit or the knowledge which self- 

 government requires, are distracted by civil wars and divided by 

 the rival claims of chiefs and statesmen. To these our country 

 presents an enviable contrast. To these she is the land of pros- 

 perity and peace, and no sacrifice seems too great to make, even 

 nationality itself, that may secure to them a portion of her 

 heritage. 



When the late war with Mexico was drawing to a close, a 

 * British resident of one of the principal cities of South America, 

 endeavoring to excite public opinion against the United States, 

 said to a prominent native of that place, that he " might soon 

 expect an invasion from the North." " Ojala, que venga!" — 

 " would to God it might come," he answered, referring at the 

 same time to the distracted condition of liis country, then in the 

 midst of a Presidential election. Thus is it that everywhere the 

 ideas of liberty, prosperity, and power sre associated with the 

 name of America. Go where you will, examine the condition of 

 many lands, their laws, their society, their productions, and 



