14 ruled by a despot. Little Switzerland is certainly respectable in her mountain fastnesses ; but her safety is rather in the mutual jealousies of surrounding monarchies. Her moral power is scarcely felt. Of the republic of Mexico, Daniel Webster justly said, “ ft was one of the most wretchedly governed nations on the face of the earth.” In the great continent further south, there is only one crowned head, — the Emperor of Brazil. The other powers are republics ; and I believe it may be truly said, Brazil only in that vast continent can speak with any moral power among the nations of the earth, and Brazil is nearly a despotism. In view of these facts, it is not strange that the nations educated in monarchical ideas should look on this Republic as possessing the same inherent weakness, or seeds of dissolution to spring up and bear fruit in due time, unable to cope with great difficulties, unwilling to be taxed, that time sure to come, whenever bad or ambitious men, or conflicting interests, should furnish the opportunity. But this war has shown that two causes have been at • work to strengthen the foundations of this Republic and render it a notable exception to all the rest. The first is common school education, which has made us universally a reading and thinking people, so that the masses know what is best for themselves. And secondly, religion, as universally dif
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