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62
MR. SEWARD'S FIRST SPEECH IN MEXICO.
experience of the eighteenth century indicated to mankind two important changes of society and government on the Continent of America. First, that all American States must thereafter be not dependent European colonies, but independent American nations. Second, that all independent American nations must thereafter have, not imperial or monarchical governments, but republican governments, constituted and carried on by the voluntary agency of the people themselves. During a large part of my own political life, these great changes of society and government have been, more or less, in logical debate contested in Europe, and on the battle-field throughout America. While they have often involved the American States in civil and international wars, they have more than once provoked European intervention. A third improvement was easily found necessary to guarantee full success to the two principal changes which I have already mentioned. This third improvement consists in the continuation of the many, or several contiguous nations or States, which are weak of themselves, into United States distinct nations. My own country, the United States, has taken the lead in these changes, so essential in the American hemisphere. The Mexican Republic has early, and bravely and persistently, adopted a similar system. Central America, and nearly all the South American States, have followed the example thus set by the United States and the Mexican Republic. One additional principle remains to be adopted, to secure the success of the republican system throughout the continent. If it shall become universal on the American continent, we have reason to expect that the same great system may be accepted by other nations throughout the world. That additional principle is simply this: That the several American Republics, just as they constitute themselves, while mutually abstaining from intervention with each other, shall become more, than over heretofore, political friends through the force of moral alliance. This, in short is the policy which I have inculcated at home, and which, with your leave, and the leave of others interested, I shall commend, as far as possible, to the Republics of Mexico, Central America and South America. I sincerely trust that
