owned by Mexico, between the Rio Grande and the sunset, out of which the territories of Arizona, New Mexico and golden California have been carved, and now form a part of the American Union. No more cruel blow could have been given to Christian missions and western influence in the Far East, than the hectoring and bullying by mighty Christian nations over weaker Japan. But for the refusal of England and the United States and the other Powers mentioned, to join in this "stand and deliver" demand, Christianity would have retrograded half a century in the lost confidence of the pagans in the professions of the Christian. Japan yielded and renounced Port Arthur and the Yalu; but spurned the unthanked suggestion of Russia to claim of China other equivalent in gold in place of Port Arthur and the Yalu. CHAPTER XXVII. THE UNITED STATES IN THE FAR EAST. HE author does not propose to discuss the Hispano-American war, except in its relations to the possible aftermath with Japan and the Orient and the United States. Adopting the sentiment now historic, "our country, may it always be in the right; but, right or wrong, our country," we have no apologies or defenses to make about the "casus belli" or the trophies of victory on sea and shore, over the ancient and weaker power of Spain. It is past! We listen to the thunder of Dewey's guns in the East and the echo of Schley's and Sampson's battleships in the West; squadrons sunk into the seas, and fair islands stained with the blood of the Spanish soldiers and of our own, as we shall read the record over again and again in story and song. Whether the great Republic shall “expand" till Manila and Porto Rico and Cuba are ours in fact, and not in name, is not the main question we propose to discuss in this closing recital of eventful scenes in our recent history. We cannot close our eyes nor our ears, however, to the fact that the war with Spain furnished the glad opportunity to two great Powers, one of the East and one of the WestEngland and Japan-to manifest their unselfish friendship for our country, at a time when Russia and Germany and France and Austria were seemingly seeking to form an alliance, offensive and defensive, against the United States, to demand that the war with Spain should cease. Our kindred of Albion, in press and pulpit, |