From Walt Whitman's "Memoranda during the Civil War".
Attitude of Foreign Governments toward the U.S. during the War of
1861-'65.
-- Looking over my scraps, I find I wrote the following during
1864, or the latter part of '63:
The happening to our America, abroad as well as at home, these
years, is indeed most strange. The Democratic Republic has paid her
to-day the terrible and resplendent compliment of the united wish of all
the nations of the world that her Union should be broken, her future out
off, and that she should be compell'd to descend to the level of
kingdoms and empires ordinarily great! There is certainly not one
government in Europe but is now watching the war in this country, with
the ardent prayer that the United States may be effectually split,
crippled, and dismember'd by it. There is not one but would help toward
that dismemberment, if it dared. I say such is the ardent wish to-day of
England and of France, as governments, and of all the nations of Europe,
as governments. I think indeed it is to-day the real, heartfelt wish of
all the nations of the world, with the single exception of Mexico --
Mexico, the only one to whom we have ever really done wrong, and now the
only one who prays for us and for our triumph, with genuine prayer.
Is it not indeed strange? America, made up of all, cheerfully
from the beginning opening her arms to all, the result and justifier of
all, of Britain, Germany, France and Spain -- all here -- the accepter,
the friend, hope, last resource and general house of all -- she who has
harm'd none, but been bounteous to so many, to millions, the mother of
strangers and exiles, all nations -- should now I say be paid this dread
compliment of general governmental fear and hatred?.......Are we
indignant? alarm'd? Do we feel wrong'd? jeopardized? No; help'd, braced,
concentrated, rather. We are all too prone to wander from ourselves, to
affect Europe, and watch her frowns and smiles. We need this hot lesson
of general hatred, and henceforth must never forget it. Never again will
we trust the moral sense nor abstract friendliness of a single
government of the old world.
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