Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-02-13

claim Of a private advcnturer. But
the British and French Governments
wanted some excuse to invade Mexico
and TO overthrow the Monroe Doc
trine and threaten the United States.
SO Napoleon Ill, issued an imperial
decree naturalizing JeciSer as Il
French citizen, though up to that
time he had never seen France, and
iheh the British and French Gov
crnnents took up this case OF the
newly made French citizen" and
entered into the London agreement
TO invade Mexico and force payment
Of the claims of defrauded French
bondhOlder." Seven weeks later
Spanish and French and British
fleets and troops arrived off Vera
Cruz, seized that and other Gulf
ports and began the invasion OF
Mexico. After q year and three
months Of joint invasion ana suD-
jugatiOn the British and Spanish
troops were withdrawn and the
French were left to set up the "em-
pire" of MaXimilian and TO occupy
the land for five more years, when
they also withdrew and left the poor
duped Austrian archdulSc 10 fall be-
fore the bullets OF a Mexican firing
squad.
We have rehearsed this bit Of his
tory to emphasize the conduct of
Mr.. Lincoln Our great President
did not go to war over this wicked
and abominable invasion of Mexico,
insulting and threatening as il was
to the United States He contented
himself with protesting vigorously
and left to his successor the task Of
upholding the Monroe Doctrine and
of finally Kidding Mexico of it's in
vaders without actually firing shot.
SO we say that Mr.. Lincoln's conduct
under all these varied and trying and
purposely irritating insults and OUT
RACES is clear proof that if he had
been our President during these past
two years of perpleMties and irrita-
tions and grave wrongs, he, too,
would have maintained the peace
and waited until the fiery furnace
through which Europe is passing had
cooled before pressing for acknow-
ledgment and reparation or the
wrongs which Allies and Teutons
have alike inflicted upon our neutral
rights TO the free use of the lanes Of
the sea--rights established more
than a hundred years ago by the
wars Of our strong fathers and
acknowledged and guaranteed by the
consent, practise, custom, treaties,
conventions and laws OF the civilized
nations OF the earth We think it
can be justly said of President Viii
son that in his earnest and insistcnt
purpose to maintain the peace OF tho
nation he has acted as Abraham Lin
coin would have acted Wo indeed
believe that Mr.. Lincoln would have
gone farther than Mr.. Wilson has to
maintain peace and neutrality; that
he would have opposed the British
Interference with our commerce by
scvering relations long ago with that
Government: that he would have
found some way to prevent COM
merce with . nation which would
not respect our rights or the lawful
freedom of the seas. We say this
with no disrespoct TO Mr.. Wilson. 1t
is no disrespoct to any man, living
or dead, to say that he has not fully
equalled the wisdom and foresight
and craftsmanship of Abraham Lin
coin There was but one Abraham
Lincoln We believe that he was,
taking him al in all, one Of the
greatest men who ever lived; for he
united to the most intrepid courage
and TO q resoluteness that was as b.
steel thrice-tried in the FIRE, and to
lofty dreams of his country's future
might and power and dominion, an
inhcxible righteousness and q deter
mination TO deal justly with all men,
and wonderful human sympathy
and brotherly tenderness and an in
nate, permeating goodness Of heart
and mind, that all together made
our dear Captain one OF the noblest
and most nearly perfect men that
ever trod the stage of this vast
theatre we call the world.