But from certain quarters it may be avowed, “Well, we acknowledge every nation’s sovereign right; we acknowledge it to be a law of nations that no foreign power interfere in the affairs of another, and we are determined to respect this common law of mankind; but if others do not respect that law it is not ours to meddle with them.”  Let me answer by an analysis:—­Every nation has the same interest in international, law as a private individual has in the laws of his country.  That is an acknowledged principle with your statesmen.  What then is the latter relation?  Does it suffice that an individual do not himself violate the law?  Must he not so far as is in his power also prevent others from violating the law?  Suppose you see that a wicked man is about to rob—­to murder your neighbour, or to burn his house, will you wrap yourself in your own virtuous lawfulness, and say, “I myself neither rob, nor murder, nor burn; but what others do is not my concern.  I am not my brother’s keeper. I sympathize with him; but I am not called on to save him from being robbed, murdered, or burnt.”  What honest man of the world would answer so?  None of you.  None of the people of the United States, I am sure.  That would be the damned maxim of the Pharisees of old, who thanked God that they were not as others were.  Our Saviour was not content himself to avoid trading in the hall of the temple, but he drove out those who were trading there.

The duty of enforcing observance to the common law of nations has no other limit than the power to fulfil it.  Of course the republic of St. Marino, or the Prince of Monaco, cannot stop the Czar of Russia in his ambitious annoyance.  It was ridiculous when the Prince of Modena refused to recognize the government of Louis Philippe—­“but to whom much is given, from him will much be expected,” says the Lord.  Every condition has not only its rights, but also its own duties; and whatever exists as a power on earth, is in duty a part of the executive government of mankind, called to maintain the law of nations.  Woe, a thousandfold woe to humanity, should there be no force on earth to maintain the laws of humanity.  Woe to humanity, should those who are as mighty as they are free, not feel interested to maintain the laws of mankind, because they are rightful laws,—­but only in so far as some partial money-interests would desire it.  Woe to mankind if every despot of the world may dare to trample down the laws of humanity, and no free nation make these laws respected.  People of the United States, humanity expects that your glorious republic will prove to the world, that republics are founded on virtue—­it expects to see you the guardians of the laws of humanity.