In practically applying this principle to the two sets of cases there is, of course, a great practical difference to be taken into account.  We speak of international law; but international law is something wholly different from private or municipal law, and the capital difference is that there is a sanction for the one and no sanction for the other; that there is an outside force which compels individuals to obey the one, while there is no such outside force to compel obedience as regards the other.  International law will, I believe, as the generations pass, grow stronger and stronger until in some way or other there develops the power to make it respected.  But as yet it is only in the first formative period.  As yet, as a rule, each nation is of necessity obliged to judge for itself in matters of vital importance between it and its neighbors, and actions must of necessity, where this is the case, be different from what they are where, as among private citizens, there is an outside force whose action is all-powerful and must be invoked in any crisis of importance.  It is the duty of wise statesmen, gifted with the power of looking ahead, to try to encourage and build up every movement which will substitute or tend to substitute some other agency for force in the settlement of international disputes.  It is the duty of every honest statesman to try to guide the nation so that it shall not wrong any other nation.  But as yet the great civilized peoples, if they are to be true to themselves and to the cause of humanity and civilization, must keep ever in mind that in the last resort they must possess both the will and the power to resent wrong-doing from others.  The men who sanely believe in a lofty morality preach righteousness; but they do not preach weakness, whether among private citizens or among nations.  We believe that our ideals should be high, but not so high as to make it impossible measurably to realize them.  We sincerely and earnestly believe in peace; but if peace and justice conflict, we scorn the man who would not stand for justice though the whole world came in arms against him.

And now, my hosts, a word in parting.  You and I belong to the only two Republics among the great powers of the world.  The ancient friendship between France and the United States has been, on the whole, a sincere and disinterested friendship.  A calamity to you would be a sorrow to us.  But it would be more than that.  In the seething turmoil of the history of humanity certain nations stand out as possessing a peculiar power or charm, some special gift of beauty or wisdom or strength, which puts them among the immortals, which makes them rank forever with the leaders of mankind.  France is one of these nations.  For her to sink would be a loss to all the world.  There are certain lessons of brilliance and of generous gallantry that she can teach better than any of her sister nations.  When the French peasantry sang of Malbrook, it was to tell