I thank you most sincerely for the kind and gracious words which you
have used regarding my poor self, regarding my President, from whom I
bring to you and to the Mexican people a message of deep and warm
friendship and good wishes, and regarding my country, which I believe is
fitly represented by this brief visit of friendship, made with the
purpose, not of creating, for they are already created, but of
increasing and advancing the ideas of amity and mutual helpfulness
between two great republics.
I cannot keep my mind from reverting to a former visit by an American
Secretary of State to the republic of Mexico. Thirty-eight years ago,
Mr. Seward, a really great American Secretary of State, visited your
country. How vast the difference between what he found and what I find!
Then was a country torn by a civil war, sunk in poverty, in distress.
Now I find a country great in its prosperity, in its wealth, in its
activity and enterprise, in the moral strength of its just and equal
laws, and unalterable purpose to advance its people steadily along the
pathway of progress.
Mr. President, the people of the United States feel that the world owes
this great change chiefly to you. They are grateful to you for it, for
they rejoice in the prosperity and happiness of Mexico. We believe, sir,
that we are richer and happier because you are richer and happier, and
we rejoice that you are no longer a poor and struggling nation needing
assistance, but that you are strong and vigorous, so that we can go with
you side by side in demonstrating to the world that republics are able
to govern themselves wisely; side by side in helping to carry to our
less fortunate sisters the blessing of peace.
Mr. President, I have said that we need not create, but wish to
strengthen, the ties of friendship. It is my hope that through more
perfect understanding, through personal intercourse, through the more
complete unity of action to be acquired by the individual intercourse of
the men of Mexico and the men of the United States, not only may our
friendship be increased, but our power for usefulness--for that
usefulness which demonstrates the right of nations to be
perpetuated--may be enlarged.
For the generous hospitality, for the spirit of friendship with which
you and the people of Mexico have welcomed me as a representative of the
United States, I thank you and them, and I hope that there may be found
in this visit and in this welcome not merely the pleasure of a holiday,
but a step along the pathway of two great nations in their service to
humanity.