you, when he spoke, but prepared
yourselves to act, flung out the banner of resistance to the winds,
and bared the sword for the last noble struggle, Hermano had not
perished, nor were the glorious work only now to be begun. But which
of you, involved in the same peril with Hermano, will find the friend,
in the moment of his need, to take the first step for his rescue? Each
of you, in turn, having wealth to tempt the spoiler, will be sure to
need such friendship. It seems you do not look for it among one
another--where, then, do you propose to find it? Will you seek for it
among the Cartagenians--among the other provinces--to Bolivar
_without_? Vain expectation, if you are unwilling to peril any thing
for yourselves _within_! In a tyranny so suspicious and so reckless as
is yours, you must momentarily tremble lest ye suffer at the hands of
your despot. True manhood rather prefers any peril which puts an end
to this state of anxiety and fear. Thus to tremble with apprehension
ever, is ever to be dying. It is a life of death only which ye
live--and any death or peril that comes quickly at the summons, is to
be preferred before it. If, then, ye have hearts to feel, or hopes to
warm ye--a pride to suffer consciousness of shame, or an ambition that
longs for better things--affections for which to covet life, or the
courage with which to assert and to defend your affections, ye cannot,
ye will not hesitate to determine, with souls of freemen, upon what is
needful to be done. Ye have but one choice as men; and the question
which is left for ye to resolve, is that which determines, not your
possessions, not even your lives, but simply your rank and stature in
the world of humanity and man."

The Liberator paused, not so much through his own or the exhaustion of
the subject, as that his hearers should in turn be heard. But with
this latter object his forbearance was profitless. There were those
among them, indeed, who had their answers to his exhortations, but
these were not of a character to promise boldly for their patriotism
or courage. Their professions, indeed, were ample, but were confined
to unmeaning generalities. "Now is the time, now!" was the response of
Bolivar to all that was said. But they faltered and hung back at every
utterance of his spasmodically uttered "now! now!" He scanned their
faces eagerly, with a hope that gradually yielded to despondency.
Their features were blank and inexpressive, as their answers h