and gratitude toward the French
and German nations, there is one thing that we cannot quite put up with
in those nations, and that is, that, but for them, the English and we
should think ourselves the greatest nations in the world. [Laughter.]
So, with all the bonds of amity between us and them, we must admit that
the Frenchmen and Germans make a pretty good show on the field of
history in the past, and, apparently, mean to have a pretty good share
of the future of this world. [Applause.]

In comparing the Yorktown era with the present day, we find that then a
great many more Frenchmen came here than Germans; but now a great many
more Germans come here than Frenchmen. The original disparity of numbers
seems to have been redressed by the later immigration, and we are
reduced to that puzzling equilibrium of the happy swain whenever we are
obliged to choose sides in the contest between these nations:--

"How happy could I be with either,
Were t'other dear charmer away."

[Laughter.]

The French are a great people in their conduct toward us in this
respect, that the aid and sympathy and alliance has been all in our
favor; they have done everything for us, and have been strong enough not
to need anything from us. [Applause.] The fault of the French, changing
a little Mr. Canning's memorable lines:--

"The fault of the French, unlike the Dutch,
Is asking too little, and giving too much."

[Laughter and applause.]

Now, this treaty commences with the very sensible statement that the two
nations being desirous of placing their commerce and correspondence upon
permanent and equitable grounds, His Most Christian Majesty and the
United States of America had thought, to that end, it was best to place
these relations upon perfect equality and reciprocity, without any of
those burdensome preferences which are the source of debate and
misunderstanding and of discontent between nations. In this spirit it
is, no doubt, that we have each pursued toward each other, in commerce,
that most equitable and equal system, by prohibitory duties, of keeping
all of each other's products out of the other that we can. [Laughter.]
Well, the Frenchmen knew, after all, that the Americans can never get
along without their wines, and without their silks, and without their
jewels, and without their art, and without their science, and without
the numberless elegancies which make life even in our backwoods
tolerable. And we know that they can