Page:The Psychology of Jingoism.djvu/87

It is precisely in these detailed follies, and not in the larger framework, that history repeats itself. There is a full page of the Bigelow Papers bearing on the Mexican War which merits study for its minute exposure of the sort of humour which our conduct is just now providing for the gaiety of nations: –

Afore I came away from home I had a strong persuasion
That Mexicans worn't human beans, an ourang-outang nation,
A sort of folks a chap could kill an' never dream on't arter,
No more'n a fellow'd dream o' pigs that he hed hed to slarter.
I'd an idee that they were built arter the darkee fashion all,
An' kickin' colored folks about, you know, 's a kind o' national;
But wen I jined I worn't so wise ez that air Queen o' Sheeby,
Fer, come to look at 'em, they ain't much diff'rent from what we be,
An' here we air ascrougin' 'em out o' their own dominions,
Ashelterin' 'em, as Caleb sez, under our eagle's pinions,
Wich means to take a feller up jest by the slack o' 's trowsis,
An' walk him Spanish clean right out o' all his homes an' houses;
Wal, it does seem a curus way, but then hooraw fer Jackson!
It must be right, fer Caleb sez it's reg'lar Anglo-Saxon.
The Mexicans don't fight fair, they say, they piz'n all the water,
An' du amazin' lots 'o things that isn't wat they oughter;