Путешествие на Луну
Florida and Texas
"AwretchedlittlestripofcountrylikeFloridatodaretocompareitselftoTexas,who,inplaceofsellingherself,assertedherownindependence,droveouttheMexicansinMarch2,1846,anddeclaredherselfafederalrepublicafterthevictorygainedbySamuelHouston,onthebanksoftheSanJacinto,overthetroopsofSantaAnna!—acountry,infine,whichvoluntarilyannexeditselftotheUnitedStatesofAmerica!"
"Yes;becauseitwasafraidoftheMexicans!"repliedFlorida.
"Afraid!"Fromthismomentthestateofthingsbecameintolerable.AsanguinaryencounterseemeddailyimminentbetweenthetwopartiesinthestreetsofBaltimore.Itbecamenecessarytokeepaneyeuponthedeputies.
PresidentBarbicaneknewnotwhichwaytolook.Notes,documents,lettersfullofmenacesshowereddownuponhishouse.Whichsideoughthetotake?Asregardedtheappropriationofthesoil,thefacilityofcommunication,therapidityoftransport,theclaimsofbothStateswereevenlybalanced.Asforpoliticalprepossessions,theyhadnothingtodowiththequestion.
Thisdeadblockhadexistedforsomelittletime,whenBarbicaneresolvedtogetridofitallatonce.Hecalledameetingofhiscolleagues,andlaidbeforethemapropositionwhich,itwillbeseen,wasprofoundlysagacious.
"Oncarefullyconsidering,"hesaid,"whatisgoingonnowbetweenFloridaandTexas,itisclearthatthesamedifficultieswillrecurwithallthetownsofthefavoredState.TherivalrywilldescendfromStatetocity,andsoondownward
