What we do know is that the course of hesitation and inaction which the Nation pursued in face of an openly maturing attack was precisely the policy sure to give us the greatest trouble, and that we are now paying the penalty.
Reid critiques the nation's hesitation and inaction in the face of threats, suggesting it led to significant consequences.
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Congress is supreme, and, for all the purposes of this department, has all the powers of the people of the United States, except such as have been expressly or by implication reserved in the prohibitions of the Constitution.
Brushing aside, then, these bugbears, gentlemen, what are the obvious duties of the hour?
With her, then, we should most sedulously cherish a cordial friendship, and nothing would tend more to knit our affections than to be fighting once more, side by side, in the same cause.
Spain failed to maintain her title to the security she had pledged, but the lenders knew the instability of that security when they risked their money on it.