I  deeply  regretted,  and  now  deeply  regret,  the  fact  that  the  Colom-
bian Government  rendered  it  imperative  for  me  to  take  the  action  I
took;  but  I  had  no  alternative,  consistent  with  the  full  performance
of  my  duty  to  my  own  people,  and  to  the  nations  of  mankind.  I  am
well  aware  that  the  Colombian  people  have  many  fine  traits;  that
there  is  among  them  a  circle  of  high-bred  men  and  women  which  would
reflect  honor  to  the  social  life  of  any  country;  and  that  there  has  been
an  intellectual  and  literary  development  within  this  small  circle  which
partially  atones  for  the  stagnation  and  illiteracy  of  the  mass  of  the
people;  and  I  also  know  that  even  the  illiterate  mass  possess  many
sterling  qualities.  But  unfortunate  in  international  matters  every
nation  must  be  judged  by  the  action  of  its  Government.  The  good
people  in  Colombia  apparently  made  no  effort,  certainly  no  successful
effort,  to  cause  the  Government  to  act  with  reasonable  good  faith
toward  the  United  States;  and  Colombia  had  to  take  the  conse-
quences.
