But in the great central region, where there may be
some doubt as to the effect of natural causes, who ought to decide the
question except the people residing there, who have all their interests
there, who have gone there to live with their wives and children?"
No recognition of a right and a wrong, to be sure. But no express
advocacy of a wrong. I could not see then, and have never been able to
see since, why Douglas with this practical facing of the business of
life could not fare equally well with public opinion as Hamilton has
fared with it, who advocated corruption in government as a means to a
national power.
I went to Dorothy with my plan about Cuba, telling her that Douglas had
gone there. It stirred her languid spirits. She was all eagerness to
start. We took passage from New York, sailing around Florida, at last
around Morro Castle into the harbor of Havana. The blueness of the
water, with the balmy wind blowing almost incessantly began to restore
Dorothy. The Spanish city lying before our eyes, yellow and continental,
awoke her interest. At the dock there were crowds of idlers, Spaniards,
negroes, to see us fasten and disembark. With Dorothy and our son and
two maids we made our way to a hotel near the water. I was anxious to
look up Douglas; but it was impossible the first evening, owing to
Dorothy's indisposition.
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