Page:Dramatic Moments in American Diplomacy (1918).djvu/140

120 had got up and left the meeting in Verona. The other was that George Canning had written a most unsympathetic note to this effect:

"We disclaim for ourselves and deny for other powers the right of requiring any changes in the internal institutions of independent states, with the menace of hostile attack in case of refusal."

Aside from these slight annoyances the Holy Alliance had so far been a grand success. It had stamped out a revolution and the struggling liberal government in Spain with the utmost rigour and dispatch. It had broken with vigour and cruelty the spirit of Italians rising against intolerable tyranny.

Its deeds and its overwhelming power spoke to America in tones even more menacing than its treaties. And now the American Minister was informed that it proposed to take dominion over South America, on behalf of the King of Spain.

This called for immediate and drastic defence of some sort.