Ностромо

           TheSalaoftheProvincialAssembly(intheMunicipalBuildingsofSulaco),withitsportraitsoftheLiberatorsonthewallsandanoldflagofCortezpreservedinaglasscaseabovethePresident’schair,hadheardallthesespeeches—theearlyonecontainingtheimpassioneddeclaration“Militarismistheenemy,”thefamousoneofthe“tremblingbalance”deliveredontheoccasionofthevotefortheraisingofasecondSulacoregimentinthedefenceofthereformingGovernment;andwhentheprovincesagaindisplayedtheiroldflags(proscribedinGuzmanBento’stime)therewasanotherofthosegreatorations,whenDonJosegreetedtheseoldemblemsofthewarofIndependence,broughtoutagaininthenameofnewIdeals.TheoldideaofFederalismhaddisappeared.Forhisparthedidnotwishtoreviveoldpoliticaldoctrines.Theywereperishable.Theydied.Butthedoctrineofpoliticalrectitudewasimmortal.ThesecondSulacoregiment,towhomhewaspresentingthisflag,wasgoingtoshowitsvalourinacontestfororder,peace,progress;fortheestablishmentofnationalself-respectwithoutwhich—hedeclaredwithenergy—“weareareproachandabywordamongstthepowersoftheworld.”

           DonJoseAvellanoslovedhiscountry.Hehadserveditlavishlywithhisfortuneduringhisdiplomaticcareer,andthelaterstoryofhiscaptivityandbarbarousill-usageunderGuzmanBentowaswellknowntohislisteners.