unity of the United States.

Nor did the close of the Civil War reveal less clearly than its
beginning the real international position of the United States.
When the country once more acquired unity, these European
encroachments were renounced, and dreams of colonial empire in
America vanished. There was a moment's questioning as to the
reality of the triumph of the North--a doubt that the South might
rise if foreign war broke out; but the uncertainty was soon
dispelled. It was somewhat embarrassing, if not humiliating, for
the Emperor of the French to withdraw from his Mexican
undertaking, but the way was smoothed for him by the finesse of
Seward. By 1866 the international position of the United States
was reestablished and was perhaps the stronger for having been
tested.

In all these years, however, the positive side of the Monroe
Doctrine, the development of friendly cooperation between the
nations of America under the leadership of the United States, had
made no progress. In fact, with the virtual disappearance of the
American merchant marine after the Civil War, the influence of
the United States diminished. Great Britain with her ships, her
trade, and her capital, at that time actually counted for much
more, while German trade expanded rapidly in the seventies and
eighties and German immigration into Brazil gave Prussia a lever
hold, the ultimate significance of which is not even yet fully
evident.

Under these circumstances, Blaine planned to play a brilliant
role as Secretary of State in President Garfield's Cabinet.