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On Everything

III

Extract from a Leading Article in one or the most Reputable Newspapers of the Capital of Patagonia upon Monday the 1st.

"We have always maintained in these columns that His Imperial Majesty's Government was amply justified in undertaking the short, and now happily successful, campaign in which it was proposed to chastise the so-called 'Republic' of Utopia, whose chronic state of anarchy is a menace to the peace and prosperity of civilisation. It is a pleasure to be able to announce this morning what was already a foregone conclusion in the minds of all educated men. The enemy's forces—if we may dignify them by that name—have been overwhelmed at the first contact, and it is now only a question of whether they will be utterly disorganised during retreat or will prefer to capitulate while some semblance of discipline remains to them. We must, however, implore public opinion to preserve at this juncture the calm, sane courage which is among the best traditions of our race, and we reiterate the absolute necessity of abstaining from any wild cat policy of annexation. It should be enough for us that the 'Republic' of Utopia will now exist in name only, and has ceased for ever to be a menace to its neighbours. A specially gratifying feature in the news before us is the skill and mastery displayed by the Prince, whose

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