{"id":"01KG8AMJWFHKM81E7SDJECESSW","cid":"bafkreidjovwfxx2igmqmrghcbpfo7lz23wgmwznq5iqhk66r2rjte6abxy","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":5861,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.271Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 4","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":5829,"text":"But in many things we Americans are driven to a rejection of the maxims\r\nof the Past, seeing that, ere long, the van of the nations must, of\r\nright, belong to ourselves. There are occasions when it is for America\r\nto make precedents, and not to obey them. We should, if possible, prove\r\na teacher to posterity, instead of being the pupil of by-gone\r\ngenerations. More shall come after us than have gone before; the world\r\nis not yet middle-aged.\r\n\r\nEscaped from the house of bondage, Israel of old did not follow after\r\nthe ways of the Egyptians. To her was given an express dispensation; to\r\nher were given new things under the sun. And we Americans are the\r\npeculiar, chosen people—the Israel of our time; we bear the ark of the\r\nliberties of the world. Seventy years ago we escaped from thrall; and,\r\nbesides our first birthright—embracing one continent of earth—God has\r\ngiven to us, for a future inheritance, the broad domains of the\r\npolitical pagans, that shall yet come and lie down under the shade of\r\nour ark, without bloody hands being lifted. God has predestinated,\r\nmankind expects, great things from our race; and great things we feel\r\nin our souls. The rest of the nations must soon be in our rear. We are\r\nthe pioneers of the world; the advance-guard, sent on through the\r\nwilderness of untried things, to break a new path in the New World that\r\nis ours. In our youth is our strength; in our inexperience, our wisdom.\r\nAt a period when other nations have but lisped, our deep voice is heard\r\nafar. Long enough, have we been skeptics with regard to ourselves, and\r\ndoubted whether, indeed, the political Messiah had come. But he has\r\ncome in us, if we would but give utterance to his promptings. And let\r\nus always remember that with ourselves, almost for the first time in\r\nthe history of earth, national selfishness is unbounded philanthropy;\r\nfor we can not do a good to America but we give alms to the world.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 4"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJRBP8WW7ATFWPYWQXFEQ","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMJWFWTRSHR20NJ7AQ29E","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:41.871Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:47.484Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}