Great (pro-Hispanic) Americans
Thomas Jefferson• "The ancient part of American history is written chiefly in Spanish."
• ". . . Spanish is most important to an American. Our connection with Spain is already important and will become daily more so." • Bestow great attention on (Spanish), and endeavor to acquire an accurate knowledge of it. Our future connections with Spain and Spanish America will render that language a valuable acquisition." See: Jefferson's Spanish Library |
Ulyses S. Grant• "I do not think there was ever a more wicked war than that waged by the United States on Mexico."
• "Bitterly opposed" to the annexation of Mexico. Regarded the Mexican-American War as "one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation . . . an instance of a republic following the bad example of European monarchies in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory." See: The Conveniently 'Forgotten War' |
Abraham Lincoln• Stood against the Mexican-American War when he was a congressman, calling it "a war unnecessarily and unconstitutionally begun by the president of the United States."
• Returned the Mexican-government-confiscated Spanish missions to the Catholic Church in 1865. See: The Conveniently 'Forgotten War' |
Walt Whitman• "We Americans have yet to really learn our own antecedents. Thus far, impressed by New-England writers and schoolmasters, we tacitly abandon ourselves to the notion that our United States have been fashioned from the British Islands only, and essentially from a second England only - which is a great mistake."
• "To that composite American identity the future, Spanish character will supply some of the most needed parts. No stock show a grander historic retrospect - grander in religiousness and loyalty, or for patriotism, courage, decorum, gravity, and honor." See: Whitman's Prophetic Letter |