The Press.
London, England, 1856-06-21 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1856.

We owe it therefore to candour, and to the amicable
relations existing between the United States and European
Powers, to declare that we should consider any attempt on
their part to extend their system to any portion of this
hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With
the existing colonies or dependencies of any European
Power, we have not interfered and shall not interfere.
But with the 3overninenta who have declared their inde-
pendence, and whose independence we have on great con•
sideration and on just principles acknowledged, we could not
view any interposition fur the purpose of oppressing them,
or of controling in tiny other mannt r their destiny by
say European Power, in any other light than as the
manifestation of an unfriendly disposition towards the
United States.

It was in special reference to the successful re-
volt of the Spanish colonies that this declaration
was made ; and, read by the light of the circum-
stances and anticipations of that time, it is in-
teligible that the principle might have as•
sumed greater significance, and received a
wider in erpretation, than subsequent events
have justified.

Thirty years ago, there seemed a pro-
bability that the American continents
would shake themselves clear from European
dominion. The Spanish colonies had newly
declared their independence. The two
Canadas, divided in sentiment, agitated by
political intrigues, unsettled in constitution,
and making little progress under British rule,
were held to this country by hut feeble ties.
The Washington Cabinet in 1823, viewing the
rapid spread of Republican tendencies, and
the successes of the Republican party in
Spanish America, had some ground for antici-
pating that the time was at hand when the
states of the American continents would have
a political system of their own, entirely inde-
pendent of the political systems prevailing in
the countries from which they sprang. But
the action to which it looked as likely to
render the New World independent of the
Old, has had a contrary effect. The commu-
nities which shook off the domination of Spain
have not been able to found free and indepen-
dent States ; they have degenerated since
their separation from the mother country with
a rapidity beyond example, while the commu-
nities which have preserved unbroken Their
links with their European Governments, have,
with the single exception of the unfortunate
British West Indian colonies, advanced in
every element of prosperity. Canada is now not
a precarious possession of the British Crown,
but a mighty and flourishing province ; the
rival of the United States in material develop.
ment, and appreciating too warmly its close
connection with England to think of sever-
ance. Cuba is firmly attached to Spain.
France holds with undisputed grasp her West
India possessions. Russia clings tenaciously
to her hold on the American continent to
the extreme north. The Powers of Europe
have possessions and rights in the New
World which they will never consent to
abandon ; and any attempt on the part of the
United States to push the Monroe doctrine
to an extreme, would lead to a combination
against their Government which it would be
utterly unable to resist.

But to the general principle that the
United States have a fair right to extend
their empire in America by all legitimate
means, no objection will be made by the
sense of the country. The American conti-
nents are their proper sphere of action. We
entreat them to believe that we shall never be
jealous of their progress. They will no doubt
have quarrels with the feeble States of
America as France has had quarrels in Algeria,