The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-28
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 90, 1853.
I'm coSTikUArioS.l
SENATE.

lin toNilnOAIioNel
SENATE.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
The Senate accordingly resumed as in committee OF the
whole the consideration oil the JOINT resolution declara
,orv of the views OF the Uned States respecting coon
aation on the North American continent by European
powers and Tespeclus the island OF Cubalhe pending
question being the moion Of Mr. Dixon TO refer the
resolution and the amen .ment of Mr. HALE to the Com
miee on Foreign Relations, with certain instructions.
Mr. SEWARD. Mr. President, on the 23d day of
February, is4s, John Quincy Adams, OF Massachusetts,
who had completed circle q publ: service hing hity
passing through the chef magsracy, and tiy closing
with the trust OF representative IN Congress departed
from the earth, certainly respected by mankind and II
all poslhumous honos not insincere and false, de-
p'oTed by his conDtrymen.
On fair and clondrss day in the month OF June 1880
when the loud aud deep voice OF waing had just died
away in the land. tie senator from Michigan. OF New
England born, and by New England reared the leader of
great party, not only here, but in the whole country
rose the Senate chamber, and after complaining that
member Of the family OF that great statesman Of the East
instead of going back wards with garment TO cover he
infrmer, had revealed them BY publishing portions o
his private diary himself proceeded TO read the obnoxious
extfac,s They showed the authors strong opinions
that by the federal compact the saveholdng class had
Obtained and that they had exercised controlling lnu.
enss u as q H. lns s %s
from the Farewell dress OF Washington, the senator
from Michigan said:
" Hsi is unworthy the uame OF an American VINO aoes @
, o, IN, % and noble sen,,nents OF one documents
and but viii no. sy what hs obcas0a r.. ai, woua M y !,
a"oiAsr" II cannot, Wilt; nor should il, es
il had been enronbed Ike the ancient Egyptian records
till It's language wa lost than thus have been exposed
{, the light OF day..
his own greater justice and generosity to the southern
Sates and his own higher fidelity 10 the Union. This
was in the Senate OF the United States And yet no
ole rose to vindcac the memory OF John Quincy
nj n emotion even OF SurDrtye, OF
regret that il had been thought necessary thus 10 IN
wade the sancy OF the honored grave where the illus
Of death was sleeping was not OF New England, by
residences education descent, and there
enough why should then endure in silence pain that
shared with many OF my counirymen. But then
determined, that when the tempest of popular passion
nat was raging in the country should have passed
BY would claim hearing here-noi to defend or vim
dcate the sentiments which the senator from Michigan
had thus severely censured for Mr. Adams himself had
referred them together with all his actions and opinions
concerning slaverynot TO this tribunal or even to the
present tme but to that after age which gathers and re
cords the impartial and ultimate judgment Of mankind
but to show how just and generous he had been in his
public towards all the members OF this confeder
acy and how devoted to the Union OF the States, aud TO
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF this republic. | am thankful
that the necessity for performing that duty has passed
by, and that the statesman OF Quincy has earlier than
hoped received his Wind caon and has received IT. too,
at The hands OF him from whom il was justly due-the
accuser himself regret only this-that the vndcaton
was not as generously as il was eHec,ually made
in and around the Gulf of Mexico, which admitted
by all statesmen One of them is. that the safety OF
the southern States requires wachful jealousy OF the
presence Of European powers in the southern portions o
the North American continent; and the other is thai
the tendency of commercial and political events invites
the United States TO assume and exercise paramount IN
huence in the affairs the nations situated in this bemis
phere-that is, to become and remain great western
continental power balancing itself against the possible
combinations OF Europe. The advance of the country
towards that position constitutes what in the language o
many is called progress and the position itself j.
what, by the class, is called "maniiest destiny
II is held by all who approve that progress and exPec
that destiny, be necessary 10 prevent the recoloniza
ton OF this continent by the European States, and to save
the island Of Cuba from passing out OF the possesson IN
deeayed Spain into that Of "a any }y one OF the more vigorous
In December, 1879, James Monroe, President OF the
United States in his annual message TO Congress pro
claimed the first OF these two policies substantially al
follows
"The American continents, by the FREQ and Independent
condition which hey have assumed asd maintain, are
henceforth be considered subjects for .aore colo
nizaon by any European power; and while existing
rights should be respected the sa-y and interest OF the
United States require them TO announce that no future
colony dominion shall with their consent be planted Of
established In any part OF the North American continent
That is wha, is called here and elsewhere the Monroe
doctrine, 40 lar as Il involves recoonizatlon.
John Quincy Adams and John c. Calhoun were ther
members, chief members of Monroe's administration
John Quincy Adams afterwards acknowledged that bs
was the author OF that doctrine or policy; and John
Calhoun, on the 18th OF May, lSis, in the Senate tes
fed on that point fully senator had related aegec
conversation in which Mr. Adams was represented a,
having said that three memorable propositions contained
in that message, of which what have quoted was one
had originated with himself Mr. Calhoun replied. tha
Mr.. Adams, If he had stalled must have referred tc
only the one proposition concerning recoonizaton, (h,
one now in question: and then added as follows
- "A, respects that hi. Ofr Adam.') memory does no
with Mr.. Adams "-4igp. Cong Globe Isl7-s, ?. 63l.
Thus much for the origin OF the Monroe doctrine OF
colonization Now let us turn 10 the position of Jobr
Quincy Adams, concerning national jealousy of the de
signs OF European powers upon the island OF Cuba The
recent revelations OF diplomacy that subject begin
with the period when that statesman presided in the De-
par,ment ot State. On the 17b OF December, 1922 Mr.
Adams informed Mr.. Forsyth. then American minister
IN Spain that "he island of Cuba had <xced much at.
ten'on, and had become OF deep interest TO the Amer
can Union, and referring 10 reported rival designs OF
France and Great Britain upon that island instructed
him TO make known to Spain 1.-THE sentiments of the Uni
ted States which were favorable 10 the continuance o
Cuba IN its connexion with Spain" On the 2sth oi
Apnl, 1923, Mr. Adams thus instructed Mr. Nelson, the
successor of Mr. Forsyth;
The islands OF Cuba and Porto Rico sti remain nom.
nay and so far really, dependent SPAIN thar yet
possesses he power OF transferring her dominion
@ rs w. o'nes These islands, tom their local position
" nsorM appendages TO the North American continent
o ons o 'he,n Cuba almost sight our shores from
uluoe OF considerations has become object OF
O"ont importance TO the ial aud politics al inier
ssoI out Dhioh ~, commanding position, with refer
~ ,ne puH OF Mexico and the West India seas: the
our southern coast and island OF ST DoninQo
so eaPaclous hstbor OF the Havana fronting long ine
our enofes destitute OF the same advantage the nature
n.. ahd o its wants. furnish ny the supplies and