The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-12-28
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.


leading political topic and to enlighten the public
the New York Evening Post furnishes outline
of its history.
The first enunciation of this doctrine by
President Monroe in his inaugural, in which he
asserted that it was "a principle in which the
rights and interests of the United States were in
volved. that the American continents by the free
and independent POSITION which they have assum-
ed and maintained, are henceforward not to be
considered as subjects for future colonization by
any European power" In diplomatic controversy
in which we got engaged about the period
with the courts of Great Britain and Russia, Mr.
Adams who was the author of the ''principle"
serted by the President, explained the meaning of
his words. Assuming that the jurisdiction of the
United States extended to the Pacific, and that
South America and Mexico, in becoming indepen-
dent, had succeeded to all the rights Of eminent
domain of old Span he argued that every part Of
the American continents was civilly appropriated
by some subsisting government, and that, con-
sequently, the settlement of any part by the Eu-
ropean governments would be an Infringement Of
proprietary rights.
Mr. Monroe, in his Annual Message of 1928,
Speaking of the alliance formed by Austria, Prus-
sia, Russia, and France, to adjust the political
system of Europe on a plan of monarchcal unity
and supervision said
1--WE owe it, therefore, to candor and to the
amicable relations existing between the United
States and those powers, to declare that we
should consider any attempt on their part to ex-
tend their system to any portion OF this heml-
sphere as dangerous to our peace and safety
With the existing colonies or dependencies of
any European power have not interfered, nor
shall attempt to interfere. But with the govern
ments who have declared their independence and
maintained it, and whose independence We have
after great consideration and just principles,
acknowledged, We could not view any interference
for the purpose of depressing them controlling
in any manner their destiny by any European
power, in any other light than the manifestation
of an unfriendly disposition towards the United
States"
Mr. Clay shortly after this introduced into the
House of Representatives resolution designed
to express the concurrence OF Congress in the above
declaration of President Monroe, but the resolu-
ton was not acted on This, the Post says,
the whole doctrine of Monroe originally
nounced.
At a later period it was proposed to hold a
Council of the American States on the .Isthmus
of Panama. BY the joint action of the republics
of Columbia, Mexico, and Central America, our
government was invited to participate in the
assembly, and, in fact, to place itself at the head
of this great American league in defence of lib
erty Mr. Adams, in his first message of Decem-
Der 9th, 1925, announced that the invitation had
been accepted and that Ministers would be sent
to the Congress. The announcement produced
great excitement throughout the country, and
heated debates in both branches of our national
legislature. The Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the Senate, consisting OF Mason, Tazewell, Gail
lard, Mills, and Hugh White, of Tennessee, re-
ported in the strongest terms against the measure;
and in the House the President called upon to
communicate the objects of this Panama Assembly,
which he did in a Special Message of March, 18th,
1925
Tn that message Mr. Adams explains clearly the
whole purport of the Monroe doctrine. We have
not room for full extracts from this message.-
Speaking of the Panama connection and the meas
ures that NIL ht be suggested, he says:
"The purpose of this Government is to concur
in none which would import hostility to Europe
or Justly excite resentment in any of her States.
Should it be deemed advisable to contract any
conventional engagement Oh this topic, views
would extend no further than mutual pledge Of
the parties to the compact to maintain the princi
pie in application to its own territory, and to per-
init colonial Judgments establishment of Eu-
rorean jurisdiction upon its own SOIL
From all this it would appear that the orig gina
tors of the Monroe doctrine contemplated
Interference The principle by the Western Re-
publics, as explained by MIR Adams, was that each
nation expected to guard ITSELF by ITSELF by its
own means, against the establishment of any Eu-
ropcan colony within its borders. The popular
understanding of the doctrine at this day, goes
much further. 1t is, however, question for con-
sderaton, whether in the present political cond:-
ton of the world, interests and safety as ma
ton do not demand extension of the principle
embodied in the original Monroe doctrine.-Cot-
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