The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-19


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THE . MONROE DOCTRINE AND THE DECLARE
TIoNs OF THE ADMINISTRATION
The IatRigeace of yesterday furnishes an inter-
esting chapter Of history the Monroe Doctrine,
and deliberately argues that that famous declaration
was intended only to and defeat the schemes Of
the absolutstc governments of Europe and eradicate
at the moment free institutions throughout the world
The establishment of the Napoleonic dynasty upon
the elective principle, in the early part of the pres
ent century, and its fall by the combined efforts
of the Legitimate Rulers, served not only to
weaken the tenures Of Kings but to exasperate and
bring them into alliance against Legitimate gov
ernments' everywhere The deposed Ferdinand had
been restored to the Spanish throne by the direct
action OF France. The Spanish American States had
thrown off their allegiance, and were struggling to
maintain republican institutions. Mexico the most
important and populous of the colonies of the Ma
drid government, had completed her work of reyo-
luton, and been recognised as an independent ma
tionality. In the flush of victory, and naddened by
the blows inflicted by the great Napoleon the Allied
Sovcreigns concocted scheme by which Spain was
to be restored to her dominion over her western col
onies and all traces of free government obliterated
therein. Epgland had performed the chief part in
the overthrow Of Napoleon, was represented in the
Congress Of Vienna, and had joined the European
league prescribing forever the Bonaparte family
But she would not consent to crusade against free
government in America Under these general cir
cumstances Mr. Monroe made this declaration to file
world
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RISE aad in the arrangements in which they may termi-
nate occasion has been judged proper for assetg e.
as principle in which the rights and interests of the
United States involved that he american condiments By
ae free and independent condition ,c ty hare assumed and
nsainain hactor moi 10 be considered subjects for f-
are colonization BY any European pouer. I
We SEQ in this avowal no ambiguity. It is plain,
direct, and explicit. Tho circumstances which de-
manded it need not be examined at all to enable any
one to comprehend its meaning. It is the utterance
ofa principle for reasons abundantly apparent in
the document itself. 1t was prompted indeed by
the law of sefpreservation. Mr. Monroe thought
it would be unsafe to allow the absolutistc govern
ments Of Europe to obtain foothold this CONT
nent that it would endaDger the free institutions
of the Union. In practical sense, it would neu-
tralize the advantages enjoy in geographical
position 1t would install powerful and antagons-
tic system on our own borders 1t would remove
the barriers which lay between and the Sovereign
Rulers of the Eastern Continent. The instincts of
selEpreservaton the dictates of reasonable caution
a knowledge of the character and purposes of
absoutsm everywhere, suggest the propriety and
yindcate the justice of the declaration referred to-
1t is wholly immateria what may have induced
its utterance by Mr.. Monroe, the principle in
yelved gained no additional strength in the simple
fact that 1t was thus officially proclaimed II is not
unlikely that it was made in full view Of and perhaps
instigated by, the formidable combination of Euro
pean sovereigns who were certainly uDfriendly to
our system of government. This however, did not
affect the character of the declaration nor 1t in
tended we apprehend, to limit the application Of the
principle it announced to the particular occasion
which demanded its utterance. 1t might with equal
austice be urged that the decisions of the Judiciary
are binding only upon the parties to the record
that laws shod be enacted to meet the requirements
of each particular This process of reasoning
would lead us, indeed to the abrogation of all rules
for the government Of individuals and of nations
1t matters not then, what may have been the oc-
casion which gave birth to the Monroe Declaration
the principle IT announced if 1t is foundedn justice
must prevail forever we do not regard it,
however, as material, in the present aspect OF
affairs whether the declaration is obscure 2. cx-
plicitwhether it is TO be construed applicable TO
one or both of the continents Of Observation-Disclosures
ID was affirmed by the succeeding administration or
explained away. These are points which may touch
the question Of precedent authority; but they do
not touch the great practical question, whether the
people of the United States win consent to the sub
iugation Of any of tho independent States of this
tnent to European powers" or ''the exercise of a
protectorate over Them any other political infu-
ence to control their policy or institutional When
General Cass on behalf of the present adminstrs-
ton and of the American people, answered this
question in the negative, he simply proclaimed to
all the world the principles by which they would be