Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-07-09
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
BY RTTcHlE, DUNNAvANT, TYLER q WISE.
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY o, 1855.
JAMES MONROE AS PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.

UNITED STATES.
The late sosnnities in which the people of Virgi-
| mia and New York have exchanged so many evi
denoes Of raternal devotion to the traditions Of the
Union, have served to awaken new interest in the
political events which marked the administration OF
President Monroe. Everywhere rejecting people are
expressing the opinion that public attention hs'
never before been directed to the great Importance
attaching to this period Of national history and
that the statesman who directed our national affairs
at the time has never received the full measure oil
justice to which hi, memory is entitled.
A can review of facts demonstrates that these
sentiments are not The mere offspring of momentary
enthusiasm. 1t may perhaps be assumed that no
other Administration, except that of Washington,
has exercised the same degree Of enduring inau
ence on our history.
james Monroe came TO the presidential obair per-
fectly educated man. The advocates Of liberal edu.
cation can 6nd few instances magnificent, for the
illustration Of thsir enlightened theory. President
Monroe was never impeded in tine discharge OF hls
duty by the weakness either Of Ignorance or ine1ps'
rsnos. Tho COURSE OF education which fitted him
for his position was much more thorough and varied
than tha, enjoyed by any President who preceded or
succeeded hun-1hs result was fully equivalent to
the preparation James Monroe's mind not
shallow coil TO bs spoiled by excessive cultivation
The deeper 1t ;isd by the ploughshare OF study
or Of experience, by 80 much the more oouatiiul
was the harvest of important achievement
Moreover, he was an intrepid man-uot tim
id and barren intellectually. When hs be-
came President of the United States, he was in fact
a. 10 name, the chisf of the Republic. In every de
par,uea, of government be stood familiar ground
aud in no one instance found himself dependent on
The guidance of suburdiDates. His interiors in posi-
ton had itte ese do than to follow up his invest
cations. comprehend his explanations aud obey his
orders. TIE lawyer who had assisted the inception
of the federal compact, scanned its provisions with
all the jealousy of State PRIDE aod watched and ia
oitsted it's application ut every step, was his owl
constitutional expounder. The legislator who hso
aotvely engaged in the deliberations of the Genera
Assembly of Virginia the Continental Congress and
the Senate of the United States was the most poten
adviser of legislative policy in all its branches ihe
soldier of ths revolution, the guiding spirit OF the
second war of independence, the man who, in TIME
of war, exercised at the same time the supervision OF
all the departments Of foreign afars, the treasury
and the military, assumed with oaim con6dence The
chief military command.
The student Of international law under the gul-
dance Of Thomas Jefferson, the representative OF th'
United States at the Coarts Of Paris, London ano
Madrid the negotiator who first asserted the present
aooeptaton of the doctrine Of the equality Of nations
at sea and on land, the purchaser of louisiana, was
we'll fitted to initiate an enduring system of Diploma
cy by which to solidfy and protect the edihce Of
American independence.
Twice Governor of Virginia and once at the head
of three executive departments OF the Federal Gov
ernment, James Monroe had ripe experience in al
the details OF executive duty. Thus it is that amos'
every sot Of his Administration has acquired last
ing significance The conditions OF the admission I
Missouri, right or wrong as we may believe them
con.ti.ute the fret step in the development. OF 1e
policy for The admission Of new States. The s1sc
doctrines eIpounded by Mr.. Monroe in the beginui"
and towards the end of his Presidential career, will
regard to internal improvements by the Fedora
Government, have ever since remained the respec
tive articles of faith which have divided the two
great national parties of the Union. Indeed from
his time these two parties assumed the distinctive
features which preserved unchanged until one oil
these conservative parties has given place TO tempo
rary combinations during the past few years. The
very provisions of the statute book which describe
the slave trade as piracy, and which it is now at
tempted to render the pretsxt for new division o.
parties, were adopted at the suggestion of Mr. Mon
roe, in one of his annual messages. After person
ally inspecting the Atlantic coast and Northern from
tier, he mapped out aud partially completed sys-
tam Of Notifications which has been over since ad-
hered to.
His foreign policy has welded lasting influence op
the history of the world. Not only was it left to
James Monroe to secure the recognition OF the lnde
psndence of Mexico and the Ave Southern American
Republics-not only to give permanent direction to
the policy of peaceful extension Of our Territory,
by obtaining the cesson Of Florida but to initiate
new continental policy, before which the whole patch
work of European diplomacy which turks under the
d.,usive pretepse of "balance of power, has
oer-force been torn loose from all connection
with American relations. Washington's injunction
against the formation Of entsngliDg alliances ID
the frat normal rule of American diplomacy -
Equally practical and scarcely ess important is the
embodied in the seventh annual message
of Mr.. Monroe 'that the American continents by
the free and independent position which they have
assumed and maintain. are henceforth not to be con
sdered as subjects Of future colonization by any Eu
rope.n powers" Asan eIempfcaton Of the sound,
conservative construction Intended to be appued to
this sentiment and in further Illustration of the per-
aaent significance Of ell the great acts OF Mr. Mon
ross Administration it may be called to mind that he
was the author of the existing stringent regulations
With regard to the maintenance Of strict neutrality,
which lately caused an abrupt termination oil mr..
Champions residence at Washington.
Indsed scarcely any other period Of our history
nss furnished 30 maDy enduring rules Of govern
mental wisdom, all tracssble to the efficiency OF the
Chief Executive, 90 does the Administration of Pre-.
.ident Monroe. The following eulogy pronounced
oy bis immediate successor in Office 10 but feeble
tribute in comparison With the extent and variety OF
bis achievements:
Ale strengthened HE country for Defence by asys-
tenn of combined Notifications, military and naval,
sustaining her righis, her dignity and honor abroad
soo,hing her dissensons and conciating her acer.
bites at homs; controlling by firm though peace
full policy the hostile spirit of European alliance
against Republican South America e1tortng oy the
mild compuion of reason, the shores OF tue facnc
from the stipulated acknowledgment of Spain; and
lssding back the Imperial autocrst OF the Norm from
his hastily asserted dominion over the southern
ocean. Thus strengthening and consolidating the
federa,ive edi6cs of his country's union' ne wss
entitled to "ssy like Augustus Cesar OF bis mperiaI
oity, that he found her built of brick. and lett her
constructed Of MARBLE
"THE SOUTH'S" LAST.
After weeks absence, we return to relieve guard
on the quarter deck Of the Enquirer and ind that
one of senior editors has been ruing the temper
of our neighbor, THE South" with an admiraoie
command of the large stock of material with which the
nanar han annnad hin, Indead our senior seems