, 1865-07-17
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
Speech Of The Hon. Montgomery
Blair at naserstoWn, Nd,
July II, 1866.
Thr Overthrow OF the Mexican Re-
pubic by a French tJAurp-r-!A IL Z.
view OF the Policy OF the Secretary
OF AtAtes

St AtAtes
AFTER eome preliminary remarks comp'i
! mentary to the loyal men Of Maryland, and
ccDs1atulatipg thereon the termination OF th,
rebellion, Mr. Blair proceeded to discuss the
Monroe doctrine, and the course pursued By
Mr.. seWaagd III relation thereto, as follows i
FElIow.c1rlzEAs After tho display ol
sucl irresistible power BY the American
people, with cur well-knoNn disposition t2
deal Justly with ell nations, we ought to ex,
pect to enjoy long peace. No foreign M
ticn would wsntonly provoke conflict with
rs. for. however powerful, It cannot hope tor
sny but q disastrous Issue and get, but for
my Didcrce In the courage and prudence
OF Pree'd Mt johnson, should have serious
appreheusions Of a war with France, growing
out Of the tlljudged course hI:h.
nent in relation othe Intervention st France
IN Mexico. No one acquainted with the sub-
ject csn bare failed to observe that this d..
pariuent Of our Government has hitherto
pursued. and continues to pursue, course in
this matter strangely at variance with the
feelings Of onr people, and with the recos-
niz.d principles upon which our Government
hes uniformly acted.
The psesent ruler Of France has exhibited,
throughout our late struggle for existence, 4
mt st. Infrfendiy spirit, and arailed hiuself Of
our emergencies to Invade our sister Republic
Of Ntxtco, tubvett her government, and es-
ia a,llsh there mi itary despotism, under the
nj mfnal head Of an Austrian prince. Would
tie crowned heads Of Europe submit quietly
to similar Intervention on our part to esab-
ltth tie Republican system In Hungary,
Italy, or any other European county where
revolutionary movements have arisen from
time to timc? We know that such IN act On
ourpart would csmblnc every one OF them
tnlow thttr real govesnments--thep political
system Of that continent. Il the invasion Of
Sit x!eo by France, IN the interests Of abso.
lnt'sm, any lees an set OF hostility toward
the United States aud a war on the Republ{-
eau tysitlu Of this: Certainly not. The
Iueposltien Is TOO obTions 10 require
This Is the gist OF tbs Monroe doc
trine, as the manifesto made to preserve our.
selves agalDst this mode Of aubrerkiug our
popular Institutions has been called, ever
elpte President Monroe declared hi. purpose
to ,tsiet such design when broached By the
Holy Alliance IN 1898. He states the pr,po.
si'ion to which have alluded In this Ian
guage: The political system Of the allied
powers Is essentially different In this respect
from that Of Americs. And to the defense of
onr own, which has been achieved By the loss
OF 90 much blood and treasure. and matured
BY the wisdom Of their most enlightened ct
izers, and under which We have enjoyed IN.
e1amp ed felicity, this II hole nation is de-
voted. VIC owe It, therefore, to caador, and
the am!cable relations existing between the
United States and those powers, to declare
TINT We should consider any attempt on their
Part to extend their system to any portion Of
this hemisphere as dangctous to our peace
and safcty." Again, In 1924, he said:
It is impossible for the European Cor
eInments to interfere In their concerns, (the
affairs Of onr nejehbo1s), especially in those
alluded to tthc.r syetems Of 70 7ernmeut>,
which arc vital. without aft cling us; Ia.
decd, the motive which might induce sush il.
references in the present stale Of the war
weu'd appear to be equally applicable to us.''
Cou'd language he trained more appropriate
to portray the designs Of :he Fr. nch Govern
ment In their Intervention in Mexico. and the
feelings Ct our people in regard to it ! and the
representatives Of the people, In the session
before the last, adopted declaration Of the
Eame port, even at the risk Of bringing
tebtls. while cur contest was at the highest.
There is DO b1indfng the fact that the Fiench
var On Mexico Vas the Empero1'e contingent
in aid Of The rebellion as7 nst free goTe,n-
mept, and the rebellion has not ended while
French bay onets maintain despo,1sm there.
r., 1he cou'se Of orr Foreign Secretary aud
War Secretary will warrant the French En-
peror in asserting that the policy be has
adopted to iDgraft F.euch power On the In- |
stitutlons Of this continent, which are cut
Gown to make stock for Ita support, Is an
proved by our Government. See how both |
our State aud War Departments have been
9ubo'dlpate to fapolcon's policy. Our |
Of !he Convention that nominated lincoln |
and johnson as candidates, pledged, If elect
ed to the Presidency, to reassert and masn- |
tain, eren In the midst of the rebellion, tbs
doctrine, a. a protest against tho In
vasson Of Ftance to overthrow the Rcpub-
.!can eyafen established as that Of our con-
tinent. taken from the type Of the Unlttd
States. The State Department INSTANTLY dis
potchtd q disclaimer to The Emperor Of he
French, through our Minister to Paris.
y ntafniDg the assurance that the opinion Of
he House was not that Of the government.
and giving him to unders aud that the exc.
.ut.ye would not cooperate with the House.
The war Office confirmed tais intimation OF
he State Department Immediately. b7 It's
.ction. An order was entered against tha |
:xpoft0t1on Of arms, which were essential to
:naGlc the Mexicans to defend themselves.
FhI'e the French we're allowed forage and
transportation, which werc all they wanted.
upp1y which were as essential to maintain
rrnrt nf arma jeef fhav -r;rht cs1f ~ |
: nJs tha ;,,',,s5ss 1ey !alt INTO Ine
issq1nsa '1e Wsra cao,IIpa Wno mus
r"rnr thst -" no,,o aa"amt " suoAlL 70 az
he aymo1ies ~ Enron. can;a fa,ah M.sd tae PEST
Iericans souoht ana mgIbt GI ha9a sa: Gss,, 1ae
Mt for tb}s nrier the a,mz arooe.a5 J.ol5at4so, t.o,
,urone. and rtiectsd hv nnr al,ov tea a. tto1
mai ~ the anrinof3e,o orn hn, ~ .,1 ~ IT,. :.
srrrtaTv IN cnTnnisisanrs ~ tr"raa n,.,.a1 80,
he na,f If ti1e iidp IN ti,e man1er ,spa ptaJGa ~
[ed fhe contrsetoSs ard n,erchanta ~ ,.4 +;eh+
, re.9Yntrt what he had Tcf;1seI ~ -crai;a
/ Is i<ts1d cI was conti1 mad even IN I'M isef
june. for so late were thc sf,ea o,rn. rnr
.ased by tie Mexican apents in Am Franxrts.
} withheld. althourh Prastdent John4on ] 10. :
.red its Yemnynl TitI,,n ona Wa.I, A aI1ar %ia =
eceesion to power. NereTfhe1ess the rarn' 90
a,ion was not comunnicafed to ~ - otfcers {
TINT quarter, and hence tbe Mesican arms
ere seized, and Continue to he he1d eve1;
ow. =" 14~4>~ WIN :
But the Emperor of the French Ia mt lsft .
, infer the acquiescence Of nnr GoTe1nment
his policy IN 1eJerence To thia cnntinent |
ON eyen these prernant faefs Ia h.a 4
,upled with q 3astIfication In ths hands j
Ilt3ng of our Minister. under f1e anthnrf,r n
our Secretary Of State. Tnuis Nann1enn;a ,
mister of S.ate, 81. Ronher. re"3 n Inc
teuch Legislative bot7v thfs eytrsrt fro1n an 8
ncial communication Of nnr sfInister aTr u
Ictlov. contaiping 81, assu1onca ~ n',s -. +
/