Washington telegraph., 1865-03-01


Mr.. Monroe said upon the subject of foreign in
reference on this continent. and the occasion
on which it was said:
The Holy Alliance held q Congress at La.
bacha in 1921, and there laid down the princi-
pie that they had right to interfere in the af-
fairs of another State, and to reform its govern
ment in order to prevent the feet of its bad eI-
ample. The "bad example" in question. was
free government, for they had no objections to
urge against despotism, provided it was legt-
innate. In 1922 they had another Congress ut
Verons. Ferdinand VII, of Spain, had, in the
interval, been overthrown by q popular revoll-
ton, and the Cortez had established a free Gov
ernment upon the ruins of his despotism The
question of overthrowing the Cortez and re-
storing Ferdinand was brought before the Con-
gress, and Russia, Austria, France and Prussia
voted in favor of it. England dissented and
protested, but as usual did nothing, SO France,
TO whom the task was committed, marched an
army IN the next year into Spain. to overthrow
the Cortez with very little opposition, and re-
stored Ferdinand
The South American colonies of Spain and
Mexico had revolted from Spain many years be-
fore, and that Power was st the time waging .
feeble and hopeless war against them. In De
cember, 1923. Ferdinand addressed note TO the
courts of 81. Petersburg, Berlin, Vienna and
Paris, inviting them to solemn conference at
Paris, with view Of adjusting the affairs of the
colonies In such manner that they shonld be
restored to Spain, and he appealed to the doc
trine laid DOWN at Labacha in support Of his
claim to assistance. The conference did not
take place, in consequence of the firm stand
taken by Mr.. Canning, at that time Foreign
Secretary OF England, who, in October of that
year held a conference with the French Minis
Ter in London, in which he Informed him that
If the Holy Alliance attempted to interfere in
the affairs of the Spanish colonies, England
would recognize them at once. In December,
the Congress of the United States met, and Mr..
Monroe, believing that the allies would attempt
thc intervention, intimated very plainly in his
message that they could not do so with out find
ing lion in their path. This was particular
declaration, mad on particular purpose The
men who talked about the Monroe doctrine as
justifyng the United States in excluding all
foreign colonization from this continent could
hardly found their opinion upon this paragraph
of the message of 1928.
But Mr. Monroe, in the same message, or
one preceding it, entered his solemn protest
against the colonization Of any portion of Amer
ica by any one Of the European Powers That
declaration is, We suppose, the foundation Of the
Monroe doctrine, which has been interpreted to
mean that nobody is 20 appropriate any part of
America but the United States, and that the
United States are TO take it all, ss convenience
offers. 1t il worthy of remark that the leaders
o! tho Democratic party in the House of Rep
resentatives in 1342, when this subject came up
Incidentally appropriate money to pay the plen-
ipotentisry of Panama, unanimously repudiated
this sec ond branch Of the Monroe doctrine.
Rives, AcLans. Of Delaware, AoDuffse, Wick
life. Buchanan, all spoke against it, and SO did
Van Buren, in the Senate. McLane offered to
the original resolution for paying the ministers
an amendment, declaring the opinion Of the
House that the ministers who were to be sent
were to have diplomatic powers only; no pow
er to sit, debate vste, or enter into any stip-
ulations binding the United States to lend as
sistance, in case of any invasion, to any Of
the Governments aforesaid" and Mr. King ad-
ded this amendment After the words afore-
said Governments insert cor any compact Of
engagement by which the United States shall