Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-07
THE MONROE D0crEESE-0PINEON
OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.

-EFuE MONROE OPINION
OF TEKOaAS JEFFERSON.
Ne Without ourselves prematurely antic-
~ipating the collisions which the tone o!
the press, especially in the West, shows
zare believed to be imminent since the
4 EpublicatiOn Of the WeitZel-Mejia cores
.pondence on the Rio Grande, we think,
Tsavs the National flteNiqeHccr, this a
lHpr1per time % reproduce for public inf0r-
Am4tiOn the following letter addressed 10
lENr. Monroe while President, by Mr..
e Jefferson, Of whom the former, pressed
Gov the momentOus issues raised by the
4lamous Holy Alliance, had sought coun-
l4sel. The celebrated declaration of Mr.
& Monroe, in his message 20 Congress,
(which, as doctrine has ever since
5zb0rne his name, the reader VIII perceiye
ahad been submitted 10 Mr. Jefferson, and
makes the subject Of the following letter.
(which may be regarded a. not only a.
H HeOrempOraneous, but g confidential eXpo-I
= sitiOn Of the spirit Of it Z:
H MoSrIcELLo, oct. 24,IsZ2
e Dear Sir Thequestions presented byl
@the letters You have sent me IS the mosti
Im0mentOus which has ever been offeTedl
60 my contemplation since that Of inde-i
@Dendence. That made US a nation, this:
Fssets out our compass and points out thei
zCourse which We are 10 steer through thei
ocean Of time opening on Us. And neveri
couid we embark on it under The circum-s
8 stances more suspicious. Our first and
Fundamental maxim should be never tos
Santan gle ourselves in the broilsOf Europe
HOdr second, never to suffer Europe to in:
q telmeddle with cis-Atlantie affairs. Z
2 zAmefica, North aud South. has a set off
5sinterests distinct from those OF Europe,
sand peculiarly her own. She shoul15
@therefore have a system Of her own, sep-s
3 Iergte and apart from that of Europe.
hiie the last is laboTing 10 become thes
of despotsm, oar eudeavOrs
Eshaald surely be 10 render our hem-s
s sphere that of freedom. One mas
stion, most of ALL could disturb us
An this pursuit she now offers TOT
zlead, aid, and accompany us in it. BY ac-E5
-fceling 10 her proposition we detach heTs
5from The bands, bring her mighty weights
=into the scale Of free government, and Z
semancipate q continent at one stroke, z
(which might otherwise lnger long in
siOUbt and difficulty. Great Britain is Z
4-he nation which can do Us the most E
Charm of any one, or all on earth; and
5wiih her on our side we need not fear the
4 whole world. With her, then we should
most sedIiously cherish cordial friend--
sship; and nothing would tend more TO =
slnit our affections than 70 be lighting (
sonce more side by side, in the same
5cause. Not that I would purchase even :
zner amity at the price OF taking part in (
Cher wars. :
But the war in which the present pro-z
sposition might engage u, should that be <
sIts consequence, j. not heg war, but ours. =
Is object is 10 introduce and, establish Z
sthe American system Of keeping out OF :
s0ur land all foreign powers, OF never per- &
Emitting those Of Europe To intermeddles
with the sffairs Of our nation. ID Is tOt
5uaiutsin our own principle-n0t 10 des
4 at from it. And If, to facilitate this, &
I've can effect a division in the body of z
sthe European Powers, and draw over 20 Z
sagy side its most powerful member, surely z
1--we should do it. But ! am clearly Of Mr.. 2
/ sCanuiug's opinion, that il viii prevent, e
5iustead Of provoking war. With Create
britain Withdrawn from their scale and s
shifted into that Of our two continents, 3
sall Europe combined would not under =
axe such war. For how would they :
propose TO get at either enemy without z
Superior fleets2 Nor is the occasion to =
sbe siighted which this proposition oilers, z
suf declaring our protest against the s
satrocious violations Of the rights ofA
znations, by the interference of any one in r
zlhe Internal affairs Of another, 50 fiagi-E
stiously begun 10y Bonapartc, are now =
sc0ntinued by the equally lawless Ai-ss
sliance, calling itself Holy.
& Bat we have first 10 ask ourselves q 8
Equestion. Do we wish to acquire toG
z6ur own confederacy any one or more O: h
the Spanish provinces? l candidly con- Z
zfsss that have ever looked on Cuoa as5As
.he most interesting addition which Z
Ecould ever be made to our system oft9
states. The control which, with Florida :
ePuint, this island would give Us over the@
zGuf of Mexico, and the countries anda
5i-thmus bordering on il, a. well as al 8
those whose waters flow into it, wOuldG
4Gl up the measure Of our political weil-E
f0eing. Yet, as 1 am sensible that thlsE
scan never be obtained even with her.
Gown consent, but 10y war, and its inde-s
ap1ndence, v hiCh is our second interest, 1
s especially its independence Of England, <
s.an lie secured without it, | have no hes E
sitation in abandoning my first wish toE
( future chances, and accepting its inde-e
4pendence, with peace and the friendships
Eof England, rather than its association E
slat the expense Of war and her enmity.
= [ could honestly, therefore, join in thes &
& declaration proposed, that We aim not at :
q he acquisition Ofany Of these possessions, 3
s hat We will not stand in the way OF any
zsmieable arrangement between them
1and the mother country; but that we wills
Oppose, with all our means, the f0reibleE
z.nlerposition Of any other Power, as aux Z
siliary, stipendiary, or under any otherH
s urn OF preiext, and most especially
s-heir transfer to any other Power by {
s conquest, cesSion, or acquisition in anyE
ssorher way / should think it, therefore,
5advisable that the Executive should en- :
courage the British Government 20 az
continuance in the dispositions expressed :
Sin these letters, by an assurance Of Mss
concurrence with them as far as his au- Z
4 ioritv goes: and that As ID may lead tOs
sawar. the declaration Of which requires an
aact of Congress, the case shall be laid be-
fore them for consideration at their firsts
.zmeeting, and under the reasonable aspects
Elm which IL is seen by himself
q | have been so long weaned from poht-5
Zeal subjects, and have so long ceased TOD
4take any interest in them, that I ami
q @sensibIe / am not qualified to offer opin-s
3 ions ON them worthy of any attention.
e But the question now proposed involyesi
z consequences 50 lasting and effects SOB
zlecisive of our future destinies as to re-
Ekindle all the interests l have heretOiores
felt on such occasions, and induce me to-
sthe hazard of opinions, which viii provel
Fonly nv wish to contribute still my mite5
Steward anything which may be useful
= % our country. ana praying You 70 ac-
scept il at only what it is worth, add thei
assursnce Of nay constant and atlectiOn-s
Gate friendship and respect.
r. THOMAS JEFFERSON,
H MEXICAr, HOSTILITY TO THE FRENCH.
p 4 correspondent of the st. Louis Repu5-l
licoa writes from Guaymas, Mexico, as,
Follows;
Il a Leading merchant Of this city, who
sreturned to-day from trip into the in-i
Eterior, extending two hundred and.
Stwenty miles eastward, tod ne that
zone had no idea Of the bitter feeling
Aof hatred toward the French usurpers
Huntil he went among the people. He
s3visited San Marcial, Teoripa, san An
E7touio. SuhuAripa and Alibcchi. Every