The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-26
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

The negotiations upon the subject Of the an
nexation of San Domingo have revived the
interest in the Monroe doctrine and caused
rahing up of the various schemes of terrific
rial expansion which have been agitated in
the past. 1t is unnecessary to refer to the
acquisition of the territory of the Mississippi
valley from France, that of the Florida penin-
sula from Spain, or that of Texas, California,
New Mexico, and the adjacent districts from
Mexico, all of which were wisely consum-
mated, and tended greatly to promote the
best interests of the territories annexed to
the United States, as we'll as the prosperity of
the nation as a whole. In each of these cases
the policy of annexing contiguous territory
was adhered to, and there was a direct
prospect of return commensurate with the
outlay involved
In December, 1922, and soon after the Gen.
tral American States achieved their indie
pendence, the Congress of San Salvador pro-
ceeded to declare that it was part and parcel
of the United States. SO preposterous was
this measure regarded by men of all parties
in this country, that no notice whatever was
taken of the declaration, and San Salvador failed
most signally either to annex herself to the
United States or to annex the United States
to herself The project, however, was not
abandoned, and as late as the year l849 the
representatives of the republics of San Saliva
dor, Nicaragua, and Honduras assembled at
Leon and rendered to our minister the ces-
sion of these three States. The minister,
having no authority to entertain such pro-
b.
tention of this Government to it, which he
did without securing any response whatever.
About tho same time, however, the Hon.
E. G.. Squier, as the representative of the
United States, concluded with Honduras q
treaty for the protection of the proposed
Nicaraguan Canal, and signed a convention
by which the island of Tigu, which COM
manded the Bay of Fonseca, was to be oeded
to this country as a naval station in further
ance of the canal project. A great uproar in
Great Britain was the result, the authorities
of that country protesting to see in this q
bold attempt at counteracting the seiz-
ures in Central America in which they
had recently indulged. A violent CORE
spondence between the representatives of
the two countries at Washington and London
ensued, resulting in the abandonment by
Great Britain of its aggressive policy, as the
only terms on which the United States would
consent to let fall the Tigu project. Still
later there was revival of the Central Anne
rican annexation scheme Senior Barrundia
having been sent to Washington in the year
1856 to negotiate the consolidation of Hon
duras with the United States, but dying soon
after he reached this country and before he
could begin his negotiations.
These are the only serious attempts On
record of projects for the annexation to the
United States of territory not contiguous
thereto, until MIR. Seward launched forth in
his grand career as an annexationist, saddled
the icebergs of Alaska on the nation before it
was aware of what he was up to, and endea-
vored to steal similar march in the case of
the volcanoes and tidal waves of st. Thomas,
but in vain.