The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-05
'IndePsndenco Now and Independence
FOreverr'

HOius are quoted, ana That 1T was invented
for him and put into his mouth by Webster
half century after the occasion. But there
IS no doubt that Adams entertained the SEN
timent nor that he believed independence, il
once achieved, would be permanent But at
the time these words are iancied to have been
spoken it would have required the sanguine
confidence of an inspired prophet to trans
form this noble aspiration into fixed belief.
Our independence has so long been secure
that we iail TO realize that 1T was ever in any
danger, and that for the first half century
alter the Declaration it was rather upheld
by the favor OF a protecting Providence than
by the strength of the country. In the Rev
olutionary War we we're assisted by other ma
tons who were willing to see England Grip
pied by the dismemoerment OF her empire.
She came out of that war exhausted, and
when, at the end of ten years, she had re-
cuperated her resources, she found too much
other employment Tor them TO turn her
attention to the resubjugation OF her
colonies. Had she not been occupied and
embarrassed by the situation of Europe
the resources which England squandered in
the wars OF the French Revolution and the
| great Napoleonic wars might have been sufli-
Gent TO subdue us in our then feeble condi-
ton. Our national infancy was sheltered
by the quarter of century Of commissions in
Europe. Toward the close Of those gigantic
struggles we were drawn1 into war with
England, but she had too much other bust
ness on her hands to think OF conquest BY
the time when general peace was established
in Europe we had grown UP to such strength
! that neither England nor any other one nation
could have had any hopes of subduing us.
! There was but one subsequent danger to our
! independence and that was of short duration.
1t was the danger that led to the celebrated
/ declaration since Familiarity known ns the
Monroe doctrine" Had England, in that
crisis, joined the Holy Alliance instead of in
viting us to unite with her in opposing it,
we might have been called to fight again for
our Independence, and not against England
alone, but ell Europe Had England joined
the Holy Alliance it was one of
their chief purposes to assist Spain
in recovering her revoled colonies, and when
this was accomplished they would gladly
have assisted England in like way. Our
government was thoroughly alarmed, and
great was the rejoicing by Mr. Monroe and
his Cabinet when the dispatches were re-
ceived from MIR. Rurh communicating the
confidential proposal of Canning. The occa-
sion was felt to be so important that the
President sent the papers to Jefferson and
to Madison for their perusal and advice. The
result was a cordial understanding with Can
ming and the celebrated declaration in Presi- |
dent Monroe's next Message warning the ma
tons Of Europe against further attempts at
colonization on 'these continents" This
auspicious result was mainly due to the lib
eral and enlightened policy Of the il1strious
Canning, who, by inviting our aid, kept Eng
land out of the Holy Alliance, which he
considered as the proudest achievement of his
life. 1t was the occasion of his famous rhet-
orical boast that he chad called new world
into existence TO redress the balance Of the
old"
1t is not probable that England would
have withstood the Holy Alliance with
out our cooperation, since her single
resistance might have resulted in war
and our neutrality would have given us
the carrying trade of her enemies. But if we
were joined with her the commerce of the
Powers forming the Holy Alliance would be
annihilated as soon as they began hostlities.
The Monroe doctrine was second declara-
ton of independence which, completing and |
rounding off the first insured indepen-
dence forever. BY that time we had grown
strong enough to cope single-handed with any
separate Power Of Europe, and by detaching |
England from the grand coalition of Cont
mental monarchs in that remarkable crisis we
prevented their interference in the affairs of |
the Western Hemisphere when we had not be- |
come strong enough (as we have now long
been) to stand against all Europe combined. !
1t thus appears that the independence now"
which was achieved with the aid Of France
and Holland, became an assured ''indepen- /
dence forever" when the Holy Alliance was |
arrested by President Monroe's declaration
that we should consider any further attempts !
at European colonization on this continent |
as a menace to our safety to which we would I
not submit. The despots who were plotting
to suppress liberty in every part Of the world |
would have paid little regard to the declara-
ton at that time if they had not known,
through diplomatic channels, that it was
prompted and supported by England.
We have thought it fit and courteous to re-
call these important facts in the history of
our independence on this occasion, because in
celebrating its hundredth anniversary, next
year, it is desirable that England should cor
daily join US. We wish our people to feel
that if their independence was or ginally
achieved by fighting against England it was
finally assured and made forever permanent
by the generous English policy which brought
the Western Hemisphere as counterpoise
against the Holy Alliance and gave color to
Canning's splendid boast that he had called a