The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-05

WINE drawing lat 5hIh'Ieo ~
secretaries, treasurers, etc.
THERE is good deal Of talk about the
"Monroe doctrine" in connection with the
DeLesseps project Of aship canal across the
is,hmus Of Panama, but unless its COM
ple,ion leads 10 the establishment oil
French colony or protectorate in Panama.
which is hardly probable, the most jealous
advocate OF the doctrine can find little
ground to complain OF its infringement
President Monroe's famous proposition
declared the American policy of "neitheI
entangling ourselves in the broils oil
Europe, nor suffering the powers OF the
Old World to interfere with the affairs OIL
the New" and that 1--WE consider any at
tempt on their part to extend their system
to any portion Of this hemisphere as
dangerous to our peace and safety" The
latter declaration OCCURS in President
Monroe's seventh annual message, De-
eember 2, 1923. After rcmarking
that ain the wars Of the European
Powers, in matters relating to them
selves, we have never taken any
part, nor does it comport with ouI
policy to do So" he says: "With the
movements In this hemisphere we are O
necessity more Immediately connected
and by causes which must be evident tt
all enlightened and impartial observers
He proceeds: with the existing colonies
or dependencies of any European Powel
we have not interfered, and shall not in
teriere. But with the governments who
have declared their independence and
maintained It, and whose independence
we have on great consideration and OIL
Just principles acknowledged, wecould moi
view any interposition for the purpose o.
expressing them, or controlling in any
other manner their destiny, by any Euro
pean power, in any other lghtthan rs the
manifestation Of an unfriendly DISPOSE
ton toward the United States"
This is the substance OF the "Monroe
doctrine" as announced by its putative
author. It was meant NJ warning to the
"Holy Alliance" OF Russia, Prussia, Aus
tria and France, the object Of which was
to propagate monarchical institutions and
to suppress free government. ~
In his first annual message, December 2
1s45, President Polk said: "The people Of
the United States cannot view with indif'
ference attempts OF European Powers to in
terfere with the Independent action OF the
nations on this continent" Further on he
reiter ties and atIlrms' the principle avowej
by Mr.. Monroe" and states his cordial
concurrence in It's wisdom and sound poll
cy." Conceding that existing rights oil
every European nation should be respect
ed" he urges distinct announcement to
the world, as the settled policy OF this ma
ton, that "no future colony or domin-
ion shall with our consent DO planted or
established on any part oil the North
American Continent.
These views are repeated by President
Polk in his Message Of April, 1913, relative
to current troubles in Yucatan. Mr., CAL
houn, in an:elaborate speech made during
the debate upon the latter Message, de-
MED the claim that the "Monroe doctrine"
was the Settled policy" OF the United
States, and declared that it was applicable
only 10 the circumstances existing in 1928.
Senator Westcott on the other hand, siren
uously insisted upon the maintenance Of
the doctrine, and alleged that President
Madison advanced, and that Congress car
ried out, the same principle in 1911 in TAX
ing possession Of East and West Florida.
Evidently that famous doctrine, as Or
iginally formulated, applied only to cases
OF foreign interpositiou in the political
affairs of this hemisphere contrary to the
free and real will OF the government with
which they proposed to interrneddle.
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