Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-03-04

THE MoKRoE DocTRIEE.-SiEee the
project of building an inseroccanic ca
raj across the isthmus Of Panama, 10
unite the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
an enterprise oil foreign projection
much discussion has been provoked
upon The subject in this country. Many
believe that il wouId be in violation Of
one Of the great doctrines OF this cour-
try, sci forth IN a message Of President
Monroe, and known Is the "MoaToe
Doctrine"
As frequent aIlusion has been made
recently to the Monroe Doctrine" its
policy often nsisstated, for the benefit Of
our readers We give below, from "Gil-
let's Democracy" what that doctrine
is and the events which called il forth:
All South, ard part Of North Amer.
ca, bad long been held IS Spanish snd
Portuguese provinces. Before Ma. Mon
roe became President these provinces
rebeIIed against Spain, and set up gov
erinsents Of their own, which they were
able to MAINTAIN II they competed with
tue mother-country alone. To enable
them the more easily 10 control at home
and among themselves, several Euro
pean governments formed combIna-
lion, which they christened the "holy
Alliance" This alliance dictated TO
European governments wherever u
dared, and bad The power to compel
obedience. While those composing 4
confined their acts to their own coun-
tries and 10 their immediate Beighbors.
onr country neither felt alarm, nor took
exception 10 their acts. Ii mattered
nothing 10 us If they issued mandates,
and others chose 10 obey. Our Gov
eminent had no cognizance Of the mat
ter. however much il doubted the Iegl-
timacy OF the whole proceeding. II
was their business, not ours. But they
soon turned their attention 10 The Ame-
rican Continent. Spain could not re-
gain control over her provinces without
help from Europe: and the proprety OF
extending aid 10 her soon became SUBJ
iect OF discussion. which our Govern
ment feared might ripen into action.
These provinces. now republics, had
sought to follow our precedent IN es-
tablishing new governments. They ma
turally looked to Us Tor countenance, 1t
not for active support. When their
governments had assumed regular form,
our Government promptly recognized
them as belonging to the family OF ma
tlons. This added 10 their moral strength.
Further, il was neither right nor polite
for us TO 60. The "Holy Alliance" bad
interposed by force in Spain to determ-
inc who should rule there. They might
90 further, and attempt to dictate in the
new South American States. The
American feeling was aroused. MI.
Monroe, in his annual message IN 1898,
spoke Tor our people. He said:
1.-THE late events in Spain and Portu-
gal show that Europe is still unsettled.
or this important fact no stronger proof
can be adduced than that the allied
powers have thought proper, on Prin-
ciple satisfactory 10 themselves, to have
inierposed by force in the internal con-
Germs Of Spain. To what extent such
interposition may be carried, on the
same principle, is question to which
all Independent powers, whose govern
ments differ from theirs, are interested,
even those most remote and surely none
more so than the URited States. Our
policy in regard to Europe, which was
adopted at an early stage of the wars
which have so long agitated that quar-
ter Of the globe, nevertheless, remains
the same, which is, not to interfere IN
the internal concerns of any OF its pow
ers; to consider the government de fac
TO as the legitimate government Tor as;
10 cultivate friendly relations with It,
and to preserve those relations by .
frank, firm, and manly policy, meeting.
in all instances, The just claims OF ev-
cry power, and submitting to injuries
from none. But in regard to those con-
tinents, circumstances are eminentiy
and conspicuously different. II is i'm
possible that the allied powers should
extend their political system 10 any por-
ton Of either continent without endan-
gering our peace and happiness. nor can
any one believe that our Southern breth-
rem, if left to themselves would adopt
il Of their own accord. II is..equaHy
Impossible, therefore, that ice should be-
hold such interpositiOn, IN any form,
With Indifference"
So important, in the public estima-
lion, were the words we have quoted.
that. to the presentda they are known
and referred to as 1.-The Monroe Doc
trIne."