The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-04-28
The Monroe Doctrine.

What is known as the Monroe DOc-
trine was originally declared by Presl-
dent Monroe in his message to Congress
on the I'd of December, 1923. There
were two paragraphs in that message,
the first of which related to the dispute
which had arisen with England respect
ing the northwestern boundary. In re-
ferring to this controversy, Presloent
Monroe used this language:
In the discussions to which this interest has
gf7enrise and in the arrangements IN Whlch
theyitnay terminate, the occasion has oeen
Judged proper for asserting as n principle IN
which the rights and interests Of the Um'ed
States are involved that the American conh-
nents, by the free and Independent eonGl'loh
which they have assumed and maintained are
henceforth not to be considered as subjects Tor
future colonization by any European power.
Elsewhere in the message, speaking OF
the condition Of Spain and Fortugal,
the President used this language:
In the wars OF the European powers, IN mat
ters relating 10 themse yes, we have never
taken any part, nor dt5s IT eomport with our
policy so to do. 1t is only when or rights are
invaded or seriously menaced, that we resent
injuries, or make preparations Tor our ueieNse'
With the movements IN this.hcfnispheTe we are
of necessity more immediately connected, Ghu
By causes which must be obvious to all emil !ght-
ened and imrartiaI Observers. The political
system Of the allied powers Is essentially d1er-
ent in this respect from that Of America. Lhls
difference proceeds from that which exists IN
their respective governments. ana 10 Ihe ue-
fense of our own which has been achieved by
the loss of so much blood and treasure, and
matured by the wisdom Of our most enlightened
citizens, and under which we have enjoyed an
unexampIed felicity, the whole nation Is de-
voted. We owe it, therefore, to eandor ana
| the amicable relations existing between the
| United State and these powers, to declare that
we should con slider any attempt on their pdft
to extend their system to any portion oi TINS
| hemisphere IS dangerous to our peace ana
| safety With existing colonies or dependencies
! of any European power we have not mlerlered
and shall not interfere. But with the Govern
! ments who have declared their independence,
! and maintained it, and whose independence VIC
! have in great consideration and on just prlnci-
| ples acknowledged, we could not view any IN
! deposition, for the purpose depressing them,
| or controlling in any other manner their desu-
nies, by any European power, in any other light
! than as a manifestation of very unfrlendIy as
| position towards the United States. In the
| war between those new Governments and Spain
we declared our neutrality at time of their rec
| ognition and to this we have adhered, and we
! snail continue to adhere, provided no change
/ shall occur which in the judgment of the com
petent authorities of this Government, shai' !,
| make CORES sponding change on the part Oh
the United States, indispensable to their seeuT-
fity.
This message was delivered, as we
have said, in December, 1928. 1t WIS
two years after the death OF Napoleon,
and the representives OF the Holy Alh-
ance were actively bestirring themselves
in behalf of the divine rights OF Kings,
and the expedieDcy Of interfering IN
this hemisphere to restore to Spain her
revolted American colonies were can
yassed. There was active interference
bv France in behalf of Ferdinand VII.
of Spain against the demands of the
people who were calling for COnstltu-
tiOnal Government. at that time Mr..
Canning, the English Minister, asked
Mr.. Rush, the American Minister at The
Court of st. James, Are the great pO-
litical and commercial interests which
hang upon the destinies of the new Con
/ tinent to be Canvassed and adjusted III
Europe, without the cooperation, OF
even the knowledge of the United
States?' This question, reported tC
President Monroe, was submitted e
Jefferson and Madison. Their advice
coincided with the Presidents views
and according to Mr.. Calhoun, the
words OF the message were "IICISH Oy
Mr.. John Quincy Adams the theT
Secretary of State.
This is the doctrine. 1t is doctrine
simply. One writer briefly, ard not in
accurately, sums it up as the doctrine
which, according to the popular con
struction, forbids any European Power
to establish q colony on the American
continent" Another speaks Of it a
"simply the extension to all the pottt G
al communities Of the New WoIld, o.
the declarations made by our ancestor
for the British colonies in l771, tha
they were 'and of right ought to be fre'
and independent States" F" It has no
passed into the Constitution. 1t has no
even taken the form Of law. 1t IS no
a part of the International Code. 1t /
simply a statement of policy and belle
enunciated originally by one President
but subsequently, endorsed by Statesman
after statesman, party after parIy, con
yention after convention, President afte
President. Its existence is both symI
tom and proof of the uneasiness an'
the dread with which RepUblicanisI
contemplates the presence and inhu
ence on this continent, Of the mor
archial institutions of the Old WOrI6