National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-11
The Monroe Doctrine and its Sup
porters in the Past.

for the purpose of controlling public opin-
ion in America may be bit of romance
or it may be true. As mere figment of
the De Lesseps brain it might, when
cabled to the American press, serve as
restraint upon the patriotic ardor which,
unabridged, would animate the breasts of
some who discuss public questions. We
have observed in some quartersa disposi-
ton to waive aside the patriotic element
in the consideration of the Isthmus canal
question. And yet to us it seems that if
there is ever to be a time when the
American feeling is to make itself felt
it is when a company incorporated
by European power seeks sovereign
rights in an American republic.
When We urge the sacredness of the Mon
roe Doctrine, which other nations have
learned to respect if some Americans have
not, We are met with a derisive shrug,
and informed that there never was such
thing. Young gentlemen, loaded with
learning, exhaust the subject by stating
the trite truth that Congress never adopted
the Monroe Doctrine.
The French adventures, headed by
Ferdinand de Lesseps and composed of
the debris of the late Empire of France,
could tell their partisans in this country
more than they seem to know of this not
yetexploded doctrine ifthey would go back
to the history of the Mexican Empire un-
der Maximilian. But of that further on.
We propose to review briefly the
history of the Monroe Doctrine,
and to give our readers the opin-
ions entertained concerning it by
the foremost men of the century. If it
has been acted On, as the narration will
show, it will not matter so much whether
or not it ever was enacted. 1t is the
Monroe Doctrine because it was an
nounced fifty-seven years ago by a patri-
otic President, and it is the American
doctrine because since then it has gov
erned the policy of the Government on
important occasions, and for the still
better reason that it represents a deter
mination deeply implanted in the Amer
lean heart, and as irrepealable as the
love of country itself 1t is the policy
demanded by the situation, the instinct
born of the relations of location, the
logic of self-preservation, and the
irrepressible desire and determine
ton of people. The European
systems are to have no foothold on this
Western Hemisphere. The Bourse may
ring with the calls of the De Lesseps
stock, the stock -jobbers may advance
money to make seeming commence
ment of the work, the Colombians may
permit and the Frenchmen enjoy the
largest and most generous of franchises
and concessions, and yet, back of all,
every intelligent man on either side of
the ocean knows that the work is not to
be tolerated. There is not q wise ope-
rator of them all but knows that he
must part with his stock long before
any serious scars are made upon
the face of nature at Panama. The
instinct of patriotism in this country is
not as quickly aroused as in France, but
when it is awakened it is not to be put
aside. Our Congress has now to deal with
this question. A resolution is pending
which asserts the Monroe-or, as friend
suggests, the eAmerican-doctrine If any
have been benumbed by sedatives in the
form of arguments, or rather false state
ments, put forth in the French interest,
let them heed the teachings of James
Monroe, Daniel Webster, John Quincy
Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James X.
Polk, Lewis Cass, James Buchanan,
Charles Sumner, and others.
In 1923 President Monroe, in dis
cussing the northwestern boundary, set
forth as "a principle, in which the rights
and interests of the United States are in
volved, that the American continents, by
the free and Independent condition which
they have assumed and maintained, are
not to be considered as sub
jects for future colonization by any Eu-
ropean power" On the same occasion
President Monroe said:
In the wars of the European powers, in matters
relating to themselves, we have never taken any
hemisphere we are of necessity more Immediately
connected, and by causes which must be obvious
to all enlightened and impartial observers. =
We owe it, therefore. to candor and to the amcable
relations existing between the United States and
those powers to declare that We should consider
any attempts on their part to extend their system
to any part of this hemisphere dangerous to our
peace and safety. s With the governments
who have declared their independence and main
tained it = we could not view any inter
position for the purpose of expressing them, or
in any other manner their destiny, by any
European power in any other light than as the
manifestation of ulfeadly disposition tOigard tie
United States
Diplomacy would be as Objectionable
method asany other that might be adopted
for controlling the destiny Of an Ameri-
can power. France cannot create cor
poration and allow it to treat for privi-
leges on this continent as French cor
poration without, to an inadmissible ex-
tent, obtaining control of the destiny of
the government granting such privileges.
The United States is the natural protector
of the weaker American powers, and will
never allow them to become subject to
foreign dominion, either. by direct alll-
ances or under the guise of commercial
grants and privileges.
The celerity with which the French
mushroom empire in Mexico evacuated
upon being only looked by General Sher-
idan and his army of 10000 evidenced
the respect entertained by Louis Napo-
leon for the Monroe Doctrine in the very
zenith iofhis power.
Said Charles Sumner, concerning the
declaration by President Monroe above
quoted: at was upon all tongues; the
press WAS full of it: the securities of