National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-03-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

ALLIsTo, A ROMANCE. By JOHN EMERsIE
New York John d. Williams
1t would seem that John Emersie" is
masculine pseudonym which wells
feminine personality, for "Allisto" shows
many evidences of having been written
by woman's hand. 1t is indeed a
romance and a wildly improbable and I'M
natural one. Tho characters are eithor
marvellous creatures of the imagination,
bearing only the faintest resemblance to
reality, or else the most boldly common
place individuals of every day life, with
out feature of originality about them
to awaken ones interest. Tho plot il in
tricate. and somewhat too ambitious for
the writer's ability to handle. The con-
versations are usually labored and I'M
natural, but in spite of these faults there
are some redeeming qualities which indi-
cate ability. and no doubt the author will
succeed better in q second and less pre-
tentious narrative.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE, A CONCISE HIS
TORY OF ITS ORIGIN AND GROWTH.
By GEORGE +. TUCKER, of the Boston bar
(author of a manual of Wills'D Boston:
George u. Reed. Washington w. II. Nor
rison.
Now that President Bsrrios, in the in
terests of France. seeks the dictatorship
of the Central American states with
view to control the Nicaragua canal in
which so many francs are concerned, the
above treatise by Mr.. Tucker is especially
readable. President Gilman, in his Life
of Monroe" Chapter vii, American
Statesmen series). has touched upon this
subject, and quoted tho prevalent opinions
after the treaty OF Nov. 90, 1852, adverse
to entangling foreign alliances on this
continent and the doctrine, America bo-
longs to the Americans" Senator Sum
ner, in an article in the atlantic Monthly
prophetic Voices"-gaye abundant con-
current testimony as to the drift of public
opinion in the same direction. Whether
we regard the so-called Monroe doc
trine" as a sound political principle, ut
tered by patriotic president and justly
re-echOing the sentiment of the people, or
rather as the illogical and untenable ap-
plicatiOn of mere sentiment which never
rose to the dignity Of doctrine, a rule of
national action or within the purview of
principle Of international law, depends
to a great degree upon the temperament
and training Of the reader.
Doubtless the balance Of power by
which political equilibrium is main
tanned on the continent was supposed to
need some counterpart on these western
shores, and republican government,
which the United States of America first
among English-speaking races proved
possibility and has demonstrated as a
success, was thought of easy extension
aud application to the heterogeneous
masses of South America, compounded of
every known blood and inspired by
every motive. If John Bright and
Robert Lowe have denounced the doctrine
Of the balance Of power, there have not
been wanting those whose pungent pens
and ironiCal tones have quite as boldly
characterized the Monroe doctrine. Mr..
Tucker very fairly discusses tho causes
which led to President Monroe's famous
declaration, pronunciamiento which
really consists of three inhibitions-No
more European colonies on tho Ameri-
can continent. No extension of Euro
pean political systems to any portion Of
tho American continent. No inter-
ference in the affairs of the Spanish
American republics by Europeans.
He treats Of tho Panama congress, the
Yucatan affair, memorable for the speech
of Mr.. Calhoun, vigorously denying the
principle Of the Monroe doctrine as gem
! orally understood-(seo Congressional
Globe, Both cong, LIST session)-the In
| terOceanic canal and tho Clayton Bulwor
treaty, the Cuba imbroglio, and the
| French Intervention in Mexico. The
| application of the doctrine to that por-
ton of America north Of the United
! States, and the minor OCCASIONS in which
/ the doetripe has been applied, notably in
the annexation of ToXas, tho Spanish
invasion OF santo Domingo, abandoned