Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-01-08
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
A Hitherto Unpublished letter From
the Father Of His Country.

a Buffalo dispath to the New YORK
Times says: Thomas 8 King, police
justice of this country, has IN his pos
session an autograph letter from
George Washington TO James Monroe,
then minister to France, which he
received in trust from miner named
Myers when the latter went to the
Frazier river mining country never to
return. The letter is lnciosed in a
case marked on the outside Wash
ington's letter" Judge Kings brother
compared the writing with official
documents, and proved beyond doubt
that the letter was III Washington
handwriting. The letter is as fol
lows:
PHILADELPHIA, 25th August, 1866:
Dear Sir: Your favor of 9th of
March written IN CT pher, never, never
got to my hands until the 10th inst.
at Mount Vernon, nor were contents
known to me until my arrival in this
city on the 21st. For information
contained in it, and your attention
thereof, [ offer you my best thanks.
Having no clew by which to discover
the fact, I am very much al loss to
conjecture by what means a private
letter of mine, written to friend
and sent by an American vessel
should have fallen into the hands of
the French directory. shall readily
acknowledge, however, that the one
you alluded to, directed to Cow
erneur Morris, was long, confidential
one, but deny that there is anything
contained In it that the Frence gov
eminent could take exception
to, unless the expression of an ardent
wish that the United States might
remain IN peace with all the world,
giving it as my further opinion that
the sentiments of the mass of the
citizens Of this country were in unison
with mine. Confidential as this letter
was expected to be, have no Objec-
ton to its being seen by anybody, and
there is certainly some mistake ia
saying I had no copy thereof when
there is a press one now before me,
in which 7 discover no expression
that in the eye Of liberal1ty and
candor would be deemed objection
able.
To understand the scope and design
of my letter properly ana to give it
fair Interpretation, it is necessary to
observe las will appear by the contents
of iD that it was written in answer to
a very long one from the gentleman
to whom it was addressed, which con
tanned much political information of
the state Of things in different parts
of Europe, and related among
L, IL, e
in which ne and Lord Granville, as
private, had just been engaged, and
l. in which was observed by the latter
that, if they were to judge from pub
LEGATIONS in this country, the DISPOSE
ton was unfriendly to Great Britain,
but in free countries he could readily
account for such publications. How
ever, there was one which wore more
serious aspect and alluded to Colonel
Inne's report of his proceedings in
Kentucky. In noticing this part Of
Mr.. Morris's communication I told
him that with respect to the publica-
ton of that report it was an unau-
thorized act and was SO declared by
that gentlemaB as soon as he saw it
in the Gazette to have been done IN
correctly; and that with respect to the
temper of the people of the United
States as respected Great Britain, his
lOrdship ought not to be SUI prIsed if
it appeared disturbed and irritated, as
the sense OF the government had been
so often expressed In strong remOn-
strances against the conduct of their
Indian agents, priyateersnen, i'm
pressment of our seamen, insults Of
their ships Of war, etc., adding that it
afforded us very little satisfaction,
this disclaiming these as unauthorized
acts (Which British administration has
done in some instances, while the
actors were suffered to go UNPUBLISHED.
| dweit chiefly and fully onsthis part
Of his letter, and reminded him of the
indifference with which advances of
United States to form commercial
treaty with Great Britain, as well
since as before the establishment of
the present government, has been
received, and concluded by saying
that liberal policy toward us 0hough
[ did not suppose sentiments of that
sort from me to member OF the Brit
ism administration would have much
weight was the only road to perfect
reconciliation, and that if he should
again converse with Lord Granville
ca this subject he was at liberty, I'M
officially, to express these my senti-
ments.
Thus, sir, you have the substance
eandidly related of letter which you
say you have been told by a person
who has read it has produced i'll
effect" when, in my opinion the con-
trary (viewing 1t in the light of an
unreserved and confidential communi-
cation) ought to have been produced.
For | repeat it again, unless my paci-
fc disposition was displeasing, moth
ing else could have given umbrage
by the most rigid construction of the
letter, or that will show in the re-
hottest degree any disposition on my
part to favor British interests in their
dispute with France. My conduct in
public life as it relates to the import
ant struggle in which The latter nation