Evening star., 1895-11-09
AMERICA FOR AMERICANS
The Origin and Meaning of the So-Oalled
Monroe Doctrine. ~,
Mr.. Terrell Gives an Interesting Talk
to the Colored Y. NJ. G. Allow
England Influenced 1t.


IN an address before the Colored Y. NJ.
c. A. on THE Monroe Doctrine and Its En-
forcement" Mr.. Robert H. Terrell gave an
interesting statement of the origin and
scope Of the doctrine" which has recently
Teen brought so conspicuously before the
public. a-
There is some controversy, said Mr..
Terrell. "as to who was its author. 1t is
claimed upon some show of authority that
1t was first conceived by the British Prime
Minister Canning. The truth is, however,
that the thought and sentiment embodied
In this doctrine ere purely American, and
beyond all doubt originated in the minds
of some of the patriotic citizens of the new
republic In 1915, after the downfall of
Napoleon, the great powers OF Europe or
ganized what was known as the holy al
liance,' the object of which was to main
tain the divine right of kings and pre-
serve the territorial dignity of the conti-
rent. At a congress of delegates repre-
senting this alliance, sitting at Verona,
Italy in October, 1872 II was proposed that
the European nations should assist Spain
in recovering the lost provinces in Amer
lea. But Great Britain. through her del
egate. the famous Duke of Wellington, in
terposed a vigorous protest to the PROPOSE
tion. England had already secured COM
mercial supremacy in the new American
republics, and she feared the re-estabish-
world would close it's markets to the Brit
ish merchants. Spain at that time was one
of the great powers of Europe. able and
ready to enforce respect for Its terrific
rial rights against even Great britain
Itself.
Shortly after this congress at Verona
MI Canning, with the concurrence of the
cabinet at London, suggested to the United
States through its minister at st. James
that Great Britain and the United states
should unite in a declaration against the de-
sign of the hcly alliance, especially that
part relating to the Intervention of foreign
powers in Spanish America, or the transfer
to those powers of any of the American
colonies. While this joint declaration was
never made and issued yet in his message
OF December 2, 1923, President Monroe
after stating that it was not the policy of
the country to interfere with the internal
concerns of European powers said, In Ian
guage which has gone into history under
his anne, that The occasion has been judg-
ed proper for asserting as a principle in
which the rights and interests of the Unit
ed States are involved that the American
continents, by the free and Independent
ccrdition which they have assumed and
maintained, are henceforth not to be con-
sidered as subjects for future colonization
by any European powers. We
owe 1t heIefore to candor and to amicable
relations existing between the United
States and those powers to declare that We
should consider any attempt on their part
to extend their system to any portion of
this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace
and safety. With the existing colonies or
dependencies with any European power we
have not interfered, and shall not interfere,
but with the governments that have de-
clared their independence and maintain Il,
and whose independence We have on great
consideration and on just principles ac-
knowledged, we could not view any inter-
pc sition for the purpose of depressing or
controlling them In any other light than as
of manifestation of an unfriendly disposi-
tion toward the United States
The Four Propositions.
This was the language of President Mon
roe, which may be reduced to four propo-
Eitions:
First That the United States will not
interfere with the political affairs of Eu-
rope.
-"Saeond. The United States will not in
terfere with any colonies already estab-
Gshed on this hemisphere by European
powers.
Third. No European power will be al
lowed to Interfere in the affairs of this
hemisphere in the way of establishing new
colonies.
Fourth. No European power will be al
lowed to oppress any state on this hemis
phere.
I'm other words the essential point of
the whole doctrine was. as it has been
tersely stated, America for Americans
This sentiment does not imply that inhos
pitable principle which is sometimes i'm
puted to it, and which asserts that Euro
pean nations shall not retain dominion on
this hemisphere. and that none but repub-
licsn governments shall here be tolerated:
but 1t does mean that except only as al
ready established no European government
shall ever in North, South or Central
America hold sway. This is the Monroe
doctrine pure and simple; and although I
am firmly of the belief that the sentiment
embodied therein had it's origin on this
side of the Atlantic rather than in Great
Britain, yet it through the influence
and prestige of Englands name that the
doctrine
ernments of Europe. Albeit that England
was actuated by selfish interests and by
her intense Professionalism to withhold her
adherence and be opposed to the reconquest
by Spain of her former colonies in Amer
lea, the truth still remains that without
this sympathy of England the famous dec
laration would probably never have been
made.
Mr.. Adams Hand in 1t.
mo doubt John Quincy Adams, then Sec
retary Of State, had much to do with the
PRONUNCIATION of this doctrine by President
Monroe. In fact it is generally believed
that he was the author of this particular
portion of the Presidents message. But,
however this may be, the important fact is
that Monroe did declare 1t, and upon that
declaration his fame has rested moro Sc
curely than upon any other act of his long
public life Monroe was not brilliant he
was not strong and aggressive. but lie was
q man of high character and good attain
menlS f1e ndQ served nOnOrdDly as q SOL
dier In the revolution and he had been min
lister to England and France. He had seen
a great deal of Europe. He understood
their forms of government and appreciated
fully how radically they differed from us in
all their influences and tendencies. He
comprehended the necessity, therefore, of
our government keeping away from Euro
pean matters and of keeping the European
governments away from US as to political
affairs, If we would avoid compromising
entanglements and wasting, wars.
MIR. Clay's Resolution.
"a few days after Mr.. Monroe sent this
message to Congress Henry Clay, then
Speaker of the House Of Representa- tives,
took the floor and offered a resolution to
the effect that the people of the United
States would not see without serious in
quletude any forcible Intervention by the
allied powers of Europe in behalf of Spain
to reduce to their former subsection those
parts of the continent of America which
have proclaimed and established for them
selves Independent governments which
have been solemnly recognized by the Uni
ted States
while no action was ever taken on this
resolution, the very fact that 1t was offered
fv,