The herald., 1895-12-29

upon which the presidents message
was predicated, was the fifth president
of the United States, having succeeded
Madison in 1917. Ha was born in
Westmoreland county, Virginia, April
% 1858, and served his country with
great distinction in various fields. He
was descended from Captain Monroe,
an officer in the army of Charles l,
who with other cavaliers emigrsted to
Virginia in 1862. He was educated at
William and Mary College, which he
left in 1776 to enter the army as
cadet. Soon afterward he was COM
missioned lieutenant, and took an
active part in the campaign on the
Hudson. In the attack on Trenton, at
the head of a small detachment, he
captured One of the British batteries
On this occasion he received ball in
the shoulder. and was promoted to the
rank of captain.
At the beginning of the campaign of
1777 Captain Monroe was advanced to
the rank of major and assigned to duty
as an aid-de-camp on the staff of Lord
Stirling and served in that capacity
through the campaigns Of that year
and the next, distinguishing himself in
the battles Of Brandywine, German
town and Monmouth. By accepting
this staff service, however, he lost his
rank in the regular line, and subse-
ouently failing in his efforts to re-
enter the army as commissioned off,
Ger, he returned to Virginia and began
the study of law under the direction Of
Thomas Jefferson, then governor of
the state
When the British appeared soon
afterward in Virginia Mr.. Monroe ex-
erted himself in organizing the militia
Of the lower counties, and when the
enemy proceeded southwark, Cover
nor Jefferson sent him as military
commissioner to the Army in South
Carolina.
At the age of % years Mr.. Monroe
was called to another field of service.
He was elected to the assembly of Vir-
ginia from the county of King George,
and, Notwithstanding his youth, WAS
made member of the executive coun-
Gil in 1882. The next year he was elect
ed q delegate to congress for three
years, taking his seat December Is,
1888 Convinced that it was impossible
to govern the country under the Old
articles of confederation, he advocated
an extension of the powers of congress,
and in 1855 moved to invest that body
with the authority to regulate trade
between the states. The resolution WAS
referred to a committee of which he
was chairman, and a report was made
in favor of the measure. This led to
the convention at Annapolis and the
subsequent adoption of the federal
constitution. 1t is upon this provision
of the constitution that the Interstate
commerce law is predicated, and upon
which the president in 1898 invoked the
power of the federal courts and troops
to suppress the disorders incident to
the American Railway Union strike in
this city.
Monroe also exerted himself in de-
vising system for the settlement of
the public lands, and was appointed a
member of the commission to decide
upon the boundary between MassR-
Cuu6oUJ6 dAo NOW Oth. lc 5l1 OAEly
opposed the REIMBURSEMENT of the
right to navigate the Mississippi river,
on the demand of Spain, and partici-
pated actively in the discussion of all
the leading questions before the body
of which he was youthful but con-
spicuous member.
At the conclusion of his term, and,
being ineligible for reelection for
period of three years, Mr.. Monroe set
tied in Fredericksburg Va. from
which constituency he was reelected
to the general assembly in 1887; in 17SS
he was chosen delegate to the Nir-
GINA convention to decide upon the
adoption of the federal constitution,
and was one of the minority who OPP.
posed the instrument as submitted,
being apprehensive that without
amendment it would confer too much
power upon the general government.
The course of the minority in the con-
vention was approved by the great
mass of the people Of Virginia, and
Monroe was elected United States SEN
ator in 1890.
In that body he became prominent
representative of the anti-federal
party, and acted with it through all his
official life. In May, 1894, his SEN
atorisl term having expired, he re-
ceived the appointment Of minister
plenipotentiary to France, and was re-
ceived in Paris with marked evidence
of distinction and respect. But his
undisguised exhibition of sympathy
with the French republic displeased
the administration.
John Jay was at the time in England
negotiating treaty, and the course
pursued by Monroe interfered with his
enterprise, and was therefore consid-
cred injudicious and reprehensible.
On the conclusion of the treaty his al
legged failure to present it in its true
character to the French government
excited anew the displeasure OF the
cabinet, and in August, 1896, he was
recalled under an informal censure.
On his return to America he published
View of the Conduct OF the Execu-
tive in the Foreign Affairs of the
United States, which widened the
breach between him and the admins
trstion, but the personal relations be-
tween him and Washington and Jay
were always cordial
In 1899 he became governor Of Vir-
ginia and served until 1902, when lie
was appointed envoy eXtraor mary to
the French government to negotiate,
in connection with the resident minis
ter, Mr.. Livingstone, for the purchase