The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-04-05

England and the Monroe Doctrine
IL will be strange thing if the very
country which suggested the promuiga-
ton of what is called the Monroe doe
trine should be the first To encounter its
rigors. And yet this is one of the posi-
bilities of the situation. The troubles
between the Spanish. American coun-
tries and several of the European pow
ers, which have been a subject of more
or less concern to the diplomates of two
continents for few. weeks or mon ths'
appear To all be i'm IA fair way of settle
ment except those with England
France, Germany, Belgium and the
other nations which have been mixed
up i'm incidents" in South or Cen trial
America are all disposed to let bygones
be bygones, but England pretend to
have more serious grievances and
larger claims, and she demands the
forfeiture with the persistency and re-
morseessness of Shylock.
Probably the object of Foreign Secre-
tary Canning in suggesting that the
United States make n declaration
against the intervention by the holy
alliance in the affairs of the Spanish
American countries was really for the
purpose of pledging our government
against the acquisition of any of them.
As set forth in the Memoirs of John
Quincy Adams" this is the ipterpreta-
tion which that astute observer put
upon the British stateSman's action.
Adams was Secretary of State at the
time, and it is understood he wrote that
part of the Monroe message of 1923
which warned the outside world to
keep its hands off the independent ma
tons of this continent. The alliance
Russia. Austria, Prussia and France
or, rather one or two nations OF the
coalition, had interfered shortly before
this date To suppress popular uprisings
in several parts of Europe, but many
historians doubt that these powers at
any time really intended to render any
practical aid to Spain in her effort to
recover her lost colonies on this hemi
sphere.
At no time has the United States put
this Monroe declaration in practical OPP
Grafton for even in the Franco. Mexican
case in 1867 this policy was not formally
invoked Napoleon ILL.,, however, saw
in the language of that deliverance that
his invasion of Mexico would be consid
cred in this country to be a manifesto
ton of an unfriendly disposition toward
the United States" and he was wis,
enough to know after the civil war ended
here that feeling of this sort would b'
dangerous to French power. Therefore
he abandoned Macmillan To his fate
Two years after the Monroe declaration
was made the house of representative!
passed resolution saying that tn,
United States ought not to enter int,
any agreement with the Spanish Amer1
can nations to prevent any interference,
by EuropeanpOwers, but that the cOun
try should be left free To deal rs honor
or interest dictated if any such crisi,
should arrive. The fact, though, tina
public sentiment in this country i.
against such interference, and has beer
for two-thirds of century, is what has
kept Europe's hands off except in The
Franco Mexican affair, and this senti
ment is what made Napoleon abandon
that enterprise after the close of the
secession war left this government free
To act. Unless the government assert.
the Monroe doctrine vigorously agains
England in the Nicaragua and Vene
Zuela eases, the declaration as prin
ciple of our diplomacy may as well b,
formally disclaimed, for its power as ;
deterrent will be ended