The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-26
Daily Thursday 1urrne Deecber IS 1885
was appointed secretary of state in the

was appointed secretary of state in the
cabinet of President Madison
After the capture of Washington, IN
1914, the functions of the war depart
| ment were added to his duties. Inc
treasury was exhausted and the public
credit at its lowest ebb, but he set ABOUT
| the task of infusing order and efnc1ency
into the departments under his cnarse,
proposed an increase Of the army 70 Ihs
| extent of 40, 900 men, and recommended
| conscientious TO accomplish the result
| In order that the defense at New Or
| leans might be made more secure ne
| pledged his private means as SUBSIDIARY
| to the credit of the government, Whlcn
| enabled the city 20 successfully OPP
pose the forces Of the enemy. He be
came the confidential ADVISER OF Presi-
dent Madison in the measures for the
| re-estaplisAnnert of the public credit
| and the regula ton of the foreign rela-
/ tons of the United States, and contin-
! ued to serve as secretary Of state until
the close of the administrator, in 1917,
when he succeeded to the presidency
| by an electoral vote of 1S3 out of q
| total of 217, as the candidate of the
Democratic party.
| Soon after his inauguration President
Monroe made a tour through the middle
| and EASTERN states, during which he
thoroughly inspected the arsenals.
| naval depots, Notifications and garri-
| sons, reviewed military companies, cor
recred public abuses, and studied the
capabilities of the country with refer
ence to future hostilitieS. On '.lis tour
he wore the undress uniform Of a cOnti-
mental officer. From every point of
view the journey was suspicious. Par
ty lines seemed about to disappear and
the country return to dts past state Of
uniform and fraternity. The president
was free in his assurances OF a strong
desire on his part that such should be
the case; the course of the adminiStra-
ton was IN conformity with the as
Surances and received the support of
an overwhelming majority Of the peo-
pie. Most of the presidents recommen-
dations were approved by congress, and
what has since been known as "tne
era of good felein' set in.
Among the important events of this
period were the admission into the
union of the states Of Mississippi, Hi
nOis and Maine. In 1918 a treaty was
concluded between the United States
and Great Britain IN relation to the
Newfoundland fisheries. the restoration
OF slaves and other subjects; and in 1919
Spain ceded to the United States her
possessions in East and west Florida.
with the adjacent islands. In 1920 Mon
roe was reelected president by the I'M
precedented majority Of 231 out Of 232
electoral votes.
In 1921 Missouri was admitted TO the
Union and THE famous compromise,
which prohibited slavery north of the
parallel Of SO degrees and 80 minutes.
In 1922 the independence Of Mexico
was recognized. and the international
policy over which the present conten-
ton between England and the United
States is predicted was promulgated in
his message of Dec. 2, 1928, and has
ever since been known as the Monroe
doctrine"
On March 4. 1925, James Monroe re-
tired from office and returned to his
residence at Oak Hill. Loudoun county,
Virginia, where he was soon after cho-
sen a justice of the peace, and, as such,
sat in the county court. In 1929 he be-
came member of the convention to
revise the constitution Of Virginia, and
presided over the deliberations of that
body until the impairment of his health
compelled him 10 resign his seat in the
convention and return to his home.
Pecuniary embarrassment supplement-
ed bodily infirmfty at this period of his
life, and in his old age he was greatly
harrassed by debt. His wife died in
1880 and i'm the summer of that year he
took up his residence with his son-in-
law. Samuel L. GOuverneur, in New
In 1858 llis remains were removed with
great pomp to Richmond, Va, and re-
Inferred in the Hollywood cemetery
there on July 3.
ABLE. HONEST, PATRIOTIC.
James Monroe held the reins of gov
eminent at an important period, and
administered it with discretion. ability
and patriotism. He went further than
any of his predecessors in developing
F'he resources of THE country, and seems
TO have had a better conception of the
future than any of his contemporaries.
This fact is proven alike in his promul-
cation of the two important ideas re-
ferred to in this sketch, the investment
IN congress the right to regulate COM
n1erce between the states, and the So
called Monroe doctrine now under
consideration everywhere. He encour-
aged tihe army, increased the navy.
improved the national defenses. pro-
tected commerce and infused vigor and
efficiency into every department of the
public service. His honesty, good
faith and simplicity were universally
acknowledged and disarmed the poll
teal rancor Of his strongest opponents. |
He was not an orator, an essential ele-
ment TO success in public life at that
time. hut he made up for This lack by
the sincerity of his nature and the
charming simplicity of his manner. In /
person ne was tall and graceful with |
light complexion and kindly blue eyes.