Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-04-22
SENATOR HILL
Discusses Munroe Doctrine and the
Rights It Gives Uncle Sam.
Gives No Authority to Interfere With Nations
ina Legitimate Dispute.

Albany, n Y, April Ex-senator Hill
was asked, today, whether experts in
public law think the Monroe doctrine has
given the United States special rights not
given by the general law TO intervene be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela in the
pending boundary dispute, or assume a
protectorare over Spanish America. The
senator answered that he never thought
SO.
ssBut does not the Monroe doctrine"
was inquired, "declare that the United
States cannot permit Spanish American
republic on this continent to be oppressed,
or its destiny controlled, by a European
state?'
THAT would have REFEREED Mr.. Hill
said, 'tto legitimate dispute as we or any
other government might have with a
Spanish state. 1t protested against using
such q controversy, with the intention to
increase European political dominion ON
this hemisphere, or control the destiny of
an American state or transfer a colony
like Cuba to new European owner, but
did not change what was then the law of
nations.
"The establishment, year or two
before 1928, of more than q dozen in
dependent states to the south of us, forced
the United States into new lines of
thought and action. John Quincy Adams,
then minister of foreign affairs. had an
eye to discern it, Entangling alliances
on this side of us well as the other side of
the ocean, were to be avoided, so far as
could be-
'We had to maintain an impartial
neutrality in the affairs of the new Spanish
American states and suppress piratical ex-
petitions from our shores against any of
them. or any remaining European colony.
The Monroe doctrine exerted powerful
influence, at home and abroad, in regard
to Cuba, Yucatan, Nicaragua and the
Mosquito Indians. The Napoleonic
dynasty set up, 80 years ago in Mexico, a
dominion over all the regions of the
projected interoceanic canals.
Senator Hill stated that Congress had
never affirmed the Monroe doctrine. In
two years after President Monroe made the
declaration, congress was convened by
Boloyia at Panama for discussion
of an American alliance" to enforce the
declaration. There was a substantial
concurrence of opinion between Presi-
dent John Quincy Adams and members Of
the Senate and House that the declaration
did not pledge the United States to forever
thereafter prevent European power from
interfering with the independence, or form
of government, of q Central American
state
The senator said the doctrine could not
be formulated in a treaty or statute, but
its moral influence had been and ought to
be very great. Discrimination should be
made between legitimate disputes and
tllegitimate purposes behind the disputes,
such as imposing by force European poll
tical control over the destiny of reluct
ant independent Spanish American state
Mr.. Hill REALIZED the fact that in 1888.
President Arthur authorized Secretary
Frelinghuysen to say that the state de-
partment would not sanction arbitration
by European states of South American
difficulties, two years before Secretary
Blaine wrote our minister at Paris that
the President would regard with grave
anxiety an attempt by France to force, by
hostile pressure, the payment by Venez-
uela of her debt to French citizens
The senator remarked that interpreting
our good offices between England and
Venezuela was one thing and debating
to one or the ether in a peremptory way
was very different thing unless it was
u clear case of self defence.
The senator stated that John Quincy
Adams motive in inventing the Monroe
doctrine was pressure on Spain to desist
from further efforts to conquer he: Ameri-
can colonies by aid Of the Holy
Alliance, coupled with the fear
that France would seek compensation
in Cuba for assisting Ferdinand
VII in Spain. Mr.. Adams diplomacy
was successful.
Mr. Hill further said: 1.-The text of
that interesting correspondence during
1925 and 1926, carried on under The eye of
that marvellous man, President John
Quincy Adams, and his proposal to Mexico.
in 1897, to sell herself to the United
States, was never revealed to the world. "