Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-04-22
THE MONROE DOCTRINE
Was Never Affirmed by Congress,
According TO Senator Hill.
Its Influence Can Be Only Of q
Moral Nature.
Inlled S,aiss, Therefore, Cannot Interfere In
Brliish-venezuelan Row.

ALBANY, April Ex-senator Hill was
Interviewed yesterday In regard to tho
discussion regarding the true features of
the Monroe doctrine. Ho was asked:
whether experts In public law think tho
Monroe doctrine has givon TO the United
States special right not given by the gen
eral law TO intervene between Great Brit
ain and Venezuela Ia the pending boun.
dary dispute or assume protectorate
over Spanish American He answered
that he mover thought 30.
But does not tn eMonroe doctrine de-
clare that the United States cannot permit
any Spanish-American republic on this
continent TO be oppressed or It's destiny
controlled by n European statef"
"That would have referred" tho senator
said, ITO a legitimate dispute such as we
or any other government might have to-
morrow with Spanish. American state.
1t protested against using such n contro-
versy with an intention to increase Euro
pean political dominion on this hem-
sphere or control the destiny OF an Amer-
can state, transfer colony like Cuba to "a
new European owner, but did not change
what was the law OF nations.
1.-THE establishment, year or two be.
fore 1928, OF more than dozon independ.
ent states mt the south of us naturally
forced the United States In
New Lines OF Thought and Action.
'John Quincy Adams, our then minister
OF foreign affairs had the eyes TO discern
1t. Entangling alliances OH this side, as
well us on the other side OF the ocean,
were to be avoided so far as could be. We
had to maintain impartial neutrality in
the affairs OF tho new and independent
Spanish American states and suppress,
as We should do today, piratical expedi-
tions from our shores against any OF them,
or any remaining European colony"
"But was not the Monroe declaration
to congress national pledge, guarantee
OF our Intervention, forcible IL need be, In
behalf Of each Spanish. American repub-
lie, whenever, in our opinion, oppressed
by European statc?"
81 think not Not otherwise, certainly,
than IL Chill shall oppress Peru, or Mexico
shall be unreasonable in dealing with
Guatemala.
Congress has never affirmed the Mon.
roe doctrine. In 1868 President Johnson
projected treaty with colombia, which
was signed, embodying the Monroe doc
trine, but neither the Col ombian senate
hOH JUL OWA ToOilcu 1Ou TciAclIl D0r
that when, after President Monroe made
his declaration, q congress was convened
by Bolivia at Panama for the considera-
tion and discussion Of an American alli-
ance
To Enforce the Declaration.
there was substantial concurrence be-
tween President John Quincy Adams, who
had formulated the doctrine, and the
members Of the senate and house, espec.
ially the Democrats including Senator
Van Buren, Of New York, participating In
o long debate, that the declaration did
not pledge the United States forever
thereafter to prevent European powor
from interfering with the Independence Of
the form Of government of Central
American state"
''Do you think that President Monroe
has the reputation Of giving his name to
rule of conduct by the United States for
which neither he nor Mr.. Adams con.
tended2"
Precisely that" the senator answered,
i''the doctrine cannot be formulated In
treaty, or a statute, but yet it's moral in
auence has b'en, Is and ought to be, very
great Determination should, however.
be made between legitimate disputes and
illegitimate purposes behind the disputes,
such as imposing by force European po.
litical control over the destiny of re.
luctant Independent Spanish. American
state