The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-05-23

PART SECOND.
Having presented as clear a conception
as possible of the origin and birth Of the
doctrine when it emanated from the pen
of the author whose name it bears, brief,
though comprehensive, review becomes
necessary to enable the public to follow it
in its career from 1923 until its present
terse application was defined by the pres
ent Chief Executive of the American Re
public.
We find that its first Interpretation was
given in the year 1926, when the Panama
Mission was about to convene, during the
administration of President John Quincy
Adams
This mission was instituted by Simon
Bolivar, 1.-The Washington of South
America, as he has been styled by a
number of historians. and was to consist
of number of deputies from the different
South American provinces of Spain that
were then fighting to secure their indie
pendence of the mother country 1t was
instituted in the interest Of mutual safety
and protection, and also for system of
trade and commerce between the revolted
provinces and other countries. 1t, how
ever was never called together for the
purpose for which it was intended, and
practically resulted in ahil-nothing, al
though it created great excitement and
intense political feeling in our own coun-
try, as the following sequel will explain.
The history of this mission, as it
was then called, cannot be given to the
public better than in the words of the
Hon. Thomas H. Benton, one of the most
that period member of the United States
Senate from Missouri In his Thirty
Years Review, a splendid political work,
covering the workings of the United States
Senate from 1920 to 1850, he says:
The history of this mission, or at
tempted mission, for it never took place
although sanctioned by both houses of
Congress, deserves place in this inside
view of the workings Of our government
Besides the grave question to which the
subject gave rise, the subject itself became
one of unusual and painful excitement 1t
agitated the people. made violent debate
in the two houses Of Congress, intlamed
the passions of parties and individuals,
raised a tempest before which Congress
bent, made bad feeling between the Pres
ident and the Senate, and led to the duel
between John Randolph and Henry Clay.
1T was an administration measure
pressed by all means known to an admin
lstration. 1t was an American movement
and republican. 1t was an assembly of
American States of Spanish origin, coun-
selling for their mutual safety and indie
pendence; and presenting the natural wish
for the United States to place herself at
their head, as the elder sister of the new
republics, and the one whose example and
institutions the others had followed. The
monarchies of Europe had formed Holy
Alliance to check the progress of liberty
it seemed Just that the republics of the
New World should confederate against the
dangers of despotism.
1.-The subject had charm in it, and
the name and place of meeting recalled
classic and cherished recollections.
':It was on an isthmus-the Isthmus of
Panama, which connected the two Ameri-
cas-; the Grecian republics had their 18TH
mus-that of Corinth-where their depu-
ties assembled. 1t addressed itself to the
imagination; to the prejudices; and could
only be met by the cold, sober suggestions
of reason and judgment 1t had the pres
tlge of name and subject. and was halt
victor before the contest began; and it re-
quired bold men to make head against it
THE debate began in the Senate, upon
the nominations of Ministers; and as the
Senate sat with closed doors, their oblec-
tions were not heard, while venomous
presses and popular speakers excited the
public mind in favor of the measure, and
inhamed it against the Senate for delaying
its sanction. 1t was plan conceived by
the new Spanish American republics, and
prepared as a sort of amphictyonic coun-
ell for the settlement of questions among
themselves: and, to which, in manner
had much the appearance of our owr
procuring, we had an invitation to send
deputies.
''The invitation was seductiyely exhib-
tied in all the administration presses; ant
cultivated all the young and ardent imag-
nation
The people were reused; the majority
in both houses of Congress gave way
(many against their convictions, as they
told me-, while the project i;self-ou
participation in twas utterly condemned
by the principles of our constitution, ant
BY the policy which forbade .entanglin:
alliances, and the proposed congress itsel
was not even diplomatic body to whicl
Ministers could be sent under the law o
nations.
To eounteracs the effect of this out
side current, the Senate, on the motion o
/ Mr.. Van Buren, adopted resolved Ii