Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-18
THE MONROE DOCTRINE. .
The American People unuerst"hd
and VIII Maintain Ii.

To tho Editor OF the Dispatch;
IL seems to me that nobody need DC
disturbed by apprehensions OF war on
account OF the Monroe doctrine, either
now or hereafter. either with Engiahu
or with any other nation. The fresi-
dents bold position to maintain the
doctrine at all hazards has established
II SO firmly and on such a SOLID iouiiua-
ton that II will not be disputed or pues
toned again. He has made 1t SO pam
than they who run may read. and make
no mistake 1t is now part OF the
unwritten law of the land. as nxed ana
immovable as the Constitution Itself
mor;. So indeed, for that can be changed
without very much delay-while this can
never be. except from the pusillanimity oil
a future President Or the cowardice OF
the people-nefiher of which contingencies
is within the range OF possibility.
When President Monroe announced the
doctrine we were a weak nation, not
ready to go to extreme lengths In us az
yocacy or maintenance; consequently, nc
was obliged to clothe 1t in gentle words,
and possibly in ambiguous language, but
the people have always understood IL.
they know very well what ii means. Inc
President has only given expression "
the universal feeling, and they nave r.,
sponded 10 his appeal with, wonderlu1
unanimty. They have declared their puI-
pose plainly and unequivocaliy, ana thiIls
IL altogether unnecessary 70 i,era.e am, M
reiterate IT,. as is being daily done Dy
newspapers that clamor about the return
of the sober second-thought OF the peo-
pie, which is the baldest twaddle and
nonsense. There Is no such thing ~
second thought about this matter With
the people They have had the same abid-
ing conviction all these years, and they
are ready for action whenever The ne.
cessity arises. AS for all these learned
urhf oh
drag their slow and wearisome length
along, they are regarded no more than
as the idle wind which bloweth where u
listeth-we hear the sound Thereof
nor whittier 1t goeth. The people
care nothing for this avalanche of words,
which only serves 10 darken COUNSEL all
sound and fury. signifying nothing. They
know what they want, ana are deter
mined TO have Ii.
The Presidents noble words will never
be forgotten: mo calamity which a ma
ton can invite is equal 70 that. when
from lethargy and supineness they tamely
submit to injustice and wrong" The
Secretary OF State Is equally emphatic
and to the point. The argument Is con-
cluded and nothing more need be said,
cause. as we used to say In camp. want
10 have my name In the kettle while II
Is boiling. Shall we, with words clothed
in reasons garb. counsel ignoble ease.
The seif-confidence and self-assertion Of
these newspapers and newspaper corre-
spondents are absolutely paraly
They DO not hesitate to denounce the
President and his Cabinet and the men,
beers OF both houses OF Congress as fools
and knaves. They have lost their heads,
as they comprehensively term II, and
don't know what they are doing. Why.
sir, In single Issue OF a daily paper u
week ego one writer spoke OF the blum
dering folly OF the President; another of
his wicked and deliberate attempt to force
the third spoke in milder terms and said
that the President ought not TO be
Judged harshiy, because II was only from
Ignorance and incapacity that he was
pursuing the course condemned by these
wise men. What a pity the President has
not the benefit OF their infailible counsel
and wisdom they seem 10 know Il all %
The nations OF Europe. and England
least ~ all, have no justification IN rails
isg such howl over the Monroe doctrine.
They have advocated similar doctrine
from time immemorial which they eupho-
nionsiy call THE balance Of power" for
which they have been forever quarrellinY
zua HghtlnK Under III baleful Influence
Poland was dlemembered and destroyed.
and divthad snpana the vnhheyx IN lstey