The herald., 1896-01-11
THE FRIDAY NOR IING CLUB
The Hon. EnoCb Knight Expounds thu
Monroe Doctrine
Brlet Review of the Events Leading Up ia
the r1easu e-Takes Issue With the
Presidents Message

The Monroe doctrine was interpreted by
the Honorable Enocn Knight yesterday be-
fore the Friday Morning club. Ju lge
knight spoke eX mporaneou-ly. He ably
and clearly set forth the meaning of the
doc rine, the circumstances that C lied it
into expression, the instances in history
Il at it has sil G fitted, and its bearing on
the questions of the day, with resume of
the governments of the South American
colonies, their atti ute to the United States
and clear explanation of the Venezuelan
situation.
The state of affairs in Europe, the con.
quest of Spain, the restoration of Ferdi-
naud III. on the throne, his subsequent de-
sire to bring b ,ck the alleg ance Of the
Spanish American colonies, an the inter-
veniion OF the hoy alliance, IA convocation
of the crowned heads of Europe to prevent
the Independence of the Ame lean colon.
les, were III C early explained and given as
the sIccee'iing causes that led up to the
proci i,halion of the Monroe doctri ie.
1t is "a curious bit of history, sal ! the
speaker, that at the threat of the allied
powers which caused such a wave OF re-
fnonstrance in thus country that Engl md
sh WED her disapproval by withdrawing
from the alliance, declaring he indepe nd
ence OF the colo les and through Prime
Minister Canning suggested that the United
States take decided stand, thereby be-
conf ,g not on'v the sponsor, b It claim ing
t. nave been the origina of that d ,ctriue
at has aiwa>s been inhe 'ent in Ameri-
can lnuenen '"rce, WI cu was QWetlv
formulated by Adams. approved o
nv Ma is",' and jeff aud
fl lally an ounced i'm his message
To congress IN s23 bv Monroe, and which
has since been known by his name. The
judae then ,e-,d the Monroe doctrine, 1t
occupies only ii space of wh 1t printers call
two sticks, he said. 1t was very simple
thing. small matter in beg nning and
cay to understand. The troubles that
may come out of it are another matter.
he circumstances that called forth this
expression OF American sentiments were
based not only on tine premeiitated tack
of the allied powers of f rope on the IN
dependence OF the Spanish colonies. but
upon the attempt TO r store a monarchical
system OF government in America.
What a ch inge has come over Europe
since that day! Liberia ism is now every.
where. France. who attempted to estab-
lish the I'd 'egime bv her invas,on of Mex
leo in 1856, i, now herself a republic The
situation that h As again called forth the
principles of the Monroe doctrine is quite IA
different thing. 1t is not an attack against
free government. Any crusade of that
kind ia as dead as the alliance itself. and
as much myth and mystery. There Is
nOthlng now parallel to that period when
we were threa ened through our neighbors
1t is not question today of subjugation,
but OF boundary.
Judge Knight thought the Monroe doc
trine did no fit the present diff ulty The
attem 1t to sell Yucatan in - Is WAS quiet
ly stopped by Poik's "Reminiscences in his
presidential message. Other difficulties
have been as easily and a,nic ,bly settled,
The only mist Ike in Cieveland's message,
think, modestly aid the judge. was what
he said 1--WE would do" If Engl nj is
right we may wish we hadn't said it, and
II she IS wrong we may wish likewise.
There was no sentiment from abroad to
hurt our feelings. Can we assume the
gu irdia,slIip OF eighteen republics, each
one holding an unstable government, and
| with the exec Dtion of Brazil each one hold
ing more friendly attitude to other ma
| tons than to our own?
he situation of Venezuela and British
| Guiana was then dwelt upon by the spe X
er. The moveable boundary of Guiana,
that has been source Of dispute for over
thirty years, was described, and the pur-
| pose OF obtaining the region of the mouth
| OF he Orinoco commented upon. IF Eng
land is wrong. we should resist their taking
the territory, but the step that has already
| been taken could have been left unit we
were certain we weie right.
F.; Mrs. j. A. Osgood VINO presi1ed over the
meeting. Mrs. DR.. Reed # Pas dina, and
Mrs. Margaret Collier Graham, each i'm
turn thanked the judge for his calculation
of the subject. which was so clear to all
that no discussion could he called for.
| some questions regarding Cuba were
then answered by Mr.. Knight