Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-01-01

Have w Ut Will 19htAeAeA
Monroe Doctrine Invoked in vain
to Justify the Presidents course,
Common Sense VS. Passion anu
Folly.
To the Editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
1 had the privilege last week of lay
ing before your readers concise state
ment of the case now pending between
the United States and Great Britain IN
the Venezuelan boundary matter, and
of the unhappy laundering of the Sec
retary of State and the President in con-
nection with it. I showed how these
functionaries, backed by Congress II
possible more rash, had preclpltated an
issue and a menace of war for which
| there was no sort of occasion, and how
what they had done, however faVora-
BILE to US the final outcome, had already
entailed disaster upon the country, Leu
us now briefly examine the grounds on
which their action is based, and inquire
more narrowly whether any real reason
exists for quarrel with Great Britain
The recent newspaper discussion OF the
subject ir all its bearings has been SO
exhaustive that little expectation OF
adding anything original is entertained,
but perhaps by simplihcatlon OF wnal
has been said by others, contribution
NAV be made to the common sense side
of the most important public question
of this generation. ],
We should not dismiss inquiry and
discussion, as many incline to do, by
saving there is no chance of war with
England about Venezuela, however
strongly we may hope and believe there
is none. Let us not be too confident.
It seemed quite as unlikely a month
ago that Mr.. Cleveland would
| issue such message as that
of the 18th December as it
now seems that we shall have war.
! The unexpected has happened once
and it may again, and it is by no means
impossible that an executive capable OF
such a message, and at the same time
able to secure such backing from the
legislative branch of the government,
may drag our people into war whether
they really desire it or not.
Addressing ourselves then to the in.
curry proposed, let us ask, ION what
pretext does President Cleveland
| threaten Great Britain with war if she
refuses to accept as the boundary OF
her possessions in South America the
line which he, under advice of his com.
miesioners, may choose to prescribe ?"
The answer is, Upon the fact that, III
asserting the right to determine with
out the consent OF the United States
the limits of the territory in that con-
tiuent, she violates the so called Mon
roc doctrine, aud therefore must sub
init to our dictation or fight.
What then is the Monroe doctrine ?
It is embodied in the following passage
ip the annual message to Congress IN
December; 1923, of President James
Monroe:
1--WE owe it to candor and to the
amicable relations existing between
| the United States and the allied pow
ers to declare that We should consider
any attempt on their part to extend
their system to any portion of this
hemisphere as dangerous to our peace
and safety. With the existing colonies
ur dependencies OF any European
power we have not interfered, and
shall not interfere; but with the
governments which have declared their
| independence and maintained it, aud
whose independence We have, on great
consideration and just principles, ac-
knowledged, We could not view an in
terposition for depressing them, or con-
trolling in any other manner their
destiny, by any European power, in
Nm other light than as a manifestation
of an unfriendly disposition toward the
United States" Also, "the American
continents should no longer be subjects
for any new European colonial settle
ment."
After the blow given to absolutsm in
Europe by the fall of Napoleon |, a
compact, known as "The Holy ALI
ance" was formed between Russia,
France, Austria and Prussia for the
maintenance of monarchical govern.
ment in Europe. 1t was believed, with
reason, that they contemplated extend
ing operations to South America 80 far
as to assist Spain in recovering
some of her colonies there which had
asserted their independence and Be.
cured recognition of the fact from the
United States. Under these circum
stances, therefore, President Monroe
stepped in to disoountenance such inter
ference, and to insist that Spain must
herself regulate her own affairs with
her colonies without interference at
the hands of any other power. EGG
land not ONLY agreed with Monroe's po-
sition when taken, but, it is said, act
ually suggested that he should assume
it. That position was not, be it ob.
served that the UnitedStates would take
up arms against Europesn interference
| in South America, only that such inter
ference would be regarded by US las a
manifestation of an unfriendly DISPOSE
ton" leaving it to be determined by
circumstances in each particular case
how far our opposition should go. 1t
is matter of history that this firm and
dignified protest was enough, and that
the Holy Alliance never rneddled in
South American affairs at all.
Such is the Monroe doctrine. 1t is
not, as was positively asserted a few
days since Tin the presence of one who
mentioned 1t to the writer) by mem
Der of Congress, part of the Federal
constitution, or even ofstatute law, nor
has it any legal sanction whatever. 1t
is simply policy, to be gursued or not
within the discretion of the executive,
but there is nothing obligatory about it.
Iu the first instance, when We were