The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-01-22
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
(From welch's Home Diary)


now conjure, relates to the right of revo-
luton to secure the kind of government
which promises the right to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness And the
Declaration ayers: THAT to secure these
rights, governments are instituted
among men deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed; and
that whenever any form of government
becomes destructive to these ends, it is
the right of the people to alter or to abol-
ish it. and to institute a new govern
ment = as to them shall seem most like
ly to affect their safety and happiness.
This the doctrine Of revolution,-of
treason.-of rebellion.-of the sword 1T
is too, the doctrine of hands off, to the
outside world. If the people of partic-
ular section, as did ancient Israel, de-
mand king to judge them, king they
must have,-and so as to any other form
OF government, reached high-water
mark.
We have made the above extract from
the Declaration because the Declaration
is an authoritative instrument, and moral
ly binding on the U. S. in our external
relations. We once had great reverence
for it; but after we denied it's applica-
bility to the late seeding states, our
ardor cooled considerably; and now, on
a fair and square show down, we swear
that the people of the United States prac-
tically have given into the hands of gold
syndicates, trusts and corporations, their
governmental welfare. This bestowal is
in keeping with a sacred, inalienable
right. and We cannot deny its exercise
by others, particularly the South Ameri-
can Republics so called, ironically. If
those Republics, or any one Of them,
chooses to invite foreign monarchial oc-
cupation and government, it is none of
our business; If force is resorted to, it
then becomes a question of policy
whether we should interfere or not. The
Monroe doctrine, as 1t will be seen farther
on, creates no obligation on us to inter-
fere in either case. SO far from that,
a command issuing from the tomb OF the
great Washington at Mt. Vernon, for
bids such 1nterference; and when Monroe
penned the matter under review, doubt
less he had his mind trained on Washing
toms warning; in fact, he starts off on
Washington's theory Of non-interventon.
1t was reserved for the fellows at Wash
ington to extend the doctrine and dub it
Monroe" Mr. Cleveland, in his nth
Dec. message takes the position that if
his commission, Ito be created) report
that Venezuelan territory is being en-
croached upon, then we must resist the
encroachment "by every means in our
power" as an invasion of the rights and
interests "of the United States etc. 1t
is the old story of the wolf and the lamb
at the drink, only in this case the lamb
may turn out to be real lion in the skin
Of a lamb. IAN invasion Of the rights
and interests of the United States; the
taking by Great Britain, in boundary
dispute, of chunk of Venezuelan ter
ritory, an invasion Of our rights, justify
ing war! What rot, when considered
yo4 h a1,e,y> Nf<N,,
Of our national pride but a few weeks
ago put the key of our national treasury
into the keeping of a British gold syndi-
cate, and where it is likely to remain for
some time yet.
But really the funniest thing about
this message is the admission that if
Venezuela "of her own free will adj
justs boundary. the United States can
not object. In other words, if. for
money or other consideration, Venezuela
should surrender to Great Britain the
control of the mouth Of the OrinocO and
the gold fields in dispute, undeniably say
the territory of Venezuela, the United
States, Herr Cleveland admits, could not
object This concession carries the right
to transfer the whole country to Great
Britain, or to any other country, and is
in line with the Declaration quoted
above. In the absence of force, all South
America might take the same direction,
expounded by it's author, John @. Adams,
who was Monroes secretary of state.
would not be trespassed upon. Mr..
Cleveland's ridiculous position is a morti-
flying spectacle. If Great Britain eX-
tends her system over Venezuelan terri
tory without her consent, it is an ag-
gression upon the rights Of the United
States; if with her consent, Britain may
float her flag over he government house
at Caraca, and he "aggression" is want
ing.-We can believe that the message
was penned in the night. and before the
president had pulled off his fishing boots
and taken a sedative.
WASHINGTON'S WARNING.
We do not behave that Grover Cleve-
land ever read Washington's farewell adj
dress; Secretary Olney being Massachu-
sett'S born, may have known something
about it while attending his town of Ok
ford district school, but in his higher
education he quite forgot it. In fact,
we venture the opinion that you. O! pat
riotic reader of these lines, never read
that precious legacy which the great and
good Washington left to the sons and
daughters of America. Confess the truth,
if our suspicion is we'll founded, get the
the better prepared to follow us in the
new path we hew out, in the discussion
Of the Monroe Doctrine as interpreted by
men whose brains were in their heads,
but who have long since taken their
seats in that better Kingdom but leaving
behind them the highest examples Of in
virtue and patriotism.
Prominent among the admonitions
which are embodied in the address, is one
which warns with paternal affection his
against forming "entanglinG
alliances with foreign nations. Wash
ington had evidently heard of the pros
porous man who became so by minding
his own business; he had read the blood
curdling adventures of Don Quixote so
narrated by the stilus of Mi
guel de Cervantes-Saavedra and while
sympathizing probably with the Don in
his chvalrous efforts to right the wrongs
of the Spanish Peninsula, doubt not
but our sainted Sire deemed Sancho
Panza a greater man than his MASTER
and Rosinante as the long-headed crea-
ton of the triplets. He had read. too
Sam. Buffers narrative of the exploits
IF "Sir Hudibras, his passing worth, The
manner how he'd sally'd forth; also about
Bombastes Furloso and the awful fate |
which awaited the man who dared TO
1isplace his boots. Washington's COM
mon sense, and common observation a S |
we'll, had taught him that where fam
lies intermeddled with each other, broils |
and quarrels followed, shaking up all the !
families and tearing the |
neighborhood into atoms: and he had |
too how prosperous and happy |
hose families and communities were |
where each minded it's own business: the |
seats a the meeting house were filled |
IN the Sabbath, and the weekly evening /
prayer meeting brought every marriage |
lble belle and beau to their knees !
around the altar; the district school |
and entrances exceeded exits: |
elections passed without riots: lawsuits
e.,