The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-01-01
What is the Monroe Doc
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trine?

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There seems to be persistent mis-
construction Of the Monroe doctrine on
the part Of some Of cur citizens who
are bent upon policy of peace at any
price. Peace is always desirable when
+ can be maintained with honor. and at
no sacrifice of National dignity or self
respect. But resistance is frequently
the essential condition and prerequisite
Of peace. Self-preservation is the first
law of nature, aud is recognized aOd
reaf6rmed by all forms Of government
and codes Of civil jurisprudence. 10
orean,zed social life, the individual has
committed his interests largely to the
nrotectisn of the government. The
Government in protecting itself, is only
. nnro.ec.ipg its citizens. If the govern
mept neglects to protect itself, it eau
have no power to protect its citizens
It's honor, dignity and self.respect are
essentially the aggregate of those quail
tiles inhering in its people.
That is what the Monroe doctrine
means. It means that this government
is pledged to resist the organized sell
6shness of other governments, 10 80 far
as the Interests of this country and its
people are thereby endangered. 1t
does not mean that this government IS
the legal guardian of the ;. South -, and
Central American republics. That
question was definitely disposed of by
The action of Congress relative to the
Panama Mission. But it does meau
that no foreign or European govern
mept shall be permitted to abuse our
neutrality, much less make it a p'efezs
for its own aggrandizemeot, by se'z'og
South or Central American territory
and thus establish political principles
and influences in this hemisphere which
are directly artagonistic to our form OF
government aud essentially inimical to
the prosperity and perpetuity of our in.
stitutious. Our historic and traditional
foreign policy has been 10 perfect aud
uniform harmony with this principle.
It does cot alone affect foreign govern
meuts, but also relates TO the action OF
American powers. Thomas Jefferson
made this clear when he declared to
pras;dont Monroe that we should op-
pose with all our means the forcible To-
tereosition Of any other power as aux
iliary. stipendary, or under any other De
form or pretexs, and most especially
their transfer to any poUer by con-
quest, cession, or acqussitso" !" ony
other seay."
Daniel Webster held firmly to this
proposition in relation to the assumed
right of Spain to transfer Cuba to
France He said in this connection:
.sSir, l look on the message of De-
cewber, 1928, as forming bright page
in our history. l will help neither to
erase it nor lear il out nor shall it be.
by any act of mine blurred or blosted
Proximity Of position, ne'ghb9rh00d,
whatever augments the power OF lo)ur-
ing and annoying, very property belong
to the consideration of all cases OF this
kind. The real question is, whether
the transfer Of Cuba to a great mari
tine power of Europe would endanger
our own security or our essential inter-
es,s. The general rule of la" is. un-
questiooably, against interference C., 10
,be transactions of other States There
are. however, acknowledged exceptions.
The ground of these exceptions is self
preservation
Here. then, we are brought back to
the principle of self-preservation, and
it is clear that this principle requires
ms to resiet to the last extremity the IN
aueurs,ion by Great Britain in this
hemisphere Of movement of aggres-
sive aggrandizement similar to that
which has cursed and crushed Europe
and the East.
If England shall be allowed to seize
arbitrarily, but without arbitration,
this disputed territory overlooking tt. the
Gulf Of Mexico and the site of the Nj
carsgua Canal. and embracing the
richest agricultural and mineral re-
sources of South America, what is to
prevent her from taking all that tempt
her cupidi.y or suggest enlarged
schemes Of selfish ambition ? This is
question that appeals to our patriotism.
our honor aud our self.respect. the
sacrifice of which cau fad no compen-
sa.ion 10 either the condition of our
pockets or the qualification Of poetic
sentiment Of Enthusiastically. Z.