The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-01-22
POLITICAL.
The Monroe Doctrine of Cleveland.

The New York Sun concludes for
chile comparison of the Monroe doc.
trine of MONROE and the Monroe doc
trine of CLEVELAND with the subjoined
trenchant calculation of the difference
between the Monroe and the Cleveland
views:
Less than three years after the declar-
alton of the Monroe doctrine, President
John Quincy Adams notified the world,
in language guarded but we'll under
transfer of Cuba by Spain to another
European state; and Webster, in the
senate few weeks later, INDICATED
this notification in one of the most cell
ebrated of his speeches, from which we
will quote:
An honorable member from Ken
lucky Mr.. Wickliffe] argues that, al
though we might rlghtfully prevent
another power from taking Cuba from
Spain by force, yet if Spain should
choose to make the voluntary transfer,
we should have no right whatever to
interfere. Sir, this is a distinction
without difference. If we are likely
to have contention about Cuba, let US
first we'll consider what our rights are,
and not commit ourselves. And, sir, if
we have any right to interfere at all, it
applies as we'll to the case of peace
able as to that of forcible transfer.
"Our right to interfere, sir, in any
such case is but the exercise of the
right of reasonable and necessary self
defence. 1t is high and delicate ex.
ercise of that right; one not to be made
but on grounds of strong and manifest
reason, justice, and necessity. The
real question is whether the possession
of Cuba by great maritime power of
Europe would seriously endanger our
own immediate security, or our essen
tial interests. put the question, sir,
in the language of some of the best
considered state papers of modern
times. The general rule of interna-
tional law is unquestionably against in
reference in the transactions of other
states. There are, however, acknowl-
edged exceptions, growing out of cir
cumstances, and founded in those cir
cumstances. These exceptions, it has
been properly said, cannot, without
danger, be reduced to previous rule and
incorporated into the ordinary diplom-
acy of nations. Nevertheless, they do
exist, and must be judged of, when
they arrive, with just regard to our
own essential interests, but in spirit
of strict justice and delicacy also toward
foreign states. The ground of these
exceptions is, as l have already stated,
elf-preservation."
Undeniably, this is the ground of the
Monroe doctrine; but this ground, as
we have seen, Mr.. Cleveland cuts clean
from under the doctrine. By restrict
ing the Monroe doctrine to forcible
Intervention, he automatically, no
doubt, strips it of all reason, reducing
it to naked absurdity. Standing on
this spreading branch of public law,
Mr.. Cleveland, emulating the simple
woodman in the story, chops off the
branch between him and the tree from
which it grows.
Should congress formally declare the
Monroe doctrine in this form, the
declaration, as every statesman must
perceive and every patriot feel, would
be national shame, and indeed ma
tional calamity. 1t would be blunder
worse than crime. "Sir," said Mr..
w cDSltT, ulSCuesluS Juc MOuTOc uOC-
trine in his well-remembered speech on
the Panama mission in 1926: 81 look
on the message of December, 1928, as
forming bright page in our history. l
will neither help to erase it or tear it
out; nor shall it be, by any act of mine,
blurred or blotted. 1t did honor to the
sagacity of the government, and 1 will
not diminish that honor. 1t elevated
the hopes and gratified the patriotism
of the people. Over those hopes l will
not bring mildew; nor will put that
gratified patriotism to shame" So say
we all to-day!
The Monroe doctrine we uphold is
the Monroe doctrine that Webster up
held. 1t is not the Monroe doctrine of
Cleveland, shorn and in eclipse. 1t
is the Monroe doctrine of Monroe, full
orbed and unobscured. But let no one
imagine that we regard even the partial
and imperfect enunciation of the Mon
roe doctrine by Mr.. Cleveland on this
occasion as anything else than one of
the most wholesome and pregnant
events in the history of the nineteenth