The times., 1898-07-05

templated, and it startled the nation No
body was prepared for such extremity.
1t broke the barriers of separation when
there seemed no excuse for IL To the
timid it was suggestive of innumerabie
disadvantages and psrils. To Clay there
was no safe and honorable course except
to side with the South Americans against
Spain and the allies. The time had come
when the position of the United States
demanded some pronounced expression
To ignore an issue involving systems of
government like its own was incompati-
BILE with it's reputation for justice and
courage. To the ardent mind of Clay.
then less than 80 years of age. the OppOr-
tunity opened up new field in American
politics and he seized il with the intre-
pidity of one who is ambitious to do
right. His action brought the country In
to controversy with all the frse-eIass
powers of Europe That was a specimen
of his American policy. and in the splen-
dor of its ultimate success the idea of
isolation was lost sight Of The tranquil
Administration of Monroe. which revived
it. was destined TO contribute a most i'm
portant chapter TO the worlds history.
Great and free as was England. she did
far less toward defining the scope of Eu-
ropean power than the United States.
When Monroe's message reached London
English statesmen were -astonished that
Canning had permitted International
question of such import 70 be settled by
America. But settled it was. and indefi-
nitely. BY a sudden impulse. after a
long period of quietude. we pushed into
the sphere of disputation. where the best
intelleccs were engaged, and came of tri-
umphant. If isolated political methods
had prevailed the young nation would
have missed the opportunities of this
epoch so pregnant with advantage
II Is hardly probable Monroe would have
taken the advanced position he did had
ne not been impeIled 10 il. In some re-
speCts he was an extraordinary man. Il
was not within his power TO create an
occasion. But he could accept what Of
fered. In negotiating for louisiana
when there was no time Tor correspond
ence he assumed full responsibility. and
when the time came 70 ac; about Spain
ard the Austrian alliance he delivered a
meSsas Sc remarkable for its bOldness- His
transaction with NapoleOn's ministers
and his doctrine mark him as man OF
contrarietfes. In both these Instances his
performance enlarged the province of this
Government and brought il into close re-
iatiOn with others. The theory of isOld-
ton had never been so widespread as
when he was President, and yet the clos
Ing act of his Administration we'll nigh
oblit era ted II. What IS known as the doc
tAAtlGr lAhS ttt} PpliINr was AlStL4ACNAf
American. On this account it is asso-
ciated with the isolation idea. But the
question which gave rise to it ernbrac ced
the interests of all the nations. Indeed,
there never had been one quite
SO extensive, for it involved, with
out exception, the nationality OF
both Continents It was not ap-
proved by Congress as representing at
the time the conviction of the people. But
as a law with nations il has been recog-
nized by Great Britain, znG has served
its purpose in holding this continent for
Americans. In that, as in the statesman
ship of Clay we see the distinction be-
tween Americansm and isolation. 1t is
now more clearly apparent tnan then. We
seem never TO have lost sight of the les
sons taught in Monroe's time by Clay
and Webster. They have had great
weight, and are in the aggregate highly
beneficial. They are remembered as wor-
thy instructors. No other two men have
done more to Solidify the Government
and at the same time enlarge its poll
cy. They could not have come upon the
scene of their labors more opportuneIy
than they did. Their real strength had
not been known till the enc of the re-
bellion. The result then was one mani
festation of their theories. That was
purely national The current of events
that is now sweeping on goes further The
United States finds itself out in the sea
of universal politics. 1t was impossible
to escape the drift There Tas no point
of isolation. And now the work of Clay
and Webster is having a wider effect than
it had in the civil war
With that it was supposed their influ- (
ence ended; and since then. with all the
rest of mankind dead and gone. they
have passed quite out of mind. This war !
with Spain should bring them back About
the same time, and with like objects in I
view. Clay and Webster were promuIgat-
ing principles that. after three-quarters
of a century, have moved the United
States to arm and fight as the champion /
of the oppressed. Recognition was new
thing. but Clay had the courage to urge
it, Webster took a similar stand in re-
gard to Greece, and see the wonderful re- (
suit 1t was direct Intervention. Europe +
was quickly aroused. Turkey was re-
pulsed, and Spain was driven out of the /
West And, in addition, there was Mon I
roe's edict against European aggression |
1t is in that prolific time that the Adj /
ministration finds precedence in abun-
dance for its attitude toward Cuba and /
Spain. What was then done. though of |
milder character. fully warrants what is I
being done now. McKinley's position is /
precisely that of France, which Web /
ster was primarily responsible for. So |