The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-01
WRITINGS OF
JAMES MONROE

James Monroe, the NTH president OF the
United States, whose name has been more
frequently the tongues of men within
the past few years than that of any other
American, was long the most neglected of
our early statesmen. 1t more than
fifty years after his death before an ade-
quate biography of him was published,
and now, sixty-seven years after his death,
his writings are for the first time collected
and are to be given to the world They
are to be edited by Stanisaus Murray
Hamilton and published by G. p. Putnam's
Sons in the same beautiful typographical
form and binding that characterize their
editions of the writings of Washington,
Franklin, Hamilton and jefferson. The first
volume is just out, and covers the period
from 177S when Monroe was lieutenant
in the continentl army under General
Washington, to 1894, when he received the
appointment of minister to France from
President Washington and was about to
depart on his mission.
While Monroe was by no means the equal
in craftsmanship to his four predecessors
in the presidency, and was in part the pupil
and follower of Jefferson and Madison, it
is difficult to understand why he was for
SO long period the most obscurely known
of any of the statesmen who were instru-
mental in founding the government of the
new republic and guiding its first and I'M
certain steps.
Born in Virginia in 1758, he enlisted In the
army at IS, and served with distinction in
all the battles of 1776 1777 and 177S-from
Harlem Heights to Brandywine-beng
wounded at the battle of Trenton. In 177S
he was appointed enant-colonel-from
which he derived his lifelong title of colo
nel-but Virginias finances being almost
exhausted, the regiment was never fully re-
cruited, and he served through the remain
der of the war as volunteer aid to Lord
Stirling. After the war he became a men,
Der of the continental congress, and next
was elected to the Virginia house of dele
gates. He was a member of the Virginia
convention that ratified the present
stitution of the United States, and, al
though he was opposed to some of the pro-
visions of that instrument, he voted for
its ratification with amendments.
He became in succession senator of the
United States, m mister to France, governor
of Virginia, again minister to France, when
he assisted in the negotiations of the LOUIS
lana purchase. He was secretary of war
and secretary of state under Madison, and
finally president of the United States for
Two terms, to the last of which he was
elected by unanimous electoral vote save
lne. His last administration is known
as the 'era of good feeling when the old
federal party became extinct and there
was but one party in the entire country
the democratic-republican party.
1t was in 1923 that he promulgated that
foreign policy since known as the Monroe
doctrine" and which has been a topic of
such fruitful discussion in the past few
years.
He retired from the presidency March T.
1925, and retired to his farm at Oakhll
Loudoun county, Va. His deelin ng years
were passed in comparative poverty, for, 4
like Jefferson, he had drawn heavily ont
his private resources to sustain the varioust
official stations he had held. He died july
4, 1881, in New York City, VIII lie on a visa
10 his daughter, Mrs. Gouveneur, who res
sided there.
In 1858. precisely 100 years after his birth,
his remains were carried from New York to
Richmond under military escort and there
buried with great ceremony, and his dust
now minges with the soil of the state
which had so greatly honored him and
which he SO deeply loved.
The volume now published contains an adj
mirable but brief Introduction giving an
outline of Monroes career, followed by the
chief events of his life down to 1894, COM
piled from various documents. Then came
| 1872 letters, written chiefly to Jefferson and
| Madison on the political and public events
| of the day. There are three letters to
Washington two each to Benjamin Har-
rson and Richard Henry Lee, and one
| each to Patrick Henry john Jay, John
| Breckenridge and Charles Lee. They be-
| gin June 2S ITS, with a letter to Washing
| ton written on the battlefield of Mon
| mouth, and conclude June 6, 1874, with
| letter to Jefferson on the eve of Monroe's
| departure for France. They embrace the
| period between his 10th and 36th years, and
| show the development of his political am
| billions and of his character.
After the war he was admitted to the bar,
| but politics soon absorbed the most of his.
| thoughts and energies. AT 22 he was
| member of the Virginia house of delegates,
| and at % a member of the continental con-
| gress.
| This correspondence possesses the high
est interest and value to those who would
| political events of the time They show
| also to a considerable degree Monroes own
personality and character. He was. devoted
| TO Jefferson, who was fifteen wears his
| senior, and for Madison he processes the
| highest esteem. He was very narrow in
| his political views, and expresses great hos
| tility to the federalists and their theory of
| the constitution He follows Jefferson in
| calling them monarchists, and even WASH
ington does not escape his censure. Writ
| ing to Jefferson from Philadelphia in 17S4 he
| asserts that mot the least confidence can
| be reposed in our executive council mean
| ing Washington's administration. In fact,
| the weak spot in Monroes character as dis
| cerned In these letters is his too great
| readiness to impute unworthy motives to
| those with whom he politically disagreed.
| One passage in Monroe's life, which oc-
| Cured during the period of these letters
| and when he was senator In congress, tnat
| in which he took part in the accusation of
| REGULATION against Alexander Hamilton