The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-29
Birthday OfMOnrOe Doctrine
BY PHINEAS FLETCHER.

Canning and Rush, in which was sug- gested joint action between Great Britain and the United States to thwart what were believed to be the plans of the holy alliance concerning the South American colonies, then in revolt against Spain, some British publicists have claimed for Canning the credit of authorship, in part,
 if not in whole of the great policy: but while he Is to be allowed certain share in it. the fact is that the seminal idea of the "doctrine" dates much further back than either Monroe or Canning namely to the long anteeedent period when Jeff ferson was contendng with the Spanish king and cabinets on the subject of the free navigation of the Mississippi river Morse, in his not very friendly life of Jefferson" admits this in these words. Tt Is curious to note that in the course of this business (navigation of the Mis- sissippD, there was already a faint fore shadowing of that principle, which many years afterward was christened with the name of Monroe" But Independently of that. in July 1923, before the Monroe ad- ministration knew of the Canning Rush conferences, before. in fact, they had been held. MT. Adams, the secretary of state voicing the sentiment of his chief Presl- dent Monroe, told Baron Tuyl. the Rus sian minister that we should contest the
  lishment on this continent, and that we should assume distinctly the principle that the American continents are no longer subjects for any new European colonial establishments.
 The essence of the doctrine as defined hv Monroe is in these two sentences: That the American continents are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for col onization by any European power. That we should consider any attempt to extend a European sovereignty on this hemis- phere, or to oppress or control the destiny of any other independent American na- ton as dangerous to our peace and safe ty.' Not until 18s3 forty years after its promulgation, was any serious attempt made by any European power to call it in question or set 1t at defiance. The effort then was the brilliant conception of Louis Napoleon, the comic opera emperor of France. Mexico was convulsed by rev olutions and counter revolutions Some citizens of France had uncollected claims against one of the passing governments England had trifiing claim, the validity or which was doubtful. Thirsting for glory. Napoleon the Little succeeded in | efecting a combination of France, Eng | land and Austria. The ships of the three l governments performed the heroic ex- ! ploit of bombarding the undefended city | of Vera Cruz, following which Napoleon | prepared to set up an empire on Mexican | soil with Maxlfilian as monarch. We then | had our own troubles on hand, but the | Lincoln administration protested against | the nefarious conspiracy of the three pow CTS at every stage of the undertaking. | England. quicker than Napoleon to see the triumph of the union. withdrew early | from the European combination, and when | the civil war came to an end the French | emperor was invited to leave. Phil Sher- idan was put in command of great army, headed for the Rio Grande, and Marshal | Bazaine began immediately to put his troopers on board the French transports | for home Great Britain was the next na- tion to put the doctrine to the test in the | Venezula boundary dispute, when MT. | Cleveland was President. His resolute &C., ton on that occasion compelled prompt recognition of 1t by the British ministry.