Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1882 — TEXT OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE. [ARTICLE]

TEXT OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

U— HrarM >■■■*! Mm****, DceMsber «. MM. “ With the governments which have declared their independence and maintained it, and whose independence we have, after great consideration and on just principles, recognized, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them or controlling in any manner their destiny by any European power, in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition towards the United States.” It has been asserted that Huskisson, Franklin’s friend, wrote this declaration and transmitted it, with the consent of Canning, his chief in the Cabinet, to J. Q. Adams, who was Monroe’s Secretary of State. The precise language, confining the doctrine to the States recognized by the United States, and excepting from it all not free—including Canada, Cuba, indeed the whole West Indies, Brazil, Buenos Ayres favor this view. We do not know whether it has ever been denied. J. Q. Adams did subsequently, in a special message to Congress, say: “ Most of the new American Republics have declared their entire assent to them (the Monroe and they now propose, among the subjects of consideration at Panama, to take into consideration the means of making effectual the assertion of that principle, as well as the means of resisting interference from abroad with the domestic concerns of the American Governments.” The italics are in the message, and he added subsequently: “The purpose of this Government is to incur in none which would import hostility to Europe, or justly excite resentment in any of her States. “ Our views extend no further than a mutual pledge of the parties to the compact to maintain the principle in application to its own territory, and to permit no colonial lodgments or establishments of European jurisdiction upon its own soil.” This may be called Adams' addition to the Monroe doctrine, Clay being his Secretary of State. Adams’ addition, rather than Monroe’s verbiage, has remained in the popular mind as the Monroe doctrine; and even Congress, in including that of the Confederation at Richmond, 1862-4, has always so treated it. The Panama Congress, called by Bolivar, never adopted either Monroe’s or Adams’ text. It indeed adjourned without fairly considering the doctrines. The members were, in fact, disappointed that the United States had receded from Monroe’s declaration, and now proposed “ that each State should, for itself, on its own soil, resist European interference.” They wanted an American Conrederation organized for the purpose of driving out European jurisdiction. The project turned out to be impractical, and was dropped even by South Americans.