hodder: the du'iy ov the scholar in politics. 59 



Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri, was absolutely unoccupied and 

 almost unexplored. The territory of Mexico subsequently acquired 

 by us was in the same condition. It woidd not then have been 

 difficult for Russia to have planted a colony either in or near this 

 territory, upon the plea that it was unoccupied. To guard against 

 this danger President Monroe, acting upon the advice of Adams, 

 issued this declaration: 



"The American continents, b}' the free and independent condi- 

 tion which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not 

 to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any Europe- 

 an powers With their existing colonies or dependencies we 



have not interfered and shall not interfere." 



There was not the slightest intention of assuming a protectorate 

 over other American states for the purpose of guarding their terri- 

 tory from European colonization. That such was the case is 

 absolutely proved by the language used by Mr. Adams two years 

 later in a special message to the Senate on the subject of a Con- 

 gress of American states. 



'' An agreement," he said, "between the parties represented at 

 the meeting that each will guard, by its own means, against the 

 establishment of any future European colony within its borders, 

 may be found advisable. This was announced to the world, more 

 than two years ago, by ni}' predecessor, as a principle resulting 

 from the emancipation of both the American continents." 

 This statement Mr. Schouler* observes is remarkable as an expo- 

 sition of the Monroe doctrine from the pen of the one most com- 

 petent to make it, that is from the pen of the one who originally 

 wrote it — in effect that European exclusion from this hemisphere 

 was to be the work not of the United States, acting as the champion 

 of the two Americas, but of each American republic as the pro- 

 tector of its own rights. Mr. Webster speaking at the same time 

 expressed the same opinion. t 



"It was highly desirable to us," he said, "that new states 

 should settle it as a part of their policy not to allow colonization 

 within their respective territories. We did not need their aid to 

 assist us in maintaining such a course for ourselves, but we had an 

 interest in their assertion and support of the principle as applied 

 to their own territories." 



The Russian claim was immediately abandoned in treaties with 

 both Great Britain and the United Stater. Since that time there 



*■• History of the United States.'' Vol. 'i. p. 302. 

 t" Works," Vol. 3, pp. 200-207. 



