THE MONROE DOCTRINE 317 



under other European sovereignty. "Neither justice, nor 

 humanity, nor the interests of Europe or of America," he 

 said to Polignac, " allow that the struggle . . . should be taken 

 up afresh by other hands." Again, England was far in 

 advance of continental Europe in the development of consti- 

 tutional government ; having progressed in her ideas favor- 

 able to popular suffrage, she too, it may reasonably be inferred, 

 viewed with some disfavor the resubjugation of a people 

 who had practically acquired their emancipation from the 

 tyranny of absolute monarchy. Mr. Canning was, in no 

 sense of the word, an enthusiastic admirer of the people of 

 the United States. From his own writings, expressions are 

 not wanting indicating an actual aversion for the keen, ag- 

 gressive people across the Atlantic, but in the impending 

 danger that threatened both, the one commercially, the 

 other politically, he turned to the United States. He well 

 knew that the people of the United States sympathized with 

 the Spanish colonies in their struggles for freedom ; indeed, 

 they had already recognized several of them as sovereign 

 states. He knew, also, that Americans regarded the advance 

 of despotism and the action of the allies with no little sus- 

 picion and disfavor. Why not, therefore, utilize this senti- 

 ment to his own advantage ? He began his reconnoitering 

 tactics at once by seeking Mr. Rush, the American Minister, 

 in London. On August 16, 1823, while discussing with 

 Mr. Rush matters connected with the northwest boundary 

 of the United States, the conversation drifted into Spanish 

 affairs. Mr. Rush spoke of a recent statement made by 

 Mr. Canning, to the effect that England disclaimed all 

 intention of seizing any Spanish colony, and hoped France 

 entertained no such purpose. Mr. Canning seized the occa- 

 sion to sound the American Minister as to what he believed 

 the Government of the United States would say to a project 

 of going hand in hand with England in order to prevent 

 France, or the other powers of the alliance, from interfering 

 in Spanish America. Mr. Rush wrote : 



He did not think that concert of action would become neces- 

 sary, fully believing that the simple fact of our two countries 



