THE MONROE DOCTRINE 323 



most especially, their transfer to any power by conquest, cession, 

 or acquisition in any other way. I should think it, therefore, 

 advisable, that the Executive should encourage the British govern- 

 ment to a continuance in the dispositions expressed in these let- 

 ters, by an assurance of his concurrence with them as far as his 

 authority goes ; and that as it may lead to war, the declaration of 

 which requires an act of Congress, the case shall be laid before 

 them for consideration at their first meeting, and under the rea- 

 sonable aspect in which it is seen by himself. 



Madison's reply is no less interesting, and merits free 

 quotation : 



OCT. 30, 1823. 



DEAR SIR, I have just received from Mr. Jefferson your let- 

 ter to him, with the correspondence between Mr. Canning and Mr. 

 Rush, sent for his and my perusal, and our opinions on the sub- 

 ject of it. 



From the disclosures of Mr. Canning it appears, as was other- 

 wise to be inferred, that the success of France against Spain 

 would be followed by an attempt of the Holy allies to reduce the 

 revolutionized colonies of the latter to their former dependence. 



The professions we have made to these neighbors, our sympa- 

 thies with their liberties and independence, the deep interest we 

 have in the most friendly relations with them, and the conse- 

 quences threatened by a command of their resources by the Great 

 Powers, confederated against the rights and reforms of which we 

 have given so conspicuous and persuasive an example, all unite in 

 calling for our efforts to defeat the meditated crusade. It is par- 

 ticularly fortunate that the policy of Great Britain, though guided 

 by calculations different from ours, has presented a cooperation 

 for an object the same with ours. With that cooperation we have 

 nothing to fear from the rest of Europe, and with it the best 

 assurance of success to our laudable views. There ought not, 

 therefore, to be any backwardness, I think, in meeting her in the 

 way she has proposed ; keeping in view, of course, the spirit and 

 forms of the Constitution in every step taken in the road to war, 

 which must be the last step if those short of war should be with- 

 out avail. 



It cannot be doubted that Mr. Canning's proposal, though made 

 with the air of consultation as well as concert, was founded on a 

 pre-determination to take the course marked out, whatever might 

 be the reception given here to his invitation. But this considera- 

 tion ought not to divert us from what is just and proper in itself. 



