THE MONROE DOCTRINE 343 



various independent states of South America formed a feder- 

 ation, bound together by the closest ties of friendship and 

 common interest. 



The central object of this confederation was to maintain 

 independence by mutual aid and support, and to shield them- 

 selves against all harmful foreign influence. Like their 

 North American neighbor, they had watched with consider- 

 able apprehension the threatened movement of the European 

 allies to aid Spain in their resubjugation, and they recognized 

 the necessity of standing firmly together. It was therefore 

 agreed among them that " a general assembly of the American 

 states shall be convened," for the purpose " of cementing . . . 

 intimate relations," and Panama was suggested as a convenient 

 meeting place. There seems to have been no original inten- 

 tion on the part of these " formerly Spanish " provinces to 

 ask the United States to cooperate with them when they made 

 their treaties of alliance, but the publication of President 

 Monroe's message, of December, 1823, with its encouraging 

 words for all newly created republics in the Western Hemi- 

 sphere, seemed clearly to entitle the United States to a 

 voice in their proposed Congress, should such a desire mani- 

 fest itself at Washington. In the spring of 1825, the 

 ministers of Colombia and Mexico, Messrs. Salazar and 

 Obregon, cautiously approached the Secretary of State with 

 a proposition from their respective governments, to the effect 

 that, should the United States desire to participate, her dele- 

 gates would find welcome at the Congress of the Americas, 

 soon to convene at Panama. This invitation came imme- 

 diately after the inauguration of President Adams (March, 

 1825). The President was known to be a hearty supporter 

 of the principles of the Monroe Doctrine ; he had been 

 Secretary of State under Monroe, and had enjoyed, as such, 

 the full confidence of the President during the preparation 

 of his famous message. The Secretary of State was Henry 

 Clay, and he had always been the champion in Congress 

 of the South American states ; indeed, some of his greatest 

 speeches had been made in their cause. It was then reason- 

 able to suppose that the administration would be favorable 



