360 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



the insatiate cupidity and reckless extravagance of their 

 political leaders augured ill for the perpetuation of repub- 

 lican government in South America. 



Although the Monroe Doctrine had been intended by its 

 authors only as a defensive measure for the United States, 

 South Americans clamored for its application whenever they 

 encountered difficulties with Europe. J Believing, as they did, 

 that the doctrine was promulgated as much for their bene- 

 fit as for the North Americans, they loudly denounced the 

 United States as a monster of bad faith, when the latter re- 

 fused to become a party to their quarrels or declined to give 

 them material aid, or even the full quota of sympathy which 

 they felt to be their due. 



In 1829, the Malavinas Islands (Falklands), which be- 

 longed to England, were seized upon by the Buenos Ayrean 

 authorities, who, as successors of Spain, claimed a right to 

 the group. The following year, the attention of the United 

 States was drawn to the fact by the arrest of some North 

 American seal hunters on the Falkland shore. The arrest 

 seemed to be unjustified by the circumstances, the fisher- 

 men having merely followed a customary privilege granted 

 by England, and the American sloop of war, the Lexington^. 

 not only liberated the prisoners, but in retaliation deported 

 the Buenos Ayrean governor (1831). The English there- 

 upon resumed control, and complaint of the Argentine 

 Republic, that this act involved a gross violation of the 

 Monroe Doctrine never ceased to be pressed in Washington. 

 The United States never admitted a claim for indemnity, 

 and has always maintained that it was no party to the con- 

 troversy between Buenos Ayres and Great Britain, the 

 rights of the latter having long antedated those of the 

 former in the Falklands. Had the same construction been 

 placed upon the words of President Monroe that has 

 frequently been applied since, President Jackson might 

 well have regarded this incident as one demanding the 

 interference of the United States, at least to the extent 

 of investigating the disputed claims of Great Britain to the 

 Falkland Islands. The executive, however, appears to have 



