THE MONROE DOCTRINE 385 



in North America would be permitted to complete its title, 

 should that title admit of doubt in the United States. 



Notwithstanding the positive attitude he thus assumed, 

 the President was nevertheless willing to change his attitude 

 when the compromise offer from England reached Washing- 

 ton, to partition the Oregon territory north of the Colum- 

 bia River, over which he believed our title was " clear and 

 unquestionable." 



A few weeks after the reading of the President's message, 

 Mr. Allen, of Ohio, in the face of considerable opposition, 

 introduced into the Senate the following resolution : 



RESOLVED, That Congress, thus concurring with the President, 

 and sensible that this subject has been forced upon the attention 

 of the United States by recent events so significant as to make 

 it impossible for this government longer to remain silent, without 

 being ready to submit to and even to invite the enforcement of this 

 dangerous doctrine, do hereby solemnly declare to the civilized 

 world the unalterable resolution of the United States to adhere 

 to and to enforce the principle, that any effort of the powers of 

 Europe to intermeddle in the social organization or political 

 arrangements of the independent nations of America, or further 

 to extend the European system of government upon this continent 

 by the establishment of new colonies, would be incompatible with 

 the independent existence of the nations, and dangerous to the 

 liberties of the people of America, and therefore would incur, as 

 by the right of self-preservation it would justify, the prompt 

 resistance of the United States. 



The bill expired in the committee room of foreign affairs 

 when the treaty with England, of June 26, 1846, was con- 

 cluded, by which the Oregon dispute was settled. Thus an 

 attempt to secure Congressional expression upon the Monroe 

 Doctrine again failed. 



IX. YUCATAN 



One other event occurred toward the close of Folk's ad- 

 ministration, which is interesting on account of its bearing 

 upon the Monroe Doctrine. In a Senate debate upon the 

 President's special message of April 29, 1848, relating to 

 2c 



