The American Nation A History of the United States, Combined Volume (14th Edition)

208 Chapter 7 National Growing Pains

countries in the hemisphere that had already won
their independence would be considered, Monroe
warned, “the manifestation of an unfriendly disposi-
tion toward the United States” and consequently a
threat to the nation’s “peace and safety.”
This policy statement—it was not dignified with
the title Monroe Doctrine until decades later—
attracted little notice in Europe or Latin America
and not much more at home. Obviously the United
States, whose own capital had been overrun by a
mere raiding party less than ten years before, could
not police the entire Western Hemisphere.
European statesmen dismissed Monroe’s message as
“arrogant” and “blustering,” worthy only of “the
most profound contempt.” Latin Americans, while
appreciating the intent behind it, knew better than
to count on American aid in case of attack from
European powers.
Nevertheless, the principles laid down by
President Monroe so perfectly expressed the wishes
of the people of the United States that when the
country grew powerful enough to enforce them,
there was little need to alter or embellish his pro-
nouncement. However understood at the time, the

doctrine may be seen as the final stage in the evolu-

tion of American independence.

From this perspective, the famous Declaration

of 1776 merely began a process of separation and

self-determination. The peace treaty ending the

Revolutionary War was a further step, and

Washington’s Declaration of Neutrality in 1793 was

another, demonstrating as it did the capacity of the

United States to determine its own best interests

despite the treaty of alliance with France. The

removal of British troops from the northwest forts,

achieved by the otherwise ignominious Jay Treaty,

marked the next stage. Then the Louisiana Purchase

made a further advance toward true independence

by ensuring that the Mississippi River could not be

closed to the commerce so vital to the development

of the western territories.

The standoff War of 1812 ended any lingering

British hope of regaining control of America, the Latin

American revolutions further weakened colonialism in

the Western Hemisphere, and the Transcontinental

Treaty pushed the last European power from the path

of westward expansion. Monroe’s “doctrine” was a

kind of public announcement that the sovereign

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boundaries, negotiating with Spain for control of Florida and border sections of the Southwest, and with Britain for the Oregon Country.