THE MONROE DOCTRINE AN ESSAY BY A. F. MORRISON Read before the Chit-Chat Club, of San Francisco, 2 SAN FRANCISCO C. A. MURDOCK & Co., PRINTERS 1896 THE MONROE DOCTRINE. (Read before the Chit-Chat Club, of San Francisco, December 9, 1895.) THE HE Monroe Doctrine, as it is understood to-day, is something different from what it was at the time of its declaration by President Monroe. The Monroe declaration, aside from the political events that immediately called it forth, was the embodiment of a national sentiment which had grown and developed among our people. But the Monroe Doctrine, as it is understood to-day, is much more comprehensive than the simple declaration made by Monroe. It represents a larger growth and a further development. What that doctrine is, has never been authoritatively defined. Our understanding of what it is, and its scope, must be gathered from the history of our country and the declarations of our Presidents and other distinguished statesmen, as precedents. As in the case of the "balance of power" with Europe, we know that our nation believes that the maintenance of the Monroe Doctrine is necessary to our safety and welfare. And, like the "balance of power," the doctrine seems to be flexible and elastic; and doubtless the scope of its assertion will, in a large measure, depend upon the circumstances under which it may be invoked. It will be seen, therefore, that an intelligent understanding of this doctrine must be derived from a review of the events which constitute its history. As the people of the United States emerged from the |