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The Monroe Doctrine

December 2, 1823

Espressa dal Presidente James Monroe durante il suo settimo messaggio annuale al Congresso degli

Stati Uniti, il 2 dicembre 1823.

Di seguito alcuni passaggi salienti

. . . !t t"e proposal o# t"e $ussian %mperial &o'ernment, made t"roug" t"e minister o# t"e Emperor

residing "ere, a #ull po(er and instructions "a'e been transmitted to t"e minister o# t"e United

States at St. Petersburg to arrange b) amicable negotiation t"e respecti'e rig"ts and interests o# t"e

t(o nations on t"e nort"(est coast o# t"is continent. ! similar proposal "as been made b) *is

%mperial Ma+est) to t"e &o'ernment o# &reat ritain, ("ic" "as li-e(ise been acceded to. "e

&o'ernment o# t"e United States "as been desirous b) t"is #riendl) proceeding o# mani#esting t"e

great 'alue ("ic" t"e) "a'e in'ariabl) attac"ed to t"e #riends"ip o# t"e Emperor and t"eir solicitude

to culti'ate t"e best understanding (it" "is &o'ernment. %n t"e discussions to ("ic" t"is interest"as gi'en rise and in t"e arrangements b) ("ic" t"e) ma) terminate t"e occasion "as been +udged

proper #or asserting, as a principle in ("ic" t"e rig"ts and interests o# t"e United States are

in'ol'ed, t"at t"e !merican continents, b) t"e #ree and independent condition ("ic" t"e) "a'e

assumed and maintain, are "ence#ort" not to be considered as sub+ects #or #uture coloni/ation b)

an) European po(ers. . .

%t (as stated at t"e commencement o# t"e last session t"at a great e##ort (as t"en ma-ing in Spain

and Portugal to impro'e t"e condition o# t"e people o# t"ose countries, and t"at it appeared to be

conducted (it" e0traordinar) moderation. %t need scarcel) be remar-ed t"at t"e results "a'e been so

#ar 'er) di##erent #rom ("at (as t"en anticipated. # e'ents in t"at uarter o# t"e globe, (it" ("ic"

(e "a'e so muc" intercourse and #rom ("ic" (e deri'e our origin, (e "a'e al(a)s been an0ious

and interested spectators. "e citi/ens o# t"e United States c"eris" sentiments t"e most #riendl) in

#a'or o# t"e libert) and "appiness o# t"eir #ello(men on t"at side o# t"e !tlantic. %n t"e (ars o# t"e

European po(ers in matters relating to t"emsel'es (e "a'e ne'er ta-en an) part, nor does it

comport (it" our polic) to do so. %t is onl) ("en our rig"ts are in'aded or seriousl) menaced t"at

(e resent in+uries or ma-e preparation #or our de#ense. 4it" t"e mo'ements in t"is "emisp"ere (e

are o# necessit) more immediatel) connected, and b) causes ("ic" must be ob'ious to all

enlig"tened and impartial obser'ers. "e political s)stem o# t"e allied po(ers is essentiall) di##erent

in t"is respect #rom t"at o# !merica. "is di##erence proceeds #rom t"at ("ic" e0ists in t"eir

respecti'e &o'ernments5 and to t"e de#ense o# our o(n, ("ic" "as been ac"ie'ed b) t"e loss o# so

muc" blood and treasure, and matured b) t"e (isdom o# t"eir most enlig"tened citi/ens, and under

("ic" (e "a'e en+o)ed une0ampled #elicit), t"is ("ole nation is de'oted. 4e o(e it, t"ere#ore, tocandor and to t"e amicable relations e0isting bet(een t"e United States and t"ose po(ers to declare

t"at (e s"ould consider an) attempt on t"eir part to e0tend t"eir s)stem to an) portion o# t"is

"emisp"ere as dangerous to our peace and sa#et). 4it" t"e e0isting colonies or dependencies o# an)

European po(er (e "a'e not inter#ered and s"all not inter#ere. ut (it" t"e &o'ernments ("o "a'e

declared t"eir independence and maintain it, and ("ose independence (e "a'e, on great

consideration and on +ust principles, ac-no(ledged, (e could not 'ie( an) interposition #or t"e

purpose o# oppressing t"em, or controlling in an) ot"er manner t"eir destin), b) an) European

po(er in an) ot"er lig"t t"an as t"e mani#estation o# an un#riendl) disposition to(ard t"e United

States. %n t"e (ar bet(een t"ose ne( &o'ernments and Spain (e declared our neutralit) at t"e time

o# t"eir recognition, and to t"is (e "a'e ad"ered, and s"all continue to ad"ere, pro'ided no c"ange

s"all occur ("ic", in t"e +udgement o# t"e competent aut"orities o# t"is &o'ernment, s"all ma-e acorresponding c"ange on t"e part o# t"e United States indispensable to t"eir securit).

"e late e'ents in Spain and Portugal s"e( t"at Europe is still unsettled. # t"is important #act no

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stronger proo# can be adduced t"an t"at t"e allied po(ers s"ould "a'e t"oug"t it proper, on an)

principle satis#actor) to t"emsel'es, to "a'e interposed b) #orce in t"e internal concerns o# Spain.

o ("at e0tent suc" interposition ma) be carried, on t"e same principle, is a uestion in ("ic" all

independent po(ers ("ose go'ernments di##er #rom t"eirs are interested, e'en t"ose most remote,

and surel) none o# t"em more so t"an t"e United States. ur polic) in regard to Europe, ("ic" (as

adopted at an earl) stage o# t"e (ars ("ic" "a'e so long agitated t"at uarter o# t"e globe,

ne'ert"eless remains t"e same, ("ic" is, not to inter#ere in t"e internal concerns o# an) o# itspo(ers5 to consider t"e go'ernment de #acto as t"e legitimate go'ernment #or us5 to culti'ate

#riendl) relations (it" it, and to preser'e t"ose relations b) a #ran-, #irm, and manl) polic), meeting

in all instances t"e +ust claims o# e'er) po(er, submitting to in+uries #rom none. ut in regard to

t"ose continents circumstances are eminentl) and conspicuousl) di##erent. %t is impossible t"at t"e

allied po(ers s"ould e0tend t"eir political s)stem to an) portion o# eit"er continent (it"out

endangering our peace and "appiness5 nor can an)one belie'e t"at our sout"ern bret"ren, i# le#t to

t"emsel'es, (ould adopt it o# t"eir o(n accord. %t is euall) impossible, t"ere#ore, t"at (e s"ould

be"old suc" interposition in an) #orm (it" indi##erence. %# (e loo- to t"e comparati'e strengt" and

resources o# Spain and t"ose ne( &o'ernments, and t"eir distance #rom eac" ot"er, it must be

ob'ious t"at s"e can ne'er subdue t"em. %t is still t"e true polic) o# t"e United States to lea'e t"e

parties to t"emsel'es, in "ope t"at ot"er po(ers (ill pursue t"e same course. . . .