JameSmonroe – Soldier, envoy, PreSident
Senior Counsel Section Co-Chairs: ThomasNewcombHyde – AttorneyatLaw & DonSmith – Smith, Tozian, Daniel & Davis, PA
James Monroe played a significant role in the founding of the United States as we know it today. Under General George Washington, he was gravely wounded as the Revolutionary forces crossed the Delaware River in 1776. Monroe was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson as Extraordinary Envoy to France in 1803 and finalized the negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase. Finally, Monroe established the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 as the president of the United States of America.
SOldiER In 1776, Monroe was a student at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. When he was nineteen, motivated by revolutionary zeal, Monroe dropped out of college 1 and became a lieutenant in General George Washington’ s Continental Army. On Christmas night of 1776, Washington led the army across the Delaware River. This event is depicted in a painting by German American artist Emmanuel Leutze( 1891). Washington is dramatically shown at the helm of a boat
crossing the river. Interestingly, in the painting, Lieutenant James Monroe stands holding the American flag directly behind Washington.
Having crossed the Delaware, Washington’ s army then approached a Hessian brigade of German mercenaries just outside of Trenton, New Jersey. Lieutenant Monroe and another officer led the charge to drive the Hessians back and capture two cannons. Both officers were severely wounded. Fortunately for Monroe, the army surgeon stopped the bleeding and Monroe survived. 2 But the bullet could not be removed, and it remained in Monroe’ s shoulder for the rest of his life.
EnvOY In January 1803, President Thomas Jefferson appointed James Monroe as the Extraordinary Envoy to France to assist American
themonroedoctrine hasbeenchangedand modifiedovertheyears, butitstillstandsasone ofthemostenduring foreignpolicystandards oftheunitedStates, evenintothe twenty-firstcentury.
Ambassador John Livingston in negotiations for the sale of New Orleans to the United States. 3 Negotiations were continuing slowly when at one point, Prince Talleyrand, Napoleon’ s foreign minister, suddenly asked Livingston,“ What will you give for the whole of Louisiana?” 4 When Monroe arrived in Paris, he realized that the negotiations with Napoleon had been dragging on. He was immediately concerned, because Napoleon could change his mind at any time, so they had to act fast. 5 Talks continued until April 1803, when the United States bought all of the Louisiana Province for fifteen million dollars, almost doubling its territory. The treaty required the U. S. to settle its citizens’ claims against France and granted Louisiana residents citizenship and future statehood. Finally on October 21, 1803, much to the
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