The Saber and Scroll Journal Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015 | Page 32

threat. The Holy Alliance
decided that representative
government was incompatible
with
the
principles
of
monarchical sovereignty and
divine right. 8 If they were
successful in their efforts with
Spain, what was to stop them
from attempting to revert
former colonies to Spanish rule?
On 9 October 1823,
France and Britain signed the
Polignac Memorandum, in
which France agreed not to seek
colonial possession of former
Spanish colonies in South
America. This was, of course,
the reason for Canning's lack of
continued interest in seeking a
Figure 1 James Monroe 1758-1860. Oil on canvas by
joint statement against European Rembrandt Peale, 1817-1825. James Monroe Museum
aggression in South America. and Memorial Library, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
This situation still concerned the United States’ interests in Latin America. A French
fleet might still sail towards the Americas, though the agreement France had with
Britain against intervention was still new. This was the setting in October 1823,
when President Monroe began considering the situation and possible statement on
the matter.
Thomas Edington, in his book The Monroe Doctrine, states British Foreign
Minister Canning as the real behind-the-scenes creator of the Monroe Doctrine. 9 It
was Canning's belief that a bold statement against intervention by European powers
into South America was a necessity. Of course, the British backed this belief based
on purely economic factors. The United States, through its ministers to Britain as
well as Secretary of State Adams, believed action was necessary to curtail possible
involvement of the Holy Alliance into reclaiming former Spanish territory.
James Fawcett, in The Origin and Text of the Monroe Doctrine, points out
that the Holy Alliance announced after the subjugation of the Spanish revolt, that
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