The Saber and Scroll Journal Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015 | Page 33

Spain intended to conquer Spanish American states. Therefore, on 2 December
1823, in a joint session of Congress, President James Monroe declared any attempt
by European powers to extend their system of government to any portion of the
Western Hemisphere as, “dangerous to our peace and safety.” 11 This became one of
the most important pieces of international diplomacy for the next 170 years.
The United States Navy was still relatively young compared to the British
Navy, which was at the height of its power. It was clear that the British Navy was
partially responsible for enforcing the tenets of the Monroe Doctrine. 12 In a letter to
former President Thomas Jefferson, former President James Madison stated, “with
the British power and navy combined with ours, we have nothing to fear from the
rest of the world.” 13
In regards to Latin America, Foreign Secretary Canning engaged in
negotiations with Prince de Polignac of France. These placed the British Navy in
the center of the potential battle map. Fearing the power of the British Navy,
France did not seek to pursue any attempts to colonize or control Latin America. 14
Every nation was aware Britain maintained the largest navy in the world and the
members of the Holy Alliance did not want to tangle with Britain on international
waters. 15
British Honduras, later known as Belize, became an area of concern after
the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine. Britain initially set up Belize as a
logging settlement. Spain argued against the settlement, and later destroyed it.
After quite some time, a few of the initial settlers who survived the destruction of
the settlement and imprisonment in Cuba returned to rebuild the settlement. Under
the consideration of the Monroe Doctrine, this area existed as a prior settlement of
the British. 16
Another incident in the area of Belize occurred at the Bay Islands. In this
case, years after the British formally documented their claims to Belize, Britain
decided to lay claim to the Bay Islands as a part of Belize. Great Britain and the
United States dispatched war ships to the area, and it became an intense subject of
negotiations between Britain and the United States, with the United States Minister
to England, James Buchanan, taking a leading role. During negotiations, the United
States invoked the Monroe Doctrine and Great Britain eventually turned over the
Bay Islands to Honduras, who claimed right of ownership. 17
The next major test of the Monroe Doctrine occurred during the American
Civil War. Embroiled in battle, the United States was in no position to enforce the
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