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Show THE CUBAN BTHUGGLE. Editors of the Herald: Will you I please inform mo through your col- 1 uuns what is meant by the "Monroe doctrine," which is frequently al- j luded to in the public journals in ! connection with tho Cuban iiiMurrec-tion iiiMurrec-tion ? Ia this doctrine applicable to the Cuban struggle? B. James Monroe, president of the United States, in his annual message to congress of December, 1823, promulgated pro-mulgated the American policy, that the United States should neither entangle en-tangle itself in tho broils of Europe, nor suffer the powers of the old world to interfere with the aflairs of the new. In this connection he declared de-clared that any attempt on the part of tho European powers to "extend their system to any portion of this hemiphere" would be regarded by the Unittd States as "dangerous to our peace and safety," and that, where governments have Uppn rrmpni'pd bv us as indepen dent, "we could not view any interposition inter-position for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling ia any manner their destiny, by any European power in any other light than aa a manifestation of au unfriendly disposition dispo-sition towards the United States." Mr. Canning, the great British minister at that time, was tho real inspirer of of thiu sentiment, urging it upon Monroe's administration to counteract counter-act the desiens of the Holy Alliance for the restoration of the revolted Spanish colonies on the American coaet to Spain. The idea became immediately popular, both in this country and in England", and led to the abandonment by Spain of her i purposes of re-conquest here. The assertion of tho interest and responsibility re-sponsibility of the United States in regard to the aflairs of this continent has never since been seriously questioned , and was exercised with cfJect by Mr, Seward so lately aB during our great civil war, when the armies of France invaded Mexico. Whether the present struggle in Cuba comes within the technical Bcope of tho Monroe doctrine may be doubted, though there is no question that the persistent unsuccessful efforts of Spain to restore her peaceful supremacy suprem-acy over the island is an infringement infringe-ment of the spirit of the American principle. For nearly seven years tho Cubans have successfully resisted all attempts of Spain to force them into submission to its hated rule, holding a large portion of the island, and yearly extending the area of their operations, until they have destroyed de-stroyed the great commercial and in-industrial in-industrial resources of the country, and greatly weakened the home government. gov-ernment. The people of the United States have been subjected to great loss by the continuance of the war, and though popular opinion here is generally favorable to the interposition interpo-sition of the government in behalf of the patriot Cubans, at least to the extent ex-tent of their recognition as beligerents, the administration has steadily de- r intarfern in ftny m""""' ' the struggle, save ttifough its friendly representations to the Spanish cabi net in favor of peace. This attitude is viewed in an unfavorable light by great numbers of our people, who look forward to some positive action by the next congress on this subject. Should President Grant fail to allude pointedly point-edly to Cuban aflairs in his forthcoming forthcom-ing message, it is not unlikely that the democratic majority in the house may see in the strugglo an opportunity opportu-nity to raise the standard of the Monroe Mon-roe doctrine against the Cuban policy pol-icy of the administration, as a popular popu-lar idea for the next presidential campaign. It ia evident that the great efforts now being made by Spain to ciush out the patriots are inspired by the knowledge that the patience of thiB country is nearly exhausted ex-hausted in view of her slow progress in the enterpriao, and the anticipation anticipa-tion of a cpeedy chango in our policy. Under any other party than the republican this conflict would have terminated years ago by the intimation intima-tion of the United States that it was i contrary to the interests of the republic re-public and in subversion of the spirit of the Monroe doctrine. |