Editing James Monroe (section)

====Monroe Doctrine====
[[File:GSJamesMonroe.jpg|thumb|right|Portrait of President Monroe by [[Gilbert Stuart]], {{circa|1820–1822}}]]{{Main|Monroe Doctrine}}

In January 1821, Adams first expressed the idea that the American double continent should be closed to further colonization by foreign powers. The idea, which was later adopted by Monroe, was influenced by the Adams–Onís Treaty and the negotiations on border disputes in the Oregon Country. Adams emphasized that the further colonization of America, except for Canada, should be in the hands of the Americans themselves. This later became a principle in Monroe's administration. After the [[Spanish Revolution of 1820]] was ended by France, Secretary of War Calhoun and British Foreign Secretary [[George Canning]] warned Monroe that European powers might intend to intervene in South America, increasing the pressure on him to speak out on the future of the Western Hemisphere.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hart|2005|pp=100–102}}</ref>

For their part, the British also had a strong interest in ensuring the demise of Spanish colonialism, with all the trade restrictions [[mercantilism]] imposed. In October 1823, Richard Rush, the American minister in London, corresponded with Canning to work out a common position on a potential French intervention in South America. When Monroe was presented with this correspondence, which had yielded no tangible results, in mid-October 1823, his first reaction was to accept the British offer.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hart|2005|pp=112–114}}</ref> Adams vigorously opposed cooperation with Great Britain, contending that a statement of bilateral nature could limit United States expansion in the future. He also argued that the British were not committed to recognizing the Latin American republics and must have had imperial motivations themselves.<ref>{{cite web |title=Milestones: 1801–1829: Monroe Doctrine, 1823 |url=https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/monroe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131010117/https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/monroe |archive-date=January 31, 2017 |access-date=February 25, 2017 |publisher=Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs United States Department of State}}</ref>

Two months later, the bilateral statement proposed by the British became a unilateral declaration by the United States. While Monroe thought that Spain was unlikely to re-establish its colonial empire on its own, he feared that France or the [[Holy Alliance]] might seek to establish control over the former Spanish possessions.<ref name=":8" /> On December 2, 1823, in his annual message to Congress, Monroe articulated what became known as the Monroe Doctrine. He first reiterated the traditional U.S. policy of neutrality with regard to European wars and conflicts. He then declared that the United States would not accept the recolonization of any country by its former European master, though he also avowed non-interference with existing European colonies in the Americas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Monroe - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com |url=http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-monroe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719151806/http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-monroe |archive-date=July 19, 2017 |access-date=July 24, 2017 |website=HISTORY.com}}</ref> Finally, he stated that European countries should no longer consider the Western Hemisphere open to new colonization, a jab aimed primarily at Russia, which was attempting to expand its colony on the northern Pacific Coast.<ref name="JMforeign" />{{sfn|Ammon|1971|pp=476–492}}