The Historical Background of the Monroe Doctrine

President Monroe was well informed as to the attitude of the American people toward the Holy Alliance and as early as 1821 he believed that the members of the Holy Alliance "hated us for our principles" and it was on August 8, 1823, he confided to John Q. Adams that in the United States generally the Holy Alliance was considered as "a mere hypocritical fraud."So with a knowledge of the attitude of the American people toward the European program, his own suspicion of the Holy Alliance, the embarrassed position of Great Britain together with the aggression and apparent deceptive motive of Canning; and with the able advice of this efficient Secretary of State, Mr. Monroe arose to the gigantic occasion and delivered his matchless doctrine which rightfully bears his name, thus putting into action for America what Canning desired for England.