The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 18, July 1914 - April, 1915 Page: 246
438 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
main under its present owners but never pass into the hands of a
more powerful nation.58
It has sometimes been held that this application of the Mon-
roe Doctrine was merely a bogey used by Polk to alarm the country
and justify his subsequent course in the eyes of the nation.
Enough, it is believed, has already been said to show the falsity of
such a. charge. When he wrote-"the people of this continent
alone have the right to decide their own destiny. Should any
portion of them, constituting an independent state, propose to
unite themselves with our confederacy, this will be a question for
them and for us to determine without any foreign interference"59-
Polk desired to warn England that the United States would brook
no interference in case the program entrusted to Larkin in Cali-
fornia was a success, and the inhabitants sought annexation to
this country.
Similarly, when he announced that "no future European colony
or dominion, shall with our consent, be planted or established on
any part of the North American continent,"60 he wished to an-
nounce clearly and distinctly to the British government that any
attempt she might make to gain control of California would be
opposed, with arms if necessary, by the United States.
Did Polk's fear of England hasten the Mexican Warr?-The
foregoing discussion, it is hoped, has shown something of the
apprehension that existed in the mind of President Polk and
his advisers, lest, either directly or indirectly, European influence
should hinder the acquisition of California by the United States.
How large a part this played in bringing on the Mexican War,
would be interesting, but impossible, to say. In arriving at the
effect of this apprehension, however, it should be remembered
that Polk's attitude on all great public questions was moulded
largely by Andrew Jackson, who had warned him against England
both in her relation to Texas and California,61 and that he had
every reason to believe, and did thoroughly believe, from the re-
ports that came from Mexico and California that European in-
"Polk, Diary, I, 71 (Oct. 24th).
"James D. Richardson, Messages and Papers of the Presidents (Wash-
ington. Gov't Printing Office. 1896), IV, 398.
6"Ibid., 399.
"Ap. Cong. Globe, 28 Cong., 1 sess., p. 445.846
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 18, July 1914 - April, 1915, periodical, 1915; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101064/m1/252/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.