A Guide to the Papers of James Monroe 1778-1831
A Collection in
Special Collections
The University of Virginia Library
Accession Number : Multiple numbers
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Preferred Citation
Papers of James
Monroe
, Accession #[ ], Special
Collections, University of Virginia Library,
Charlottesville, Va.
Acquisition Information
This collection was acquired through gift and purchase. See individual accession numbers for more information.
Biographical/Historical Information
Fifth President 1817-1825; born April 28, 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia; married, Elizabeth Kortright (1768-1830)
February 16, 1786; children: Eliza Kortright Monroe
(1786-1835),
James
Spence
Monroe
(1799-1800), Maria Hester
Monroe
(1803-1850); died July 4, 1831 in New York, New York; buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.
Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in 1758, Monroe
attended the College of William and Mary, fought with distinction in the Continental Army, and practiced law in Fredericksburg,
Virginia.
As a youthful politician, he joined the anti-Federalists in the Virginia Convention which ratified the Constitution, and in
1790, an advocate of Jeffersonian policies, was elected United States Senator. As Minister to France in 1794-1796, he displayed
strong sympathies for the French cause; later, with Robert R. Livingston, he helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. His
ambition and energy, together with the backing of President Madison, made him the Republican choice for the Presidency in
1816. With little Federalist opposition, he easily won re-election in 1820. Monroe
made unusually strong Cabinet choices, naming a Southerner, John C. Calhoun, as Secretary of War, and a northerner, John
Quincy Adams, as Secretary of State. Only Henry Clay's refusal kept
Monroe
from adding an outstanding Westerner.
Early in his administration, Monroe
undertook a goodwill tour. At Boston, his visit was hailed as the beginning of an "Era of Good Feelings." Unfortunately these
"good feelings" did not endure, although
Monroe
, his popularity undiminished, followed nationalist policies.
Across the facade of nationalism, ugly sectional cracks appeared. A painful economic depression undoubtedly increased the dismay of the people of the Missouri Territory in 1819 when their application for admission to the Union as a slave state failed. An amended bill for gradually eliminating slavery in Missouri precipitated two years of bitter debate in Congress. The Missouri Compromise bill resolved the struggle, pairing Missouri as a slave state with Maine, a free state, and barring slavery north and west of Missouri forever.
In foreign affairs Monroe
proclaimed the fundamental policy that bears his name, responding to the threat that the more conservative governments in
Europe might try to aid Spain in winning back her former Latin American colonies.
Monroe
did not begin formally to recognize the young sister republics until 1822, after ascertaining that Congress would vote appropriations
for diplomatic missions. He and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams wished to avoid trouble with Spain until it had ceded
the Floridas, as was done in 1821.
Great Britain, with its powerful navy, also opposed reconquest of Latin America and suggested that the United States join
in proclaiming "hands off." Ex-Presidents Jefferson and Madison counseled Monroe
to accept the offer, but Secretary Adams advised, "It would be more candid ... to avow our principles explicitly to Russia
and France, than to come in as a cock-boat in the wake of the British man-of-war."
Monroe
accepted Adams's advice. Not only must Latin America be left alone, he warned, but also Russia must not encroach southward
on the Pacific coast. ". . . the American continents," he stated, "by the free and independent condition which they have assumed
and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European Power." Some 20 years
after
Monroe
died in 1831, this became known as the
Monroe
Doctrine.
Scope and Content
The Papers of James
Monroe
(ca. 209 items) consist chiefly of correspondence with friends, family members, and fellow politicians.
Contents List
#7224
#38-112
Original in the Hitchcock-Coit Collection of Mills College Library. #5957
#8991
#38-114
#3419
#10398-a
#7262
#1661
#7224
#8707-a
#8739-a
#2196
#7289-b
#5320
#2362-d
#5533-a
#2854
#4384
#5533-a
#1231
#4909
#4776
#8005
#7792
#1532
#13915
Original in Papers of Thomas Jefferson. #4776-a
#38-550
#7650
#3098
#2854
#2447
#7224
#1661
#10631
#8739-a
#5845
#2598
#8739-a
#8481
#7262
#5106
#1714


#5533-n
#4559
#6691
#4619
#4476
#3339
#1232
#6691-a
#5842
#7308
Asking for consideration as replacement for General Lyman as Consul in Great Britain
#5533-c
#1661
#6697
#5951
#2315
#6569
#8739-a
#2288
#6569
#4476
#8807-a
#3248
#2718
#7455
#8800
#8685
#6691-b




#3537
#7262
#8669
#2360
#8005
#9382
#2360
#5009
#8700
#8689
#4832
#3490-a
#1921-a
#6569
#7530-b
#5320
#5853-b
#4909
#2474
#3248




#8063
#5533-c
The minutes for December 1826 are titled "Proceedings of the Board of Visitors December 1826" and are initialed by Monroe
on the front cover.
The minutes for July 1827 are titled "Proceedings of the Rector and Visitors July 1827" and are docketed by
Monroe
on the rear cover. Both are in the
hand of Nicholas P. Trist.
#RG-1/1/1.481
#11946
#11945-a
#3184
#1480
#5914


#2832
#9210-f
#2318
#3184
#9156
#38-596
#10827
#5842
#38-596
#38-596
#4559
#6435
#6569