James Monroe, The Boy, The Man And The President

[Music] welcome to the James Monroe law office and Museum this is the only Museum of its kind dedicated to the fifth president of the United States here within the walls where James Monroe practiced law you will find the papers the personal effects and the momentos of His Brilliant career in order that you may better understand what you will see on display here I would like to turn back the pages of history for a little while and show you something about James Monroe as a man as a boy and as the president who helped to shape this nation's Destiny James Monroe was born on April 28th 1758 in West Morland County Virginia on the peninsula between the pomac and rapan rivers he was the fifth generation of Monro in America in this tall grass and along these Banks young James grew up like most young boys of his day fishing hunting and growing in self-reliance nearby stood Stratford home of Monroe's Boyhood friend Henry Lee later a great revolutionary Patriot Monroe was educated in a small country Schoolhouse by Parson archal Campbell who earlier had been the tutor of George Washington little more is known of Monroe during this early period however the young man of 16 who rode into Williamsburg to enroll in the College of William and Mary was well matured and prepared to cope with the events which were to follow events which would change his life and this nation's Destiny the rising tide of Revolution was flooding college and town How could a student sit quietly reading the class while the night watch shouted news of trouble in Lexington and conod and that up and down the peninsula men in arms were [Music] drilling one night not a mile from the Christopher Ren building where Monroe lived word came of the rifling of the Powder Magazine by the British and his friends ran to the scene but too late the powder was gone the room was empty in full view of the governor's Palace a new activity became a part of Monroe day [Music] joining with his fellow students and Town's people Monroe drilled under the commander of the Virginia forces Patrick Henry to show his contempt for the last British governor [Music] Monroe was the only president other than Washington who actually fought in the revolution Monroe served brilliantly through many battles of the war crossing the Delaware and the Vanguard of Washington's forces to prepare for the attack on Trenton in the ensuing battle Monroe was wounded by a British musket ball which he carried in his shoulder for the rest of his [Music] life recovering from the effects of his wound Monroe went on to fight in the battles of Brandy Wine German Town and M he also was among Washington's ragged army at Valley Forge emerging from the war as a lieutenant colonel at the age of 23 James Monroe was taken underwing by Thomas Jefferson then governor of Virginia Jefferson instructed young Monroe in law and persuaded him to enter public life at 24 Monroe was elected to the Virginia assembly and became a member of the executive Council thus began a political career which was to carry him into more High public offices than had been held by any citizen before at 25 Monro was elected to the Continental Congress in New York Early letters and journals record that he played an active part they in forming his nation's policies in the winter of 1786 Monroe fell in love with the beautiful Elizabeth Courtright Miss Courtright was considered quite a lady even at the age of 18 Monroe was forever grateful that she consented to marry him as he knew that New York Society felt that she could have done better as the years were to prove the marriage of Miss Courtright to Colonel James Monroe was unusually happy happy at the end of the 1786 session of Congress Monroe went to live in Fredericksburg Virginia with his bride here he practiced law for three years and was honored by being selected Town councilman the years in Fredericksburg were happy and fruitful in this house Eliza their first child was born and here they entertained graciously one of their neighbors was the mother of George Washington Mary Washington Monroe and his family often visited her home to pay their respects to the mother of his former commanderin-chief during this period Monroe corresponded with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison a correspondence and friendship which lasted the remainder of their lives the Monro also visited Kenmore the home of Colonel Fielding Lewis and his wife who was the sister of George Washington when when the Autumn of 1787 came James Monroe journeyed to Richmond once again in the Virginia assembly at the age of 32 he moved to Philadelphia as the new senator from Virginia he held this post until 1794 when President Washington asked him to accept a very important diplomatic Mission as minister to France England and France were at swords Point Monroe's special mission was to further French American friendship while keeping the United States absolutely neutral it was a delicate assignment those were difficult times in France with the French Revolution resulting in many political changes heads were rolling among them those of King Louis 16th and queen Marie antonet Monroe was energetic in protecting the interests of his country he was instrumental in Saving the Great American Patriot Thomas Payne from the te as well as Madame Lafayette whose husband fought so gallantly in our American Revolution meanwhile at the seat of the United States government in Philadelphia a split was widening in the administration a split that was the start of our present two-party system the Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson stood against a highly centralized federal government Alexander Hamilton and his Federalists bitterly opposed Jefferson Hamilton's party objected to Monroe's policies in France and in a deaf political maneuver succeeded in having Monroe recall returning from France Monroe built his cabin on the mountain known today as ashlon Monroe built ashon next to monachello the home of his good friend Thom Jefferson their warm friendship caused Monroe to be a frequent visitor to this fabulous home Jefferson even named one of its rooms after Monroe the next three years were the darkest in Monroe's life his politics were severely attacked and he found himself involved in a personal Feud with Alexander Hamilton Hamilton felt that their differences could be resolved only on the field of Honor he believed that Monroe had intentionally plotted to Blacken his career his honor and his reputation by making certain false accusations although this was not the case Hamilton demanded satisfaction Hamilton met with Monroe personally to discuss their differences Hamilton accused Monroe of representing himself falsely Monroe answered that he was telling the truth and called Hamilton a scoundrel Hamilton then angrily challenged Monroe to a Duo Ro offered to meet him immediately however cooler heads intervened and an immediate encounter was averted Monroe instructed his second Aaron bir to make final arrangements for the duo however Monroe demanded that he be allowed time to complete a book he was writing to vindicate his policies while in France it took two months to finish his work the time for the duel was at hand however Hamilton not wanting to be known as the aggressor decided against the duel and prepared instead to write his own Vindication and so these dueling pistols Monroe bought were never used under such trying conditions Monroe considered shunning public life and returning to his private law practice however in obedience to the public will he re-entered the political field and was three times chosen governor of Virginia each year in office gave governor Monroe greater political stature in 183 Monroe was again sent overseas This Time by President Jefferson as special Envoy to France later he was appointed minister to England and Spain his instructions in France were to negotiate with Napoleon for the purchase of New Orleans Napoleon realizing that war was coming with England did not want the British to seized this possession in the new world he therefore offered not only New Orleans but the entire Louisiana a territory for $15 million on May 2nd 183 maua Napoleon's minister of the treasury signed a treaty with Monroe and Robert R Livingston the American minister to France a treaty comprising the largest real estate transaction the world has ever known by this treaty the United States acquired what are now the states of Arkansas Missouri Iowa North and South Dakota Nebraska and Oklahoma as as well as parts of Minnesota Kansas Montana Wyoming Colorado and Louisiana on December 20th 183 in New Orleans the French tricolor was hauled down and the stars and stripes run [Music] up in 1811 Monroe was once more chosen governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia however this fourth term was cut short when President Madison appointed him Secretary of State Monroe took his family to this house on I Street in Washington unlike so many other buildings this was not destroyed in the War of 1812 during the British raid on Washington secretary Monroe spent hours in the saddle scouting the enemy to more successfully Carry On the War President Madison now appointed Monroe Secretary of War in addition to his duties as Secretary of State he is the only president to hold these two cabinet positions at the same time in November of 1816 the nation paid Monroe its greatest Honor by electing him president of the United States while in office President Monroe laid the Cornerstone of the University of Virginia on hand to watch were two former presidents Jefferson and Madison the University was built on land Monroe had owned University buildings now surround this house where Monroe once lived during his eight years in the White House Monroe's dreams were realized the country expanded greatly the West Was open canals roads and rivers were developed and commerce boomed Monroe's two administrations were known as the era of Good [Music] Feeling one of Monroe's deep concerns was for the liberty and Welfare of the infant Latin American republics he considered their independence closely related to that of the United States Spain was eager to reconquer these infant republics Russia through her holy alliance with Prussia and Austria was ready to Aid Spain's cause in South America Monroe felt that if their objectives were attained it would be dangerous for the peace and safety of the United States since aggressor nations would be within the Western Hemisphere and on our borders a plan was taking form in Monroe's mind however realizing the scope of his ideas he sought the advice of his friend and counselor Thomas Jefferson Dear Sir my own impression is that we ought to make it known that we would view an interference on the part of the European powers and especially an attack on the Latin American colonies by them as an attack on ourselves presuming that if they succeeded with them they would extend their system to us Jefferson immediately saw the importance of Monroe's ideas and at once framed his famous reply Dear Sir the question presented by the letters you have sent me is the most momentous which has ever been offered to my contemplation since that of the Declaration of indep dependence that made us a nation this sets our compass and points the course which we are to steer through the ocean of time opening on us while Europe is laboring to become the domicile of despotism our Endeavor should surely be to make our hemisphere the home of Freedom with Jefferson's enthusiastic support Monroe began work on The Words which were to shape our nation's Destiny so on December 2nd 1823 in his annual message to Congress Monroe announced this country's stand to a startled world we owe it therefore to Canada and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety his words were quickly translated as hands off the Latin American Republic the strength of the Monroe Doctrine was immediately discernible it remains today the Bedrock of our foreign policy in 1825 after his two terms as president Monroe and his wife retired to their estate Oak Hill near leeburg Virginia it was here that Mrs Monroe died in 1830 saddened by her death and extremely lonely Monroe moved to this house in New York City to be with his younger daughter there he died on Independence Day July 4th 1831 listening to the sounds of celebration for the day he helped immortalize he Now lies in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond Virginia honored by the State and Country he loved and for which he worked so hard throughout his memorable life realize I've only given you a brief history of James Monroe but even at that his life reads like the pages of American history in fact he was history that's why I feel that no one must ever consider James Monroe as just another president but rather as one of our great ones no office was too high no office too lowly so long long as he could serve his fellow Americans [Music]