Amer Pres: Monroe

After reading the previous installment in The American Presidents series, on James Madison, I had begun to lose a little faith in this presidential journey that I had set out upon, as the content was so heavy and often very boring to wade through. This book, however, restored my confidence in the series going forward. Basically, this James Monroe biography is much more engaging than the previous two books in the series. Whereas the Jefferson and Madison editions got bogged down in details at times, this one was much more straightforward and interesting. I learned a lot about our nation's fifth President, and wasn't bored to death in the process. There were only two things that tempered the experience for me: First, was the over-harping on Monroe being the first "national security" President. It probably didn't need to be said or implied on seemingly every other page (!). Also, on one occasion, author Gary Hart completely breaks the character of the book and does a little George W. Bush-bashing, which was wholly un-called for. Overall, this was a very interesting, engaging read and really re-establishes the series going forward.

Gary Hart was a US Senator 1975-1887 and the author of 14 books. He is senior counsel to a multi-national law firm. He has a Ph.D. in politics and shows his writing skills in the `Introduction'. Lt. James Monroe was 18 years old when he took part in the Battle of Trenton where he was wounded and promoted to Captain. The end of the war left him a colonel. This early military experience defined his future (p.3). Hart considers Monroe as a "national security" president who sought to expand and secure the borders of the US (p.8). Chapter 1 explains Monroe's politics. He was in favor of creating new states from the frontier lands (p.14) and backed the new settlers in westward expansion (p.15). Monroe was a leader of the Republican faction in the Senate (p.21); he was against the privately owned "Bank of the United States" (p.20). Monroe defended the French Revolution (p.22). Chapter 2 discusses the boundaries of the US and the politics of those times. The Federalists wanted closer ties to Great Britain, the Republicans were against any monarchy. The Jay Treaty caused conflicts (p.33). Monroe's efforts gained freedom of navigation on the Mississippi (p.34). Recalled, he became Governor of Virginia. President Jefferson sent him on a diplomatic mission to France (the Louisiana Purchase). [Hart does not mention that the wars with the Indians due to British aid was the other factor for the War of 1812 (p.51).] Monroe was appointed Secretary of War and acting Secretary of State in 1814 (p.53). Monroe was widely respected and members of Congress nominated him for President in 1816. Monroe's presidency (1817-1825) marked the era where the US sought normal trade and maritime relations with the European powers (Chapter 3). New states were admitted to the Union. Monroe sided with the westward pioneers against eastern bankers and big land owners (p.60). He recommended a larger standing army and improved coastal fortifications (p.62). Monroe defended Baltimore against the British (p.67). As President he advocated an enlarged army and fortifications (p.70). General Andrew Jackson's expedition to Florida caused diplomatic problems (p.72). Monroe was re-elected president in 1820 with no opposition (p.75). Monroe wanted an expanded military to meet the needs of an expanding country (p.87). Monroe picked John Quincy Adams as Secretary of Sate because of his "unusual diplomatic experience" (p.84). The Missouri Compromise preserved the Union (p.96). The Transcontinental Treaty of 1819 gave Florida to the US and extended the southern boundary of Louisiana to the Pacific (p.98). The South American republics were given diplomatic recognition in 1822. American opinion was sympathetic to revolutions (p.108). The British Foreign Secretary proposed the US should keep Continental Europe out of Spain's former colonies (p.112). [Commerce drives politics.] Monroe's Doctrine was never part of any law or treaty (p.120). It had an impact far greater that any diplomatic note (p.125)

A new biography in `The American Presidents' series by Times Books that are edited by famed historian Arthur Schlesinger has been issued that focuses on the presidency of James Monroe who is now barely remembered by the American public since he served in high office in the early 19th Century. Yet he ruled in a similar fashion to the tenure of today's George W. Bush by promoting a tough national security policy in the aftermath of a just concluded war. The biography on Monroe, the nation's fifth president, was written by former Colorado U.S. Senator Gary Hart. Only students of American political history will recognize the name of this long-forgotten chief executive. Monroe is best remembered today as the architect of the `Monroe Doctrine' in which the United States, instead of Europe, would be the major influence of opinion in the Americas. Monroe was elected in 1816 as this nation's fifth chief executive for two terms just when the nation was recovering from the aftermath of our second war with Britain in a thirty-five year timespan. He previously served in the Revolutionary War as an officer under George Washington and was immortalized in Emanuel Leutze's painting `Washington Crossing the Delaware' as the figure directly behind the famed general who was holding the flag as they prepared to battle the British. Monroe was obviously influenced by his predecessor's actions in office to rule the country as our nation's first president, especially since the people's moods had split into two factions once Washington left office in 1797 and died two years later. The Federalists, as led by John Adams, believed in federal authority (national government) on all matters while the Republicans (the modern day Democratic Party) under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison emphasized each state's unique sovereignty over federal control on most issues facing the fledgling nation as those two and Monroe hailed from Virginia and all three recognized the need for the thirteen states to keep from being dominated by the federal government. Hart writes that Monroe, in addition to his hero Washington, was obsessed with the defensive security of the new country's borders and wanted to prevent another attack from a foreign power as it struggled to maintain its sovereignty while growing in land size and population. He increased funding to the War Department for securing additional property in Florida and west towards the Pacific Ocean to better stabilize the nation's defenses against potential invaders from some other country wishing to get the spoils of these new lands that still did not possess a standing army and depended on volunteers for civil defense in times of a national emergency. He issued an edict in December, 1823 on U.S. foreign policy that would resonate for the next two centuries as implied fact that became known as the `Monroe Doctrine.' The statement said that the Americas, not Europe, and especially the United States would take the lead on s

Mr. Hart provides a good bio, both complimentary and critical of President Monroe.

letting his own political bias show through at the end. This is a well written, concise, very readable biography of the first "national security" president. Monroe is one of the most underrated and under appreciated presidents in our nation's history. Hart's book should help assuage that injustice. I have only two criticisms. Hart seemed to take the easy way out by utilizing previous research rather than conducting his own in the use of innumerable quotes from other biographers/historians. This in no way detracted from the book. It just seems to say, "Why do my own research when I can use what others have done before me?" My second criticism is that Hart injected a totally superfluous and politically biased conclusion to his discussion of the Monroe Doctrine by slamming the Bush administration and attempting to advance his own political agenda. Viewing Hart as a politician, I respect his right to do that. Viewing Hart as a biographer/historian, I lament the fact that he felt compelled to prostitute his otherwise commendable book for the sake of partisan politics.