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  Monroe, James
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationDemocratic-Republican  
<-  1817-01-01  
 
NameJames Monroe
Address2050 James Monroe Pkwy
Charlottesville, Virginia , United States
EmailNone
WebsiteNone
Born April 28, 1758
DiedJuly 04, 1831 (73 years)
ContributorJake
Last ModifedCaprice
Feb 18, 2021 10:57am
Tags Scottish - Welsh - Army - Freemason - Anglican - Episcopalian -
InfoOn New Year's Day, 1825, at the last of his annual White House receptions, President James Monroe made a pleasing impression upon a Virginia lady who shook his hand:

"He is tall and well formed. His dress plain and in the old style.... His manner was quiet and dignified. From the frank, honest expression of his eye ... I think he well deserves the encomium passed upon him by the great Jefferson, who said, 'Monroe was so honest that if you turned his soul inside out there would not be a spot on it.' "

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.

First Appeared on a United States Postage Stamp in 1904.
Vote totals for elections in which was nominated for the Hall of Fame for Great Americans (1900-1965): 1900-19, 1905-24, 1910-27, 1915-6, 1920-6, 1930-66.

White House
[Link]

JOB APPROVAL POLLS
DateFirmApproveDisapproveDon't Know
06/13/2007-06/24/2007 Rasmussen Reports 49.00% ( 0.0) 10.00% ( 0.0) 41.00% ( 0.0)

BOOKS
Title Purchase Contributor

EVENTS
Start Date End Date Type Title Contributor

NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor

DISCUSSION
Importance? 10.00000 Average

FAMILY
Wife Elizabeth Kortright Monroe 00, 1786-Sep 23, 1830
Daughter Eliza Kortright Monroe Hay 1786-1835
Son J. S. Monroe 1799-1801
Daughter Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur 1804-1850
Father Spence Monroe 0000-
Brother Andrew A. Monroe 1755-1826
Nephew James Monroe 1799-1870

INFORMATION LINKS
James Monroe - Eighth Annual Message (December 7, 1824)  Discuss
James Monroe - Fifth Annual Message (December 3, 1821)  Discuss
James Monroe - First Annual Message (December 2, 1817)  Discuss
James Monroe - Fourth Annual Message (November 14, 1820)  Discuss
James Monroe - Second Annual Message (November 16, 1818)  Discuss
James Monroe - Seventh Annual Message (Monroe Doctrine) (December 2, 1823)  Discuss
James Monroe - Sixth Annual Message (December 3, 1822)  Discuss
James Monroe - Third Annual Message (December 7, 1819)  Discuss
President James Monroe Inaugural Address March 4, 1817  Discuss
President James Monroe Inaugural Address March 5, 1821  Discuss
RACES
  12/06/1820 US President Won 99.57% (+99.14%)
  11/25/1820 AL US President Won 67.02% (+34.04%)
  11/14/1820 US President National Vote Won 80.61% (+64.49%)
  11/14/1820 DE US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/09/1820 NC US President Won 96.07% (+92.43%)
  11/08/1820 SC US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/06/1820 ME US President Won 97.15% (+94.30%)
  11/06/1820 MD US President Won 81.10% (+65.59%)
  11/06/1820 MA US President Lost 32.32% (-35.35%)
  11/06/1820 IL US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 PA US President Won 94.12% (+88.24%)
  11/03/1820 NY US President Won 57.79% (+15.58%)
  11/03/1820 RI US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 TN US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 VT US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 MS US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 VA US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 MO US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 NH US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 OH US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1820 NJ US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1820 LA US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1820 GA US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1820 IN US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1820 KY US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/00/1820 CT US President Won 84.17% (+68.33%)
  04/08/1820 US President - DR Caucus Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/04/1816 U.S. President Won 84.33% (+68.66%)
  11/16/1816 US President - National Vote Won 68.16% (+37.24%)
  11/14/1816 NC US President Won 96.95% (+95.13%)
  11/03/1816 SC US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 LA US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 VA US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 DE US President Lost 28.00% (-44.00%)
  11/03/1816 MD US President Won 70.17% (+40.34%)
  11/03/1816 NH US President Won 53.30% (+6.61%)
  11/03/1816 NJ US President Won 97.95% (+95.90%)
  11/03/1816 NY US President Won 71.81% (+43.62%)
  11/03/1816 GA US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 RI US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 IN US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 TN US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 KY US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/03/1816 VT US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1816 PA US President Won 59.97% (+19.93%)
  11/01/1816 OH US President Won 84.87% (+69.74%)
  03/16/1816 US President - DR Caucus Won 54.62% (+9.24%)
  02/28/1815 U. S. Secretary of State Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  09/26/1814 Secretary of War Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  04/02/1811 U. S. Secretary of State Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  01/18/1811 VA Governor Won 65.48% (+36.04%)
  12/07/1808 U.S. President Lost 0.00% (-69.71%)
  11/11/1808 US President - National Vote Lost 2.52% (-62.22%)
  11/11/1808 NC US President Lost 4.67% (-48.06%)
  11/08/1808 US Vice President Lost 1.71% (-62.86%)
  11/05/1808 OH US President Lost 10.48% (-57.49%)
  11/04/1808 VA US President Lost 17.57% (-61.05%)
  01/23/1808 US President - DR Caucus Lost 3.37% (-89.89%)
  04/18/1803 US Ambassador to United Kingdom Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/30/1801 VA Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/30/1800 VA Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/18/1799 VA Governor Won 59.41% (+20.59%)
  05/28/1794 US Ambassador to France Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/09/1790 VA US Senate - Special Election Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  09/01/1790 VA District 5 Lost 2.21% (-95.59%)
  02/02/1789 VA District 05 - Initial Election Lost 42.63% (-14.74%)
  06/01/1788 Virginia Ratifying Convention Won 50.00% (+0.00%)
  12/31/1785 VA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/31/1784 VA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/31/1783 VA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/31/1782 VA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
ENDORSEMENTS