onclusion his
protests became more and more emphatic. Finally, in the spring of
1866, the United States Government began massing troops on the Mexican
border and Mr. Seward sent what was practically an ultimatum to the
French Emperor; he requested to know when the long-promised withdrawal
of the French troops would take place. Napoleon replied, fixing the
dates for their withdrawal in three separate detachments.

American historians have usually attributed Napoleon's backdown to
Seward's diplomacy supported by the military power of the United
States, which was, of course, greater then than at any previous time in
our history. All this undoubtedly had its effect on Napoleon's mind,
but it appears that conditions in Europe just at that particular moment
had an even greater influence in causing him to abandon his Mexican
scheme. Within a few days of the receipt of Seward's ultimatum
Napoleon was informed of Bismarck's determination to force a war with
Austria over the Schleswig-Holstein controversy. Napoleon realized
that the territorial aggrandizement of Prussia, without any
corresponding gains by France, would be a serious blow to his prestige
and in fact endanger his throne. He at once entered upon a long and
hazardous diplomatic game in which Bismarck outplayed him and
eventually forced him into war. In order to have a free hand to meet
the European situation he decided to yield to the American demands. As
the European situation developed he hastened the final withdrawal of
his troops and left Maximilian to his fate. Thus the Monroe Doctrine
was vindicated!

Let us take next President Cleveland's intervention in the Venezuelan
boundary dispute. Here surely was a clear and spectacular vindication
of the Monroe Doctrine which no one can discount. Let us briefly
examine the facts. Some 30,000 square miles of territory on the border
of Venezuela and British Guiana were in dispute. Venezuela, a weak and
helpless state, had offered to submit the question to arbitration.
Great Britain, powerful and overbearing, refused. After Secretary
Olney, in a long correspondence ably conducted, had failed to move the
British Government, President Cleveland decided to intervene. In a
message to Congress in December, 1895, he reviewed the controversy at
length, declared that the acquisition of territory in America by a
European power through the arbitrary advance of a boundary line was a
clear violation of the Monroe Doctr