James Monroe: On the day of the New Year, 1825, in the last of his annual receptions at the White House, President James Monroe made a nice impression on a woman in Virginia who greeted him with his hand. "He is tall and well built His Ironing and suit this old style .... His manner was quiet and dignified. " The frank and honest expression of his eyes ... I think he deserves the charge laid upon him by the great Jefferson, who said, 'Monroe was so honest that if you turn around inside your soul out, there would not be no stain in 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 young politician, he he joined the anti-Federalists in the Virginia convention which ratified the constitution, and in 1790, the lawyer of Jeffersonian policies, was elected US senator. As minister to France from 1794 to 1796, showed great sympathy for the French cause ; later, with Robert R. Livingston, he helped negotiate the Louisiana purchase Your ambition and energy, along with the support of President Madison, made him the Republican choice for the presidency in 1816..
With little Federalist opposition, easily he won re-election in 1820. Monroe made his highly unusual choices for cabinet, appointing a surreño, John C. Calhoun, as Secretary of War, and a northerner, John Quincy Adams, as Secretary of State. Only Henry Clay's opposition held to Monroe to add to a superb Western. Early in his administration, Monroe began a goodwill tour. In Boston, his visit was vociferous as the beginning of an "era of good feelings". Unfortunately these "good feelings" did not last long, although Monroe, his popularity declined, followed nationalist policies. Through the facade of nationalism, ugly sectional cracks appeared. A painful economic depression undoubtedly increased the dismay of the people of the Territory of Missouri in 1819 when his application for admission to the Union as a slave state failed. Amended a law to phase out slavery in Missouri caused two years of bitter debate in Congress.
The Law of the Missouri Compromise resolved the struggle, comparing Missouri as enslaving state with Maine, a free state, and sweeping the north and west of Missouri slavery forever. In foreign affairs Monroe proclaimed the fundamental policy that bear his name, responding to the threat of more conservative governments in Europe might try to help Spain regain its former Latin American colonies. Monroe did not begin formally to recognize the young sister republics until 1822, after ascertaining that Congress would vote for grabs them by diplomatic missions. He and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams wished to avoid trouble with Spain until they had ceded the Floridas, as was done in 1821. Britain, with its powerful navy, also opposed reconquest of Latin America and suggested that the United States join the proclamation of "hands off". Former Presidents Jefferson and Madison counseled Monroe to accept the offer, but Secretary Adams said, "It would have been more sincere ... express our principles explicitly to Russia and France, to enter a wooden boat in the wake British man of war. " Monroe I accept the advice of Adams. "Not only should he leave Latin America alone," he warned, "but neither Russia should move towards southern Pacific coast." the American continents, "he said," by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, there should henceforth be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers. "Some 20 years after Monroe died in 1831, this became known as the Monroe doctrine.