Sold – President James Monroe on the State of the Union

To the leaders of Washington, D.C., he reflects on “public defense” and sees “a people virtuous and intelligent attached to their free institutions” James Monroe. The administrations of all the presidents prior to Monroe had been consumed by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars (1789-1815), collosal events that split the American people, decimated trade, and built to a pitch that resulted in the War of 1812. Monroe was thus the first president able to turn his attention and energies to internal affairs, resulting in a memorable era of prosperity, confidence, expansion and harmony.

The President emerged as a talented, flexible and competent leader, as well as a consensus builder who not merely reflected the mood of the country but tried to lead it away from the sectional divisiveness that would characterize the administrations of his successors.

In 1818, Monroe re-established George Washington’s custom of the president traveling through the country, an idea that had been abandoned by John Adams. Monroe’s trip that year was to the North and was so successful that a Boston newspaper described the period as an “era of good feeling,” a name that has stuck to Monroe’s presidency.

In 1819, the President traveled through the South. On his return to Washington, D.C., its city council welcomed him home. This is the original manuscript signed address he gave in response, in which he sums up the state of the nation as he saw it then.

James Monroe autograph on a Manuscript Signed as President, 3 pages, Washington, D.C., Aug. 10, 1819, addressed to The Mayor, Aldermen and Board of Common Council of the city of Washington. “In returning to the seat of national government, after so long an absence, and so extensive a journey, I derive very great satisfaction, as you will readily conceive, from so kind a reception by fellow citizens and neighbors. In the view which I took during my former as well as my recent tour, through so great a portion of the Union, I have seen everything that could give satisfaction to one who takes a deep interest in the welfare and prosperity of his country, abounding as it does in all the means necessary for public defense and individual comfort: a people virtuous and intelligent, attached to their free institutions, and firmly resolved to support them, displaying on all occasions that manly and independent spirit, without which no institutions, however pure in their principles, can be long sustained; a people attached to each other by ties of consanguity and a common interest; ties constantly gaining strength from causes that are daily developing themselves. While these powerful causes bind us so closely together, and we continue to exhibit such unequivocal proofs of it in the world, rendering justice as we do to every other nation, we may expect a like return from them, & shall not fail to obtain it. Although in these journeys my attention has been principally directed to the great objects of defence, yet to them it has not been exclusively confined. I have endeavored to examine with care the dependence and connection of various parts of our Union on each other, and have observed with great satisfaction the eminent advantages which they respectively derive from the intercourse existing between them. To the conditions of the Indians I have always paid attention, and shall feel happy in giving effect, as far as I may be able, to the wise & salutary laws of Congress calculated to promote their civilization and happiness. In the improvement of this metropolis the whole nation is interested. It is gratifying to me to find that there is but one opinion on this subject. In providing the necessary public buildings and promoting the growth and prosperity of this city, Congress have heretofore displayed a liberal policy, in which, it may be presumed, they will persevere. To give effect to such a policy will afford me peculiar satisfaction.”

A unique statement of Monroe’s vision of America and view of Americans, with a strong stress on the importance of harmony between North and South. He may have been accurate that the two regions benefited from a mutual attachment, yet danger to the Republic was just a year away. Both North and South turned to sectionalism during the Missouri Compromise crisis of 1820, thus ignoring Monroe’s advice and planting the seeds for future strife. Research indicates that this is just the second signed speech of Monroe to be publicly available in the last three decades, and is reminiscent of a State of the Union Address.