That Elusive Monroe Doctrine.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 13, 1912:
    "If you want to have a nice, exciting hunt for big game, without the inconvenience and expense of going to Africa or the Far West, just run down to Washington, and try to find the Monroe Doctrine," said a Washington lawyer who had just been through the campaign.
    "Of course everybody knows what the Monroe Doctrine is; also that it was written by President Monroe in a message to Congress. But the man who thinks he can run down to the capital and put his hand on it between trains has got many more guesses coming.
    "Last week I had certain reasons for desiring to see that original document.
    " 'As it is a document intimately connected with the White House I will naturally find the original of such an important paper preserved there,' I reasoned with myself. So I forthwith betook myself to the White House.
    " 'Haven't got it here,' said the White House authorities with official formality. 'Better try the State Department. It's a State paper.'
    "So I forthwith betook myself to the State Department.
    " 'Haven't got it here,' said the State Department officials with diplomatic courtesy. Better try the Congressional Library; they keep all important Government papers up there in their Document room.'
    "So I forthwith betook myself to the Congressional Library.
    " 'Haven't got it here,' said the Librarians, with learned urbanity. 'Better try the House of Representatives File Room; that's where the President's messages would naturally go.
    "So I betook myself to the House of Representatives.
    " 'Haven't" got it here,' replied the attendants, with legislative politeness, 'and we cannot tell you where you can find it, either.'
    " 'Any chance of its being over in the Senate?' I queried in desperation, for this was now the third day of my search, and I hadn't even struck a spoor of my quarry.
    " 'Not the slightest chance of your finding it there,' replied the House of Representatives attendants, with Congressional omniscience, 'but you might try, of course.'
    "So I forthwith betook myself to the Senate.
    " 'Why, of course, we've got it here, exclaimed the Senatorial clerks, with Senatorial heartiness. And, digging back into some musty files, they brought forth the precious and long-sought document.
    "It's written on foolscap paper, if you want to know anything about it after my account of my hunt," continued the lawyer, "and the whole message covers about thirty pages. It is dated Dec. 2, 1823. The part dealing with what is called the Monroe Doctrine, that is, the acquisition of territory in the Americas by European nations, covers about six pages, although the meat of it, that is, the part telling those nations to keep off the grass, consists only of about three lines.
    "The six pages referred to are in a handwriting different from the other pages. Senator Cullom, who has made a study of the matter, told me that there was no doubt in his mind that Mr. Monroe had written, those pages himself; the handwriting was exactly like all specimens of his. He didn't want to trust such an important message to a mere clerk, so the Senator thought."