was authorised to land in Cuba to extirpate the pirates using
the Spanish flag. Canning was determined that French force should not be
employed to reduce the revolted colonies, and in October, 1823, he
informed the French ambassador, Polignac, that he would acknowledge the
independence of those colonies if France assisted Spain in her attempts
to reduce them[81]--a somewhat empty threat, as the commercial interests
of Great Britain would have compelled him to acknowledge them in any
case as soon as there should be settled governments in existence with
which he could treat. Diplomatic agents were in fact appointed in most
of the revolted colonies before the end of this year.

[Pageheading: _THE MONROE DOCTRINE._]

What, however, rendered French interference hopeless was the attitude of
the United States, as expressed in President Monroe's historic message
to congress on December 2, 1823. In this message occur the words, since
known as the Monroe doctrine: "With the governments who have declared
their independence, and maintained it, and whose independence we have,
on great consideration, and on just principles, acknowledged, we could
not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or
controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power, in
any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition
towards the United States." After this the recognition of the
independence of the Spanish colonies was only a matter of time.[82]
Great Britain recognised the independence of Buenos Ayres, Colombia, and
Mexico, in 1824, and the rest soon after. In spite of the temporary
successes of Canterac, Peru, the last of the mainland provinces, was
lost to Spain in 1825, and the other European powers did not now delay
their recognition of the American republics. In April of that year
France recognised the virtual independence of her own revolted colony of
Hayti.

The Eastern question advanced more slowly. On March 25, 1823, Canning
recognised the Greeks as belligerents. After this step Great Britain
enjoyed the advantage of being able to hold the Greek government
responsible for piracy committed by Greek ships; but, coming as it did
after the isolated action of Great Britain at Verona, it created a
suspicion among the eastern powers of a desire to effect a settlement
of the Eastern question without the co-operation of other states. In
October, 1823, the Tsar Alexander and the Emperor Francis ha