The Presidency of James Monroe

Rating:
Summary: Accurate and interesting, but not exceptional
Review: As the last president who fought in the revolution and a lesser light when measured against Washington, Jefferson and Madison, James Monroe is often considered a transitional figure. Which has some validity in both cases. Although wounded in battle, he did not have anywhere near the stature that Washington did. He was also no match for the intellects of Adams, Jefferson or Madison, and was intellectually secondary to John Quincy Adams, his secretary of state. Nevertheless, he was a man of substance, showing patience in negotiating treaties that continued the inexorable expansion of U.S. territory.
Monroe also showed himself to be a true visionary when he enunciated the Monroe doctrine, where the powers of Europe were told to stay away from any interference with any country that had won independence from their former European masters. Given that it was the power of the British navy that enforced it, something that he was well aware of, it showed that he was trying to form a de-facto alliance with the former colonial rulers.
Cunningham chronicles these events, but also examines one other feature of the times, namely the lack of a second party. By the time of Monroe's second term, the Federalists were dead as a political party, although some still held office. Without opposition, there was no need to maintain discipline within the Republican party, a situation that led to the major problems Monroe had being generated by members of his party. This is a significant point, something that is covered in complete detail.
Monroe was also the first president to go on the equivalent of a campaign tour, which makes him more modern than he would appear. We see many hints of future presidents in that tour, how they will campaign, gather public support and simply how Americans receive their leaders.
In many ways, Monroe was a transitional figure as a president, which made his presidency relatively uneventful, considering what occurred in the previous administrations. Yet, he laid the groundwork for many substantial changes, starting the nation along paths of greatness, but also being a part of the trek towards a civil war. Cunningham describes all of this in detail, exploring the actions of a man who was a fine, but not great leader.

Rating:
Summary: A readable and accurate analysis about James Monroe.
Review: The Presidency Of James Monroe is an ambitious book, in which Noble Cunningham, jr. attempts to analyze the president's political beliefs, including his handling of domestic and foreign affairs from 1817 to 1825. For instance, Cunningham argues that Monroe used his powers as chief executive in a more pragmatic fashion than predecessors James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. In addition, Cunningham asserts that Monroe's attitude about Indians remained paternalistic, but the president did recommend the removal of all Indians east of the Mississippi River to a settlement west of Missouri and the Arkansas territory. Besides, the author recognizes that Monroe authorized Andrew Jackson to attack the Florida Seminole Indians. Next, Cunningham mentions Monroe's conflict over constitutionality regarding federally sponsored internal improvements. In fact, the author writes that Monroe vetoed a bill for federally sponsored internal improvements. Furthermore, Cunningham avers that the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European powers not to intervene in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere, represents the president's lasting legacy.

Cunningham persuasively argues that the Monroe Doctrine and legacy strengthened the power of the presidency in foreign affairs. Cunningham does, however, recognize Monroe's failure to gain treaty with Great Britain to suppress the International slave trade in 1824. Moreover, the author avers that Monroe used a cautious approach in foreign diplomacy in relations with Spain and the rebellious republics in Latin America.

Cunningham devotes an entire chapter to Monroe's cautious approach in dealing with the Missouri Compromise legislation. The author asserts that although Monroe did not wholeheartedly endorse the Missouri Compromise, the president used political expediency to forestall further problems in making Missouri a slave state and Maine a free state.

Throughout this exposition, Cunningham uses a number of Monroe's quotes to illustrate his points, and as in the Monr! oe Doctrine, he tells the quotes with a great deal of fervor. In addition, Cunningham adds interesting tidbits to enliven the narrative. For instance, the author informs the reader that Monroe resumed the formal entertaining that Thomas Jefferson had ended. In addition, Cunningham views Monroe as a "hands on" president, closely involved in administrative duties. But ironically, in Monroe's final annual message, he asserts that no divided interests exist in the United States, despite obvious sectional animosities over tariffs and slavery.

Cunningham uses Monroe's writings integrated with a narrative lucid and with adequate footnoting. One of my criticisms, however, concerns the confusing references to Monroe's political ideology. For example, throughout the narrative, Cunningham refers to Monroe as a Republican, but the correct term, Democratic-Republican , never appears in the book. This omission might confuse a non-historian. Also, during the mislabeled "Era of Good Feelings," the author only briefly describes the slavery debacle, which undermined America's progress at that time.

Rating:
Summary: Tedious and slow paced
Review: Unfortunately, this is the type of book that tends to put readers off of history. The writing is pedestrian and dry, and I finished the book feeling I knew little more about the person, James Monroe, than I did when I began. It was like a social studies text listing facts and figures without coming to life. Compare a book like this to "John Quincy Adams, A Public Life, A Private Life", where one truly come to know the historical character.