interest of expansion in North America. In 1821 Russia had claims on the North Western coast of the North American continent as low as the 51st parallel, deep into the Oregon Territory (Migill 595). On September 14th of the same year Tsar Alexander I issued an Imperial Ukase (decree), saying that no foreign vessels could come within 100 Italian miles of Russian territory. Although the decree was never enforced, John Quincy Adams, the Secretary of State at the time, strongly opposed it. Adams felt that many regions of North America were still unexplored such as Alaska and North Western Canada. On July 17th, 1823 John Q Adams declared that the United States should contest Russia's Imperial Ukase on the North American continent. President James Monroe accepted John Q Adams' statement and would go on to use it in his message (Perkins 31).
             The British and the Americans both had reasons to keep the Holy Alliance out of the New World. So, why not a joint declaration? George Canning, a British Foreign Minister and a represe
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