The other story is that he had become disenchanted with Monroe, and wanted to show his disapproval of Monroe's administration. He also admired John Quincy Adams. Plummer later wrote, "My acquaintance with Mr. Adams has been long and intimate. I know he is in every respect qualified for that high trust. Mr. Monroe during the last four years has, in my opinion, conducted, as president, very improperly." So John Quincy Adams was the runner-up to Monroe when he wasn't even running in the race.
The main domestic issue during Monroe's second term was internal improvements. The Democratic-Republican Party had been opposed to internal improvements at federal expense, calling them unconstitutional. Now the Party was in favor of them, but Monroe was still opposed. Toward the end of his second term, a compromise was reached. Although Monroe would not sign any internal improvements bill, still considering internal improvements unconstitutional, he did sign a bill authorizing money to study the issue. Since such studies of individual projects had to be done anyway, this was the first step in an internal improvements program. Thus, Monroe avoided dealing with the issue, leaving it for the next President. The next President was in favor of such internal improvements.
The main foreign policy issue concerned Europe and colonization in the western hemisphere. There was considerable fear that Spain would try to recapture its former colonies in Central and South America. These colonies had declared their independence from Spain when Spain was conquered by France during the Napoleonic Wars. After France's defeat, the Spanish royal government came back into power. The United States wanted to keep Spain out of their former colonies.
Another worry was that Russia would expand it's Alaskan colony to include Oregon. Oregon was already divided between the United States and England.
Monroe delivered a message to Congress in which he warned European powers against intervention in the Western Hemisphere. Monroe said that no new colonies could be established in this hemisphere (which included former colonies) and that European powers could not interfere in the affairs between the nations of the Western Hemisphere as a means of re-establishing control. In return, the nations of the Western Hemisphere would not interfere in the affairs of European nations.
