Borderlines in Borderlands: James Madison and the Spanish-American Frontier, 1776-1821

While I'm not sure that the topic in question required more than an article, let alone a monograph, the basic point that Stagg makes is that Madison was not an early prophet of Manifest Destiny when it came to the frontier with Spain, but someone who saw the United States as the successor to Britain in North America and was determined that all accrued rights would be retained. The question was just what those rights were with all parties involved, of course, seeking the most favorable interpretation of the situation; a matter not helped by the reality that Madison was not the most efficient character who ever resided at the White House.