New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-14
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
GREAT BRITAIN AND VENEZUELA.

TO tho Editor of The Trlbune.-
Sir: Your Washington correspondent says IN your
last Sundays issue: The tender soIcitude OF the
Esssh newspapers IS VOL of the American portion
of the English press lest the great United statcs sha
bully and deal unustIy with weaker nation con-
Times TO excite sarcastic comment here where many
people are familiar with the history OF Great bri'ans
dealings with weaker nations from the time wheh she
impressed American seamen for the Navy oo"n W net
bulldozlng operations in venezuela four years ago.
when one Of her colonial governors, baceo Dy the'
TO use the British West India squadron 10 ENFORCE i'
arbitrary demands, exacted n heavy me irohi inc
little South American Republic which. for nearly
hlndrcd years, has been the victim Oh bnshs" 'uP'
and aggression
A er,cc deal less than "a hundred years ago. ana
long befor, the United states had entered INTO oPo
matte relations with Venezuela the British @eiVh
was doing the hardest kind Of military service oh 'i'
side Of the Venezuelan patriots in their hieahduean
struggle with Spain. And, on the testimony oi 'e"e
elias greatest soldiers Bolivar and Paez, IL was 10 'e
herolsm Of those English, Irish and scotush 'o'a"
teers that the power Of Spain in Venezuela ana III
deed In all Colombia. was finally broken at Carsoooo
But in protecting the life and property OF her c'i
zens Great Britain does not let the weakness any
more than the strength Of the wrongdoer excuse license
or prevent reparation. The heavy hhe 10 VIM"
your aludcs II 1t was levied IN inc co
TO which the circumstances mentioned by him seem "
lIcious and hgh-handed piece OF injustice perpeaeo
not by an irresponsible "mob," but by the proper
officers OF that branch Of the Government WHICH h'u
cogni1ance OF the matter in question.
II is not 10 the credit O. Government tnnt isr
grayer outrage upon the flag OF the United states anu
the persons and property Of our cozens' perpe'"eu
also by Venezuelan notwithstanding less th'h tie
seizure OF American steamships by force OF arms anu
their conversion into vessels OF war by the ocers vi
the legitimate Government as well as by the instrgens
leaders in 1s71-remains yet unredressed, although
our last Congress upon careful examination Vi .'7
facts By the proper committees in the Senate ana t'
House unanimously passed a resolution authofMi"e
the President to use whatever means lie misht hhu
necessary promptly to obtain indemnify 1S pre-
amblo OF the resolution which was reported IN t'e
senate by Messrs. Edmunds. Evarts and Morgan de-
elsred that all the diplomatic efforts Of the United
STATES continued for nearly twenty years, ahcaby
TO obtain indemnity for torts of the most Violent ehdr
acter for which, upon established principles Oh pupo
law the Venezuelan Government was Justly RESPONSE
ble had proved entirely unavailngi but Nehczuela,
after TIE resolution had passed the senate ana "ne
/, WIS pending in the House, proposed to submit me
question of her liability 70. damages; ms wen as t.e
amount 10 arbitration, and the President eil ~ GUY
Tecntlaons for treaty defining the terms OF the sub.
mission. although meanwhile the reoiu'i9 on @ noroa
lions are still pending albeit 1; Is now nearly eighteen
months since Congress invested the PRESIDENT WIN eA
raOrdinary power to secure repafduon "luuu'
Surely an executive Government that would not re-
fuse arbitration, but keep negoating i2r u so III W
an aggravated case while clothed with authority BY
the National Legislature promptly TO Obtain inGen i
nitvs can safely be trusted not 70 break the peace WIN
chill or TO make reprsas for injuries suffered by our
sailors in street fracas. at least until the Chan ov,
eminent shall have published the results OF the judicial
nvrsticatIos now in progress and communicated It's
final decision 10 the United States ,., A..
The main question IN all snch cases Is Wnetrr i KY
Government OF tip offenders l. directly rpsponslbic
10 the Government OF the injured persons or has mnde
Itself responsible by negligence In preventing or pun.
thing INC offence Nothing he's been brought 10 llght
90 ior that makes the CHILEAN Government responsible
but II its responsibility becomes questonaoieulor , ea
annie nv an alleged failure TO put the proper ma
chinery in notion bona de for the detection and pun
shment OF the guIty-it will be by arbitration ana MOI
NV war ~ we NAV Judge from the conduct OF the fes
ee. 49, - . G.. X.
Wellington D. c., Nov. S. 1901.