The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-28
distinguished .Iurisr reviews The Case.

Sir.-The past history OF this country
Is not without parallels to the war craze
about the Monroe doctrine, anu the Ncne
zulcan complication winch T. no" tnItat-
ening the peaceful relations between me
two great Christian countries OF inc
world. The memory of middle-aged men
very readily recalls the trent III
| cident during our late war De
tween the States. Commodore wilkes
IN the plentituGe OF his ignorance
of international law and YANKEE aiIO-
gance, undertook 10 arrest upon iie
high seas British steamer ana tdhe
! therefrom, by brute force. Messrs. Mason
and Sldcll, who were the afcfeuiteu
representatives or the Confederate States
to the European governments. rms OUT
rage upon neutral rights as soon as IL
was know in this country, was saiuted all
through the North, with acclsmduohs on
| popular approval and commentator. INC
United States Congress, by UNANIMOUS
vote OF the House OF kepfesehtdtNtS,
and. perhaps, of the Senate, rendered
! Gem. Wilkes q resolution OF thanks anu
the press and people Of the NORM, WIN
almost UnDTOken unauimify, endotstn
their action. State Legislatures set
! precedent for the precipitate and ill-ad-
Viscd action last week Of our own Legs
lature in following up the action of Con-
gress. and our Virginia SOons only paio-
died the folly OF that day IN twistihs
the Lions tail" But the back down had
TO come. and II did come when MI Sc
ward was subjected 10 the humiliation OF
submitting, with a very i'll grace. TO the
imperious demand OF Great Britain Tor
the return TO the protection OF hti nag
Of the Confederate commissioners IN
this matter. however. the Executive De
partmcnt had never committed itself 10
the approval OF Com. wilkes, ana was
not subjected TO the modification Of re
ceding from its own action or claim OF
right.
But a little farther back IN our his
tory there is a precedent when the Exc
cutive Department was subjected 10 inns
modification. ana when TINS iorce Vi
peace was paid TO Great Britain by
reluctant administration in obedience 10
the pronounced demand Of the American
people. In 1874. when Henry Gay ana
James X. POLK were opposing cah"ludtOo
for the Presidency the northwestern
boundary line between the United states
and Great Britain was still a matter
of international contention. the Demo
cratic convention. IN nominating rom
and Dallas. planted them upon q PLATFORM
demanding the remuneration Of IeNas,
and the assertion Of the claim OF Inc
United States TO the whole OF the theli
almost entirely unsettled territory OF
Oregon. Polk and Dallas pisson anu
Texas. was the war-cry or the cam
pail-l Mr.. Polk was elected. me annex
alton Of Texas was practically accom-
plished in the closing days OF MI. ~
ler's Administration. MI folk' ~ i"s
inaugural address reiterated the claim OF
the Democratic platform, and compelled
his Administration 10 the assertion vi
the American right to oregon up 10 lhe
line of 81 degrees 30 minutes rms as
eerfiou brought the two countries III
direct antarCnism, ard any compromise
involved back down OF the lhted
states Government. Great Britain was
firm I'm maintaining her claim, hut an
the while proposed readiness 10 DISCUSS
as matter of compromise division OF
the territory Diplomatic negotiation
promised no peaceful result, so long as
the United States adhered 10 the cialm
OF the Administration. The war craze
was rampant in an the then Northwest
en- States. and found its vocilerous
voice re-echoed on the floor OF The senate
In every utterance OF Lewis Cass, OF
Michigan: Edward \. Hannegan, OF
Indiana. and William Allen. of Ohio. war
was inevitable, unless Mr.. POLK should
rcceGe buf the sober sentiment OF the
country demanded that he should IN
Difference 70 that sentiment ne WaAeieu
and entertained the suggestions Of the
British dipl0matisis for compromise
Through his especial friend Mr.. hay
ward. of Norh Carolina, be felt the pulse
OF the Senate. MI Hayward $ inuna-
lion that the President might yield clio
tied from the Northwestern senators the
most defiant and indignant dcnunciati"h.
Mr.. flanagan declared that II the tfesl-
dent should sign "A treaty SURRENDER
one inch of The territory TO Great bIi-
tain "he would sink TO a poilucai Dam
nation so deep that the hand or res Af-
rection would never reach him Luz III
spite Of all this. above the war cry 81
"a degrees 80 minutes or nghI inc
sober sentiment of the country was htaIn
in imperious tones commanding peace
Mir. Polk solved the problem by throw
ing the responsibility upon the SENATE
tie sent q message 10 mem lh eNVCutt'
session communicating the project OF a
treaty rendered by Gre0 Britain ioi
COMPROMISE by making the ~ minutes
parallel of latitude the boundary Inc.
He said that they were his constitutions
advisers in the treaty making power. ana
that he declined 10 assume the respon-
sihility OF provoking war, without their
advice. ana that II IN their Judgment
the uropscd treaty ought 10 be accepted
ne would acduescc Ia their opinion anu
rccede from mis- own demand. The sen
ate advised acceptance OF Inc pFohef o.
Great Britain: the treaty was cohciuee1
and peace was secured, ano ron iila,
5av 10 This no respectable protest mas
been heard IN America against that peace
ful and honora ole adjustment
II Great Britain should not yield 10 the
demand of Mr.. Cleveland Administid-
ton upon this Venezuela question these
nrcce1ents may be suggestive of am
honorable extricaticn OF this country
from the position IL has been made 10
II i q dangerous thing for any govern
ment to speculate upon the calculation
that a high-sprited nation Will IN re-
sponse TO its demand under any menace
of war. surrender its weii-considered con-
victions or assertions Of right We none
and trust that If Lord Salisbury cabi-
net will not that the great commercial
interests of Great Britain VIII rftlrc u
from authority, and commit the Govern
ment TO a Liberal administration. which
will. hut If they should not, before mat
tiers come to the worst we have every
confidence that the business inteligence
and the Christian conscience OF inc
American people will be beard command
ing ehat peace between these greal Mn
dred people must and shall be preserved.
The United States has interposed IN a
ularrel between Venezuela and Great
Britain and assumes for herself 10 de-
termine the merits OF the controversy,
aud II Great Britain will not submit 10
arbitration, 10 make the cause OF Nene-
xnela hers The Issue is made upon the
demand for arbitration Suppose mat
The British Government should acqulesce
I'm fhle demand. on condition that IN the
interests OF peace for the present and
for the future all matters in controversy
be included I'm the arbitration. The Mon
roe doctrine as originally announced, mas
never been formally accepted as prln-
Glide Of international law. and Is stll
open for controversy. But. If that were
conceded. what is now claimed by the
United States as its logical extension. i
certainly a fair subject tor international
contention Might not Great Britain
then. with great deal OF plausible
right. couple her acquiesccnce I'm the de-
mand of our Government, with this adj
dendum. and IL she should Il would he not
y little embarrassing for the United
States I'm rejecting the proposition 10 for
inulate a reply which would be accepted
In the enlightened sentiment Of the out
side world or even of her own people as
a rlrdicafion OF her consistency
pavy crockeits idea ere sure You are
right and then go ahead" erb0lies
World OF wisdom and common sense-
,Bpt go ahead issue" without the nre-
49,, ~ ,fynt g t.rfvafa