New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-30

the matter get into Mr. Clevelands hands and
into q position which comes very near being !,
diplomatic cul de sac. II was not n question in
which Great Britain wants TO fight us and e.
would be bad policy to put her where sho must
needless war between two such nations would
be almost the greatest OF human crimes.
A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW
THE present situation seems to be about this:
At the end Of very long negotiations the British
Government is willing to arbitrate about a part
of the disputed territory. not all. IT was open
10 us to continue the argument with further
facts and try to show that the argument ought
to be extended to cover the whole question say
Ing meanwhile df thought needfuD that pend
ing the negotiations any step to force Venez-
uelas submission to the British claim could not
be regarded but as an unfriendly act Instead
Of this. the President says. substantially, since
you won't agree to arbitrator to determine the
whole boundary we will arbitrate 1t ourselves
and practically intimates that will then see
TO IL that our decision is obeyed. That is a toll
erably hard pill for any self-respecting nation to
swallow. still. we have always to remember
that in matters of foreign policy there ought not
10 be divided ranks behind constitutional
leader"
Does Lord Salisbury's latest letter shake your
belief in the justice Of the Venezuelan claim as to
the boundary"
NO, not seriously; it is again a question OF
facts. Where the statements conflict nobody can
IS accurate can only say that General Guzman
RlancO's presentation of the case seemed to be
very much the same with that which now read
more FULLY and perhaps even more ably. set forth
in Secretary Olney'S letter. Part of Lord Sails
bury's reply Is special pleading Still, there are
some statements Of fact which certainly need TO
SHADOWY BOUNDARY LINES.
'But. after ALL there is in the very nature OF
the the greatest uncertainty about these old
Spanish boundaries. Why, it only ten years
earlier than the beginning of the present Venez
uelan question that we ourselves were in a most
ludicrous bewderment to the old Spanish
lines which must fix our own boundaries here
in the Southwest. Mr.. jefferson himself did not
know that he had bought Texas along with Louis
lana. though he had; and he ne had
bought West Florida with 1t. though he had not.
Mr.. Monroe himself. twenty years before he was
proclaiming the Monroe Doctrine. was engaged in
Paris trying to convince Talleyrand and Napole N
mat the Louisiana purchase OF the year before.
instead of being limited by the Iberville River,
actually included Mobile and stretched TO the
Appalachicola. His associate Livingston asked
Talleyrand what were the eastern boundaries Of
Louisiana. and Talleyrand. with good-natured
sneer replied 1 do not know. You must take Il
as we did But what did you mean 10 take?'
demanded Livingston. and Talleyrand replied
again. 4 do not know Thereupon. little later,
Livingston was found cooperating with Monroe
in urging that should claim that Louisiana
extended to the Appalachicola and with a little
display of force especially If Spain should be
engaged in European war. we should get it.
"All this uncertainty was about the Spanish
boundaries in our country. France and
Spain treated to the spectacle of the United
states. through its Ministers. Monroe and LiV-
ingstOn. and through its Secretary OF State. Mad
is0n. soemnly insisting that Napoleon had sold
us West Florida when he had not even claimed
st. and when we had 40 more right 10 ii than we
had to Patagonia or Madagascar.
yet this was in own country and In long
settled region. How much greater would be the
natural uncertainty about the same time as 10
Spanish boundaries on the Southern Continent
in unsettled and largely uneXplOred regions COW
cred with dense forests?
HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF, MAYBE?
The Government of Thomas Jefferson eX-
pected to get West Florida by little display Of
force especially Il Spain should happen al that
time to be engaged In European war. Human
nature is very much the same in both the great
Anglo-Saxon nations. Great Britain may have
been trying to stretch her boundaries in the
same way and agreeing with Livingston, Monroe
and Madison in the notion that a little display Oh
force would be judcious. especially since the
gold discoveries. The trouble for poor little Ven
ezuela is that the vague definition OF these Ola
Spanish boundaries gives good chance Tor that
sort Of work and may make il difficult FOR any.
body to furnish absolute proof that 1t Is wrong