The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1895-12-19
SPECIAL MESSAGE.
President Cleveland's Commune
cation to Congress on the Ven
ezuelan Question.
lie Is In Favor of Enforcing the
Doctrine Laid Down by
Monroe.
Would Ascertain the Rights Of
Venezuela and Then De-
fend Them.
Spontaneous Demonstration in
the Senate When the Read
ing Ended.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-The president
has sent the following message to con-
gress, together with the correspondence
In the Venezuelan matter:
To the Congress-:
In nv annual message addressed to
the congress ON the third instant,
called attention to the pending bound
airy controversy between Great Britain
and the Republic of Venezuela, and re-
cited the substance of representation
made by this government to her Britain
mic majesty's government, suggesting
reasons why such disputes should be
submitted to arbitration for settlement,
and inquiring whether it would be so
submitted.
Devoted to Observations on Monroeism.
The answer of the British govern
ment, which was then awaited, has
since been received and together with
the dispatch to which it is a reply, is
hereto appended Such reply is en-
bodied in two communications adj
dressed by the British prime minister to
Sir Ju ian Pauncefote, the British am
bassador at this capital 1t will be seen
that one of these communications is de-
voted exclusively TO observations upon
the Monroe doctrine, and claims that
in the present instance a new and
strange extension and development OF
this doctrine is insisted ON by the
United States; that the reasons justify
ing an appeal to the doctrine enunciated
by President Monroe are generally in
applicable ITO the state of things in
which we live at the present day." and
especially inapplicable to controversy
involving the boundary line between
. Great Britain and Venezuela.
Thinks the Doctrine Is Sound.
Without attempting extended argu-
ments in reply to these positions, it may
not be amiss to suggest that the doc
trine upon which we stand is strong
and sound because its enforcement is
important to our peace and safety as
nation, and is essential to the integrity
of our free institutions and the tranquil
maintenance of our distinctive form of
government. 1t was intended to apply
cannot become obsolete while our re-
public endures. If the balance OF
power is justly cause for jealous anx-
iety among the governments Of the old
world, and subject for our absolute
non interference, none the less is an OBJ
seryance of the Monroe doctrine of vital
concern to our people and their govern
ment.
Doesn't See Whore 1t Doesn't Apply.
Assuming. therefore, that we may
properly insist upon this doctrine, with
out regard to ''the state of things in
which we live," or any changed condi-
lions here or elsewhere, it is not appar-
ent why its application may not be in
voked in the present controversy. If a
European power, by an extension Of its
boundaries, takes possession Of the ter
ritory of one of our neighboring repub-
lies against its will. and in derogation
of it's rights, it is difficult to see why, to
that extent, such European power does
not thereby attempt to extend its sys-
tenn of government to that portion of
this continent, which is thus taken.
This ia the precise action which Presi-
dent Monroe declared to be dangerous
to our peace and safety and it can
make no difference whether the
European system is extended by an ad-
vance of frontier or otherwise.
It is also suggested in the British
reply that we should not seek to apply
the Monroe doctrine to the pending dis
pute because it does not embody any
principle of international law which
ais founded on the general consent Of
nations" and that mo statesman, how
ever eminent, and no nation, however
powerful, are competent to insert into
the code of international law, novel
principle, which was never recognized
before and which has not since been &C.
cepted by the government of any other
country"
1t Il Peculiar to This Country.
Practically the principle for which
we contend has peculiar If not exclus-
i've relation to the United States.
It may have not been admitted in so
many words to the code of international
law, but since in international councils
every nation is entitled to the rights be-
longing to it, if the enforcement Of the
Monroe doctrine is something we may
justly claim, it has its place in the code
of international law as certainly and as
securely as if it were specifically men,
toned, and when the United States is a
sutton before the high tribunal that adj
ministers international law, the ques-
ton to be determined is whether or not
we present claims which the justice of
that code of law can find to be just and
valid.
The Monroe doctrine finds its recog-
milton in those principles of interna-
tional law which are based upon the
theory that every nation shall have its
rights protected and its just claims en-
forced
Partially Conceded BY Salisbury.
OF course this government is entirely
confident that under the sanction OF