Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-12-25
WAR ORA BACKDOWN.
SPECIAL MESSAGE TO CON.
GRESS ON VENEZUELA.
Monroe Doctrine Vigorously Upheld-su-
pine Submission by This Government to
England Would Be Calamity Far
Worse Than Wan


WASHINGTON. Dec 1s.-Soon after
both houses of Congress met yesterday,
the President sent, by Executive Clerk
Pruden, the expected message in re-
gard to the British Venezuelan COM
plication. 1t was at once read in both
houses, as follows:
To the Congress: In my annual
message, addressed to the Congress on
the Sd inst, called attention to the
pending boundary controversy be-
tween Great Britain and the Republic
of Venezuela, and recited the sub
stance of a representation made BY
this government to Her Britannia
Majesty's government suggesting rea-
sons why such dispute should be SUBJ
mitted to arbitration for settlement
and inqulring whether it would be so
su omitted.
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 embodied in two COM
munications addressed by the British
prime minister to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, the British ambassador at this
capital. 1t will be seen that one of
these communications is devoted ex-
clusively to observations on the Mon
roe doctrine and claims that in the
present instance a new and strange
extension and development of this doc
trine is insisted on by the United
States, that the reasons justifying an
appeal to the doctrine enunciated by
President Munroe are generally inap-
plicaple tto the state of things in
which we live at the present day" and
especially inapplicable to a controversy
involving the boundary line between
Great Britain and Venezuela.
Lord Salisbury declines to submit
the matter to arbitration and repudl-
ates the applicability of the Monroe
doctrine to the question.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE UPHELD.
Without attempting extended argu-
ments in reply to these positions, it
may not be amiss to suggest that the
doctrine upon which we stand is strong
and sound, because it's enforcement is
important to our peace and safety as
nation and is essential to the integrity
of our free institutions and the tran
quill maintenance of our distinctive
form of government. 1t was intended
TO apply to every stage of our national
life and cannot become obsolete while
! our republic endures. If the balance
of power is justly a cause for Jealous
anxiety among the governments of the
old world and a subject for our abso-
lutte non-lnterference, none the less is
an observance of the Monroe doctrine
of vital concern to our people and their
government.
The course to be pursued by this
| government in view of the present
condition does not appear to admit of
serious doubt. Having labored faith
fully for many years to induce Great
britain to submit this dispute to i'm
| partial arbitration. nd having been
now finally apprised of her refusal to
do so, nothing remains but to accept
the situation, to recognize it's plain re-
| qulrements and deal with it accord
ingly.
BOUNDARY INQUIRY AND FIRMNEss
Great Britain's present proposition
has never thus far been regarded as
admissible by Venezuela though any
adjustment of the boundary which
that country may deem for her advan-
tage and may enter into OF her own
free will cannot, of course, be objected
to by the United States. Assuming,
however, that the attitude of Vene-
zuela will remain unchanged, the dis
| pute has reached such a stage as to
make it incumbent upon the United
States to take measures to determine
with sufficient certainty for its iusti-
fication what is the true divisional
line between the republic of Venezuela
and British Guiana. The inquiry to
that end should of course be conducted
carefully and judiclally, and due
weight should be given to all available
evidence, records and facts in support
Ct the claims of both parties.
In order that such an examination
should 'be prosecuted in a thorough
and satisfactory manner, 1 suggest
that Congress make adequate appro-
priation for the expenses of commits
sion to be appointed oy the Executive,
who shall make the necessary investi-
cation and report upon the matter with
the least possible delay. When such re-
port is made and accepted, it will, in my
opinion, be the duty of the United
States to resist by every means in its
power as willful aggression upon its
rights and interests, the appropriation
by Great Britain of any lands or the
exercise of government jurisdiction
over any territory which, after in.
vestigation, we have determined OF
right belonging to Venezuela.
NO sUFINE SUBMISSION TO WRONG.
In making these Communications ]
am fully alive to the responsibility in.
CURED and keenly realize all the con.
sequences that may follow. 1 an
nevertheless firm in my conviction
that while it Is a greyious thing tc
contemplate the two great English
speaking people of the world
as being otherwise than friendly
competitors in the onward march
of civilization and strenuous and
worthy rivals in all the arts O.
peace, there is no calamity which a
great nation can invite which equals
that which follows supine submis
sion to wrong and injustice and the
consequent loss of national self re,
spect and honor, beneath which il
shielded and defended a peoples safety
and greatness