Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-27
The Venezuelan Questton.
Chatham. December u. i@

done 10 meet the issue WHICH M
land has forced by fine word-paintins
and elegant rhetoric. 1t does no; answer
that part OF Salisbuiy's argument III
which the British Minister shows that the
so-called Monroe doctrine was never APP
nlled. even by Mr.. Monroe himself, OF
any one else TO a case like MS anu
the writer remembers that the late flo-
fcseor Minor. Of the University OF VIZ
GINA. In a lecture delivered SeNefal !'"'9
ago on international law. took the SAINT
view now held by Lord Salisbury Inc
English Minister also takes the STRONG
ground that Great Britain could never
consent TO entrust the lives and property
of British subjects on territory 'I'l''eu
by her TO the protection OF such soNei u
nents as exist In South America anu ~
al Spanish American countries WIN"
have severed their connection with SPAIN
For these so-called republics, a. we a.,
know. osciliate between despotism ana
anarchy. and are virtually without Id"
FOR the protection OF life, liberty, or pio>
p.ttv They are mere travestics on Tree
institutions or on governments OF any
kind. And we should constantly Dear III
mind. I'm considering their reeuons 10
this country. that Washington ana nam
iItou and the Southern Colonies generdiIS
never went TO war against Great britain
for the Jacobinical ideas OF Mahsachu
setts which have since enguhed the lanu'
but in behalf of principles then nam
tanned by n large party in EneIanu no'
SELF and now recognized and estapnshe"
,hrouebout the British empire "a a1ord-
ing rational liberty TO the people anu
security i'm their rights TO all classes oil
society. " -.
And we should also remember that the
Revolutionary war was provoked by the
unfortunate counsels Of MINI
istry who held only a temporary iedse
NJ mower in the face Of strong ana III
creasinc opposition. led by the talents
and effective eloquence OF the Creates
Statesmen England has ever prouu.'".
and that beneath the Meteor nag VI
tspoIand our forefathers had previously
fought agains. the French ana the'r saw
age allies under Braddock' at Du ''ueshe,
wolfe. at Quebec and on huhuIe"
other bloody fields from the -. Lawrence
10 the Savannah side by size WIN
British troops. TO the stirring strains Oh
"Rritons. Strike Home and estaohshel
IN this land OF ours British law ana
British supremacy. upon iouhda''ons '""'
can never DO entirely removed.
O'' u. II. =.
If seems TO ne that the United states
must now stand M for the Monroe doc
trine or abandon it utterly.
This Venezuelan question Is by no
means newt has been before our govern
mont for vears-and the President and his
cabinet and both houses OF Congress have
como TO the conclusion that II the iaclS
be as represented TO us by Venezuela 1t
Il case 10 which the Monroe doctrine
applies.
We take IL for granted that the Presi-
dent and his Secretary Of state and the
Lawyers en,nloved in the State Department
have considered the question In al OF us
hearings. or course II our commission
find that the Nenezueans have misrepre-
sented the facts TO us and that II Is not
true that Great Britain intends to goDole
nm any Venezuelan territory. we can have
no further interest in the dispute. But If
on inc other hand our commission ma
that II Is true as charged. that Great
Britain means to use her power To extend
her boundary line upon Venezuelan SOIL
tho United States is bound TO resist such
aggression.
So far. certainly. the United state. IS
right in this matter. We have offered 10
submit the questions at issue TO arbitra-
ton and Great Britain has refused to en-
terrain the proposition; but We are not
without hope that later on perhaps
through the mediation Of some friendly
natiom Great Britain and the United
states and Venezuela may agree TO submit
to disinterested experts the duty OF mark
ing the boundary line between
Venezuela and British Guiana. Who
ever will work to forward that
idea has our hearty sympathy and
best wishes But this is very
different thing from taking the position
that our governments view Of this case
is wrong and Sslisbury's is right. The
very fact that Salisbury has declined to
submit the questions ,as TO which he pre-
tends to feel dead sure') 10 arbitration
convinccs us that he is not half so certain
Of his position as he prctends to be.
We have no doubt that the position Of
this government is the right one. But II
we had any doubts we should solve them
in favor Of our country. We have several
times said that in our opinion there would
be no war, and we are strengthened in
this opinion by the solid support that
our people have given the President.
Salisbury probably expected 10 see us di-
vided He sees us united. He probably
expected to see us quarrelling among our
selves. He sees men of different political
parties vieing with one another in eXhi-
billions Of patriotism. He probably ex-
pected to see US quaking with fear before
the money-lenders Of Europe. He sees the
treasury Of Russia open 10 US. Ii Is this
sort OF thing that will command peace.
We have high admiration for the cour-
age and resolution of the British people;
but we believe that they are also pru-
dent people, and we cannot but think
that in due time their public opinion will
force Salisbury to devise some method OF
arbitration for the settlement Of the dis
putc The resources of diplomacy have
by no means been exhausted. On the con-
trary/public sentiment not only of Eng
land and America. but OF the civilized
world, is so urgent that arbitration be
adopted we cannot believe that Salisbury
can long hold out against II. Meanwhile
we say to our people stand by our govern
ment. The resolute man may command
terms where the nervous. waverng, timid
man invites insult and outrage.
------
The Cabells and Their Kin" is the
titIe Of "a handsome volume Of csO