The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-12-21
BREArHEs THE WAR SPIRIT.
A Ringing Message From Cleveland on
the Venezuelan Question.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.-President
Cleveland today sent to congress q
message on the reply of Great Britian
in the Venezuelan dispute. The reply
is embodied in two communications
addressed by the British prime minis
ter to Sir Julian Pauncefote, British
ambassador. The president says: at
will be seen that one of these commu-
nications is devoted exclusively to. OBJ
servations upon the Monroe doctrine,
and claims that in the present instance
= new and strange extension and de-
velopment of this doctrine is insisted
on by the United States, and that the
reasons justifying an appeal to the doc
trine enunciated by President Monroe
are generally inapplicable to the state
ofthings in which we live at the pres.
ent day, and especially inappiicable
to the controversy involving the
boundary line between Great Britain
and Venezuela.
:" Without attempting extended ar
guments to reply to these positions, 4"
the president says, cit may not be
amiss to suggest that the doctrine
upon which we stand is strong and
sound, because its enforcement is i'm
portant to our country and our safety
as nation and essential to the integ-
rity of our free institutions and the
tronoril ynaiutaoonoo "a 80. a.~.e-
tive form of government. 1t was in
tended to apply to every stage of our
national life and cannot become obso-
lete while our republic endures. That
we should not seek to apply the Mon
roe doctrine to the pending dispute be-
cause it does not embody any principle
OF international law is, in may opinion,
erroneous.
This government has proposed to
the government of Great Britain to re-
sort to arbitration as the proper means
of settling the question. 1t will be
seen from the correspondence here
with submitted that this proposition
has been declined by the British gov
ernment upon grounds which. under
the circumstances, seem to be far from
satisfactory. The course to be pur-
sued by this government, in view of
the present condition, does not appear
to admit of serious doubt. Nothing
remainssbut to accept the situation,
to recognize its plain requirements
and deal with it accordingly. Thedis-
pute has reached such d. stage aato
make it now incumbent upon the
United States to take measures to de-
termine with sufficient certainty for
it's justification what is the true divis-
ional. In order that such an examina-
ton should be prosecuted in thor
ough and satisfactory manner, / sug-
yest that congress make adequate ap-
for the expenses of a COM
mission to be appointed by the execu-
tive, who shall make the necessary
and report upon the
matter with the least possible delay.
When such a, report is made and ac-
cepted 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 inter-
est, the appropriation by Great Britain
Of any lands or exercise governmental
over any territory which,
after investigation, we have determin-
ed OF right belongs to Venzulela. In
making these recommendation, am
fully alive to the responsibility incur
red and keenly realize all the conse-
quences that may follow. There's no
which great nation can
invite which equals that which follows
supine submission to wrong and In
Justice and consequent loss of national
and honor, beneath which
Is shielded and defended the peoples
safety and greatness"