The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-12-21
THE VENEZUELAN BOUNDARY
DISPUTE.

DISPUTE.
President Cleveland on Tuesday laid be-
fore Congress, the correspondence between
this country and Great Britain, relative to
the Venezuelan boundary dispute, accom-
panying the correspondence with vigorous
assertion of the Monroe Doctrine as appli-
cable to the case.
The doctrine so stoutly re-asserted by the
President, is contained in the following
extract from President James Monroe's
message to Congress, December 2, 1923.
"We owe it, therefore, to candor and to
the amicable relations existing between the
| United States and those powers to declare
that we should consider any attempt on
their part to extend their system to any
portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to
our peace and safety. With the existing
colonies or dependencies of any European
power we have not interfered and shall
not interfere. But with the governments
who have declared their independence and
maintained it, and whose independence we
have, on great consideration and on Just
principles acknowledged, we could not
/ NltW any lllUtl pUSlplOll pllt lpoSt vi
depressing them, or controlling in any
other manner their destiny, by any Euro
pean power in any other light than as the
manifestation of an unfriendly disposition
toward the United States. 1t is
impossible the allied powers should extend
their political system to any portion of
either continent without endangerng our
peace and happiness; nor can any one be-
lnya fbnt ON Sputharp hratbr If laft tn
themselves, would adopt it of their own
accord. 1t is equally impossible, therefore,
that we should behold such interpolation in
any form with indifference.
The facts underlying this boundary dis
put succinctly stated are that Great
Britain lays claim to 1900 square miles of
territory at the mouth of the Orinoco
river, which Venezuela resists as legally or
honestly hers. The question OF this boun
Diary between British Guiana and Ven
ezuela, has been under consideration at
Washington, ever since l~1G, and has been
the subject of yoluminous correspondence
between this country and England. In
July last Secretary olney reviewed the
whole question very fully in his 'note' to
Lord Salisbury. which his lordship pigeon
holed for four months, and has replied to,
denying the applicability of the Monroe
Doctrine to question of disputed bound
airy, and declining the offer of the United
States to act as arbitrator ia the matter
Now President Cleveland recommends to
Congress, that as ''the dispute has reached
such stage as to make it now incumbent
upon the United States to take measures to
determine with sufficient certainty for its
Justification 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 judicially, and due weight should be
given to all available evidence, records and
facts in support of the claims of both
parties.
In order that such an examination should
be prosecuted in a thorough and satsfac-
tory manner, suggest that the Congress
make an adequate appropriation for the eX-
penses of a Commission t. be appointed by
the Executive, who shall make the neces
sary investigation and report upon the
matter with the least possible DELAY
''Whcn such report 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 IA wllful aggression upon its
rights and interests, the appropriation by
Great Britain OF any lands or the exercise
of governmental jurisdiction over any terri
tory which, after investigation, we have
determined Of right as beongin" to Nencz-
uela.N
no Iatnr nut of tI,n ion,
recommended by the President must shape
the future action of this country, after the
future commission decides which is right
in its territorial demands Great Britain or
Venezuela. The latter does not concede,
the correctness of the boundary line claimed
by England, and that claim is yet to be
decided. In the meanwhile Great Britain
cannot arbitrarily seize the territory claimed
by her, without affording Venezuela the
opportunity to prove her claim.
Venezuela, the weaker country, is en-
titled to the care and protection of the
United States and every other country on
this hemisphere. The United States, as
the dominant nation on this continent, offers
it's good services to arbitrate the question,
and it must insist upon such a course be
ing taken We have no material intert st
in the question; it is merely one of right,
honor sentiment and demand for Il full
recognition of the principles of the Monroe
doctrine, which is as much a part of our
national policy as though it were incorpo.
rated in the Constitution.
SECRETARY CARLISLE'S REPORT