Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-12-18

1
vance OF frontier or otherwise.
lt Is also suggested in the British reply
that We should not seek to apply the Mon
roe doctrine to the dispute because it does
not elhoody any principle Of international
IA" whlch is founded on the general con.
sent OF nations, and that mo statesman.
however eminent, and no nation, however
powerful a!e competent 10 insert into
the code OF international law n novel
prlhcipie Which was never recognized be
fore and which has rot sirce been acrepted
by the government of any other country -
Practically the principle Tor which we
contend has peculiar if n1r esclusiye rela-
tion to the United States IL may rot
have been admitted in so many words To
the code of international law. but since
IN International cooncilS. every nation is
entitled TO rights belonging to il. II the
enforcement of the Monroe doctri,e IL
something we may justly claim, it has its
place III the code of international law as
certainly and as securely as if it was
speolhcally mentioned, and when the
tnlted states Is suiIor before the hieh
tribunal that administers international
law, the question to he determined is
whether or not We present claims which
the justice OF that code Of law can find to
be right and valid. The Monroe doctrine
ilnds It's recognition in the principles of
international law, which are based upon
the theory that every nation shall have its
rights protected aud its Just claims en-
forced
Or course this government Is entirely
confident that under the sanction of this
UOrErlnp haNa .,.
doubted claims. Nor is this ignored in the
BRUSH reply. The prime minister, while
not admitting that the Monroe doctrine is
applicable to present conditions, states;
In declaring that the United States
would resist any such enterprise, if it was
contemplated. President Monroe adopted
a policy which received the eutire sympa-
thy of the English government of that
date "
He further declares:
Though the language of President
Monroe is directed to the attainment of
objects which most Englishmen would
agree to be sslutary, 1t is impossible to
admit that they have been inscribed by
any adequate authority in the code of In
ternatioEat law"
Again he says;
they Cher majesty S government fully
concur with the view which President
Monroe apparently entertained, that any
disturbance of the existing territorial dis
tributlon in that hemisphere by any fresh
acquisition on the part of any European
state, would be highly inexpcdient
change"
In the belief that the doctrine for which
we contend was clear aud definite that II
was founded ON substantial considera.
tions and involved our safety and welfare.
that ii was fully applicable to our present
conditions and to the state of the world |
progress, and that it was directly related
to the pending controversy, and without
any conviction as to the final merits of the
dispute, hut anxious to learn in a satisfac.
tory and conclusive manner whether Great |
Britain sought under claim of boundary
to extend her possessions ON this continent |
without right, or whether she merely |
sought possession of territory fairly in |
cluded within her lines of ownership. this
government proposed to the government
OF Great Britain a resort to arbitration As |
the proper means of settling the question,
to the end that IA vcxatious boundary dis
pute between the two contestants Iniplt
be determined and our exact standing and |
relation in respect to the controversy
might be made clear
1t will be seen from the correspondpnre
herewith submitted that this proposition
has been declined by the British govern.
mcnt, upon grounds which under the cir
seem to me to be far from
1t is deeply disappointing
that such an appeal, actuated by the most
friendly feelings toward both nations
directly concerned, addressed To the sense
Of justice and to the magnanmty of one
IF the great powers of the world and
its relations to one comparatively
weak and small, should have produced no
better res uits.
The course to be pursued by this govern
nent in view Of the present condition
loes not appear TO admit of serious doubt
Having labored faithfully for many years
% induce Great Britain to submit this
lspute to impartial arbitration and hav-
ng been now finally apprised of her re.
usal to do 30, nothing remains but TO &C
'ept the situation, To recognize its plain
and deal with it accordingly.
1reat Britain's present proposition has
never thus far been regarded as admissi-
Die by Venezuela, though any adjustment
Il the boundary which that country may
leem for her own free will. cannot of
curse, be objected to by the United
states.
Assuming. however, that the attitude {
4 Venezuela will remain unchanged. the
Iispute has reached such stage as to
make it now incumbent upon the United {
states to take measures to determine with !
efficient certainty for its justification
What is the true divisional line between s
he republic Of Venezuela and British I
iuiena. The inquiry to that end should, ,
I course, be conducted carefully and judi {
tally, and due weight should be given to {
il available evidence, records and facts in J
Upport OF the claims of both parties. q
In order that such an examination
hould be prosecuted in "A thorough and !
manner, ] suggest that the C
ongress make an adequate appropriation a
lr the expenses OF a commission. to be :
ppointed by the Executive, who shall
lake the ncct ssary investigation and re- j
prt with the least possible delay When .
1ch - report is made, II Will, in my =
piDion, be he duty Of the United States u
, resist, by every means in its power, as Q
wilfOl aggression upon its rights and n
lterests, the appropriation hy Great u