The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-28

Evidences grow that the whole Of Con-
gress did not lose Is head when Mr..
Cleveiati grove his commission bill
through. but that there were plenty OF
members who perfectly understood the
folly OF The whole business, but who were
lacking In the manlincss necessary TO
face the storm and expose the nonsense
OF u all Senator Gray. of Delaware, has
had an interview with a reporter, IN when
he says: with bona nde boundary
dispute between British Guiana ana Nene-
zuela. / do not think that the United
states has anything to do, ana to suc'' a
bona fde dispute ] do not believe the
Monroe doctrine applies" The reporter
adds that he made this statement to him
after comforting with a group OF Demo-
craft. senators and that il is believed to
express u cir suppressed sentiments
This is encouraging. certainly, and in
a little while, when the thinking people
Of the country have made their neighbors
understand the nonsense and humbugsefy
of this whole affair, we viii find some
senator or representative pluchng up
courage enough 10 pinch himself on the
leg. If he discovers that he is still there
we will next hear of his suggesting
mild enquiry whether it is perfectly Ger
tain that the Monroe doctrine applies TO
the Venezuela case. and having got used
to the sound of his own voice, ana learn
ing that Mr. Cleveland does not strike
hsr, dead at the outset. he will by de-
eress begin TO repeat his question until
hc finally gets bold enough to assert posi-
lively that the Monroe doctrine does not
apply an all. This will be the case of
the ben-wether The officers will follow
one at time until presently there Is
rush of all the flock, and poor Olney viii
be left hanging up in the air with Mr.
Cleveland for his sole worshiPper and the
whole gang Of DAVIS pecking al him. We
have repeatedly referred to the row which
President John Quincy Adams kicked up
with this Monroe doctrine in no TO
make himself popular with the people
but the case had so many features In
common with the present case that we
must be pardoned for quoting from Ben
toms account of it again.
Mr. Adams message. advising that
delegates be sent by this government to
the Panama Congress OF American States
that was 10 discuss what was supposed 20
affect the common interests of all, was
debated in secret sessions of the Senate
and afterwards in open sessions Of the
House OF Representatives. Benton says
in his account OF the affair:
"The publication Of the secret debates
in the Senate on the nomination OF the
ministers and the public discussion IN the
House Of Representatives on the apDro-
priation clauses 10 carry the mission into
effect. succeeded, after some time, in as
sipating all the illusions which had fasci-
mated the public mind-turned the current
against the admins tration-made the
project a new head Of objection 10 It's
authors. and in a short time II would
have been impossible 10 obtain any con-
sidcration for 1t either In Congress or
before the people. 1t is now entirely for
gotten. but deserves TO be remembered
in this view Of the working of the gov
eminent TO show the questions of policy,
OF national and constitutional law which
were discussed; the excitement which
can be got up without foundation and
against reason. how public men can bend
before "A storm: how all the departments
OF government can 60 wrong ana no"
the true, conservative power IN our cOun-
trv Is IN the people. In their judgment
and reason. and in steady appeals 10 their
intelligence and patriotism
That is it, The people will soon find
out the Aimbuggery OF this business. as
they found out the humbuggery OF the
Panama business. and everything will
then come right and the jngoes viii
wonder how they could have made such
a display OF ,smselves.