The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1895-12-21
President Cleveland's Commune
cation to Congress on the Ven.
ezuelan Question.
lie Is In Favor Of Enforcing the
Doctrine Laid Down by
Monroe.
Would Ascertain the Rights OF
Venezuela and Then De-
fend Them.

Spontaneous Demonstration in
the Senate When the Read
ing Ended.
WASHINGTON, Dec 18.-The president
tas sent the following message to con-
Szsss, together with the correspondence
ln the Venezuelan matter:
70 the Congress:
In my annual message addressed to
tho congress ON the third instant,
called attention to the pending bound.
axy controversy between Great Britain
and the Republic Of Venezuela, and re.
cited the substance Of a representation
made By this government to her Britain
MO majesty's government. suggesting
reasons Why such disputes should be
submitted to arbitration for settlement,
and inquiring whether it would be 90
submitted. ..i .....-
Oevsted to Observations ON Monroeism.
The answer Of the British govern.
0ent, which was then awaited, has
since been received and together with
the dispatch to which it is a reply, is
hereto appended. Such reply is EN-.
bodied in two communications ad-
dressed BY the British prime minister to
8ir Julian Pauncefote. the British am.
bassador at this capital. 1t will be seen
that ono Of these communications is de-
voted exclusively to observations upon
the Monroe doctrine, and claims that
IN thu present instance new and
strange extension and development of
this doctrine is insisted ON by the
United States; that the reasons Justify.
ing a appeal to the doc,- me enunciated
by President Monroe are generally in
applioahao ssto the state Of things in
which W live at the present day." and
especially inapplicable to controversy
involving the boundary line between
Grsat Britain and Venezuela.
Thiaks the Doctrine II sound.
Without attempting extended argu-
msnts In reply to these positions, it may
not b amiss to suggest that the doc
trins upon which we stand is strong
and sound because its enforcement is
important to our peace and safety as a
nation. and Is essential to the integrity
of our free institutions and the tranquil
maintenance Of our distinctive form of
governments It was intended to apply
20 every stage of our national life, and
cannot become obsolete while our re-
public endures. If the balance of
power IN justly cause for jealous anx-
isty among the governments Of the old
world, and subject for our absolute
non-interferenoe, nons the less is an OBJ
servance Of the Monroe doctrine Of vital
concern to our people and their govern.
ment. .
Dessn's - where II Dossa't Apply.
Assuming. therefore. that we may
properly insist upon this doctrine, with
ont regard to ''the state Of things in
which we hive" or any changed condi.
tious hero or elsewhere. it is not appar.
emit why its application may not be in.
voked in the present controversy. II q
European power, by an extension OF its
boundaries, takes possession Of the ter.
Situry Of one of our neighboring repub-
lics against its will. and in derogation
OF its rights, il is difficult to see why, to
that extent, such European power does
not thereby attempt to extend its sys.
tenn of government to that portion OF
this continent, which is thus taken.
This II the precise action which Presi.
dent Monroe declared to be dangerous
70 our peace and safety" and it can
mako no difference whether the
European system is extended by an ad-
vance Of frontier or otherwise.
Il IL also suggested in the British
rsply that we should not seek to apply
The Monroe doctrine to the pending dis
pute because it does not embody any
principle Of international law which
s.is founded ON the general consent OF
uations," and that mo statesman, how
ever eminent, and no nation, however
powerful, are competent to insert into
the code Of international law. q novel
pr1nciple. which was never recognized
before and which has not since been ao-
cepted BY the government OF any other
country"
Il Il Rseuliar to This Country.
Practically the principle for which
10 oontend has peculiar II not exclus-
I've relation to the United States.
. II may have not been admitted in SO
inany words to the code of international
law, but since in international councils
every nation is entitled to the rights De.
longing to it, il the enforcement OF the
Monroe doctrine is something we may
Justly claim, it has its place in the code
of international law as certainly and as
securely . il it were specifically men
toned, and when the United States is 9
suifor before the high tribunal that ad-
ministers international law, the ques-
tion 70 be determined is whether or not
~ present claims which the Justice OF