Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-12-27

Mr.. Cleveland Objects to Seizure o
American Territory by Foreigners.

American Territory by Fore gners.
The president sent the following mes
sage to congress today:
To Congress-: In my annual message
addressed to congress on the third IN
slant | called attention to the pending
boundary controversy between Great
Britain and the republic of Venezuela
and rected the substance OF the represen-
tations made by this government to her
Brittanic majesty's government, suggest
ing reasons why such disputes should be
submitted to arbitration for settlement
and inquiring whether 1t would be so
submitted. The answer of the British
government, which was theS awaited,
nas since been received, and together with
the dispatch to which 1t Is the reply, is
hereto appended
Such reply is embodied In Two commu-
nications addressed by the British prime
minister to Sir Julian Pauncefote, the
British ambassador to this capital. 1t
Will be seen that one OF these communi-
,ations is devoted exclusively to observa-
ions upon the Monroe doctrine and claims
hat in the present instance a new and
| strange extension and development of this
| doctrine is insisted on by the United
| States, that the reasons justifying the APP
peal to the doctrine enunciated by Presi-
lent Monroe are generally inapplicable
| to the state of things In which we
| i've at the present day." and especially In
| applicable to the controversy involving
| he boundary line between Great Britain
| and Venezuela
| without attempting any extended ar
| ,uments to reply to these positions 1t may
| not be amiss to suggest that the doctrine
| upon which we stand Is strong and sound,
| because its enforcement is important to
| our country and our safety as nation
| and is essential to the integrity of our
| Tree institutions and the tranquil main
| tenance of our distinctive form OF gov
| eminent. 1t was intended to apply to
| every stage of our national life and cannot
become obsolete while our republic en-
lures. If the balance of power is justly
| a cause for jealous anxiety among the
governments of the old world and sub
lect for our absolute nonnterference,
none the less is the observance of the
Monroe doctrine of vital concern to our
people and their government
Assuming, therefore, that we may prop
erly insist upon the doctrine without re-
gard to 1.-THE state of things in which we
| live" or any changed conditions here OF
elsewhere. it is not apparent why Its
| application may not be invoked In the
present controversy. II any European
| power. by the extension of Its boundar-
| as, takes possession of the territory OF
| me of our neighboring republics against
It's will and in derogation of its rights
| II is difficult to see why to that extent
| such European power does not thereby
attempt to extend Its system of govern
| nent TO tnat pOrtlOn TINS SoHtiiSh
| which is thus taken. This is the precise
| action which President Monroe declared
| 10 be dangerous to our peace ana safe
| ~" and IL can make no difference wheth
er the European system is extended by
an advance of frontier or otherwise
| 1t is also suggested in the British re
ply that we should not seek to apply the
Monroe doctrine to the pending dispute
| because at does not embody any prin
ciple of international law which is found
| ed on the general consent OF nations,
and that no statesman. however eminent
and no nation, however powerful. arr
competent to insert into the code of inter
national law novel principle which wa'
never recognized before. and which ma
not since been accepted by the govern
ment of any other country"
: A RIGHTEOUS PRINCIPLE
Practically the principle for which w
: contend has peculiar. IL not exclusive
| relation to the United States. IL ma!
2 not have been admitted in so many word
| TO the code of international law, but sine
in international counsels every nation Il
entitled to the rights belonging TO II
! of the enforcement of the Monroe doc
irine is something we may justly claim
II has its place in the code of internationa
law as certainly and as securely as IL /
we're specifically mentioned: and wher
, | The United States is the sutton before thu
high tribunal that administers interna
, tonal law, the question to be determined
Is whether or not We present claim
which the justice of that code of law cal
find to be right and valid.
The Monroe doctrine finds its recogni
: ton in those principles of internationa
law which are based upon the theory tina
every nation shall have its rights pro
tected and its just claims enforced. o.
| course this government is entirely con
! fdent that under the same sanction o.
this doctrine we have clear rights anc
undoubted claims.
] Nor is this ignored In the British reply