Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-17
HANDS OFF
Mr. Cleveland Reafirns the
Monroe Policy
NOTICE SERVED ON JOHN BULL
Will Resist British AggrGSS:ons
in Venezuela.
MESSAGE SENT TO CONGRESS
Salisbury's Refusal to Submit to
Arbitration.
PROPOSED COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
When the Boundary is Determined
Uncle Sam Will Maintain It.
MESSAGE SENT TO CONGRESS
Salisbury's Refusal to Submit to
Arbitration.
PROPOSED CONMISSICN OF INQUIRY
When the Boundary is Determined
Uncle Sam Will Maintain It.

President Cleveland today sent to Con-
yress the following message:
To the Congress: In my annual message
addressed to the Congress on the Sd instant
| called attention TO the pending boundary
controversy between Great Britain and the
lepublic of Venezuela, and recited the sub
stance of a representation made by this gov
eminent to her Britannia majesty's govern
ment suggesting reasons why such dispute
should be submitted to arbitration for set
Element and inquiring whether it would be
so submitted.
The answer of the British government,
which was then awaited, mas since been
received, and together with the dispatch
to which it is reply is hereto appended.
Such reply is embodied in two commune
cations addressed by the British prime min
lister to Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British
ambassador at this capital 1t will be seen
that enc of these communications is de-
voted exclusively to observations upon the
Monroe doctrine, and claims that in the
present instance new and strange extern
sisted on by the United States, that the
reasons justifying an appeal to the doctrine
enuntiated by President Monroe are gen.
orally inappliCable ito the state of things
in which We live at the present day." and es-
pecally inapplicable to a controversy involv-
ing the boundary line between Great Britain
and Venezuela.
Without attempting extended argument
in reply to these positions, it may not be
amiss to suggest that the doctrine 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 government. 1t was intended to ap-
ply to every stage of our national life, and
cannot become obsolete while our republic
endures. If the balance of power is justly
cause for jealous anxiety among the gov
ernmeIts of the old world and subject for
cur absolute non-interference, none the less
is an observance of the Monroe doctrine of
vital concern to our people and their gov
eminent.
Its Present Applicn biIity.
Assuming, therefore, that we may proper
ly insist upon this doctrine without regard
10 the state of things in which we live
or any changed conditions here or else
where, It is not apparent why its application
may not be invoked in the present contro-
Versy.
If European power. by an extension of
its boundaries takes possession of the ter
ritory of one of our neshboring republics
rights, it is difficult to see why, to that ex-
tent. such European power does not thereby
attempt to extend its system of government
tc that portion of this continent which is
thus taken. This is the precise action which
President Monroe declared to he danger
Gus to our peace and safety" and it can
make no difference whether the European
system is extended by an advance OF from
Tier CT otherwise
II is also suggested in the British reply
that We should not seek to apply the Mon
roe doctrine to the pending dispute be-
international law which lis founded on the
general consent of nations and that mo
statesman however eminent, and no ma
ton. however powerful, are competent to
insert into the code of international law a
novel principle which was never recognized,
lcfore and which has not since been ac-
cepted by the government of any other
country"
Practically, the principle for which We
contend has peculiar if not exclusive,
relation to the United States. 1t may not
hav" been admitted in SO many words to
the code Of international law, but since il,
International councils every nation is ell
titled to the rights belonging TO it. if the en-
forcement of the Monroe doctrine is some.
thing we LAY justly claim, it has its
place in ode of international law as
certainly at.u as securely as if it were spe-
c!tically mentioned, and hen the United