Connecticut western news., 1896-01-23
COMMISSION AT WORK
ENGLAND AND VENEZUELA RECEIVE
 NOTICE THROUGH OLNEY.

They Are Informed That the Court Is
 Open and Invited to Furnish Evidence
 and Be Represented by Counsel-Pre-
 pairing Maps and Abstracts.
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 2t.-The Venezuelan commission has invited the governments of Great Britain and of Venezuela to sub- init to 1t all of the evidence in their pos session to further the work of the conmis- sion, to be represented before it by attor- neys, and all of this with tho reservation that such representation and appearance shall not be deemed an abandonment of any rights or position heretofore assumed. It has done this in order that the proceed ings of the commission may not be said to be ex parte, that the truth may appear and that time may he saved In the inquiry with which the commission is charged. The invitation goes in the shape of let ter to Secretary Olncy, who has made re- sponse, saying that he has transmitted a copy of the commissions views to the two governments concerned. These facts came out after the meeting of the commission, although the letser was drawn up and sent to the secretary of state at its last meeting, Wednesday, Jan. IS. The full text of tho letter is as follows:
 ''WAsHINGToN, Jan. 15. ''The Honorable Secretary of State:
 DEAR SIR-I have the honor to state that the commission appointed by the pres ident of the United states 'to investigate and report upon the true divisional line between the republic of Venezuela and British Guiana has organized by the cleo ton of the honorable David I. Brewer as its president and is entering upon the i'm mediate discharge of its duties.
 "ln so doing 1t has, after careful con sideration, concluded to address you on the question of securing, so far as possi- ble. the friendly cooperation and aid of the two nations which are directly inter- ested in the now pending boundary differ ences.
 Ut must have suggested itself to you as it no doubt has to the president, that this commission thus authorized to asccr- tain and report the boundary line between two foreign nations bears only remote resemblance to those tribunals of an inter- national character, of which VIC have had several examples in the past. They were constituted by or with tho consent of the disputants themselves and were anthcr- ized by the parties immediately concerned to pronounce a final judgment. The ques- tions at issue were presented by the advo- cates of tho various interests, upon whose diligence and skill the tribunal might safely rely for all the data and the argu- ments essential to the formation of an in- telIigent judgment. Their functions were therefore confined to the exercise of judi cial powers, and they might fairly expect to reach a result satisfactory to their own consciences, while it commanded the re- spect of those whose interests were direct ly involved.
 Duties of the Commission.
 "The present commission, neither by the mode of its appointment nor by the nature of it's duties. may be said to belong to tribunals of this character. Its duty will be discharged if it shall diligently and fairly seek to inform the execut ve of certain facts touching a large extent of territory in which the United States have no direct interest. Whatever may be the conclusion reached, no territorial aggran- dizement nor material gain in any form l can accrue to the United States. The sole | concern of our government is the peaceful l solution of controversy between two | friendly powers, for the just and honora- ble settlement of the title to disputed ter ritory and the protection of the United | States against any fresh acquisitions in | our hemisphere on the part of any Euro | pcan state.-
 Ut has seemed proper to the commis- sion, under these circumstances, to sug- | gest to you the expediency of calling the | attention of the governments of Great | Britain to the appointment of the commis- | sion and explaining both it's naturo and object. It may be that they will see a way, entirely consistent with their own sense of international propriety, to give the com | mission the aid that it is no doubt in | their power to furnish in the way of docu- | --H | published archives or the like. It is scarce l ly necessary to say that If either should deem 1t appropriate to designate an agent or attorney, whose duty 1t would be to see | that no such proofs were omitted or over ! looked, the commission would be grateful | for such evidence of good will and for the valuable results which would be likely to | follow therefrom. | Any act of either government in the l direction here suggested might be accom- 1 panied by an express reservation as to her claims and should not be deemed to Dc an abandonment or impairment of any | position heretofore expressed. In other | words, and in lawyers phrase, each might be willing to act the part of an amicus cu- 1 risp and to throw light upon difficult and l complex questions of fact, which should 1 be examined as carefully Gs tho magnitude of the subject demands. The purposes of the pending investigation are certainly l hostile to none, nor can 1t be of advantage l to any that the machinery devised ny the 1 government of the United States to secure the desired information should fail in its purpose.
 1T have the honor to remain, your most obedient servant, ..
 DAVID T. BREWER, president"
 The secrctary's Reply.
 The secretary's reply was short and form ! al, merely an acknowledgment of the re- ceipt of the letter and n statement that he had caused copies of 1t to be sent to the British and Venezuelan governments. It cannot be said that the commission is con fident of favorable response from both parties to the boundary controversy. al- though the courteous terms in which the suggestion is couched and the wide lati- tude of reservation permitted each rErty that may rospoudand the open spirit which characteristics the invitation leads to the natural hope that it will be accepted.
 Meanwhile the commission will proceed on the original line of inquiry, which promises to be a slow and difficult task, trusting to the ahridgment of the proceed ings later on by the production of evidence by both parties and the appearance of at torneys, when tho proeebdings may Ut once ! take on the form or Judicial trlal and the attainment of Il conclusion be core
 spondingly hastened.
 The meeting took place for the first time in the new quarters of the comrnis- { son in the Baltimore Sun building on | , street The first business was the selec tion of officers, and first Of these chosen was S. Malet-Prevost, who has earned a high reputation at the New York bar and alsc in Washington. Mir. Malet Provost was named as secretary of tho commission ard will he in daily attendance Ut the