The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-16

aforesaid article Of the Constitution and
would incur the reproaches OF the citizens
carried on during the term OF Guzman
Blanco as President OF Venezuela In 1884
General Guzman went to Great Britain as
special envoy 10 bring TO a settlement
the differences Of the governments end in
a memorandum given to Sir Julian Paunce-
tote, tnen Secretary or the Foreign once
government OF the repubiie Snis in its
constitution an insuperable difficulty 70 set
lie II In any other way but arbitration. The
States OF the Confederation of Venezuela
bind themselves therein TO ALLEVIATE To- no
foreign power any part OF their territory
therefore at is impossible for them to rake
ognized the same limits which In the year
1919 belonged to the former captainey gen.
eral Of yenezuela-" But in conclusion.
Blanco said: Venezuela now proposes, In
stead of the arbitration Of a frienily power
the sentence of a commission OF jurists
composed Of persons chosen, respectively. by
the parties"
In later note he explains that such a
commission would examine the titles of
both nations. would decide aco.~l.ng TO be
merits of the proofs adducsd ap, esch
side would have to lose the Territory 10
which Ii had no right.
VETOED BY SALISBURY.
Granville. in reply, informed him i'm a
brief note that the plan of a commission
presented constitutional difficu;ties which
prevented her Majesty's governm lent ac-
ceding to il, without explaining lie nature
Of those difficulties and The plan was
dropped from the discussion IN its place
came the general treaty providing arnCng
other things, IF, as is 20 be deprecated, d,
there shall arise any differences, they shall
be submitted to arbitration" When this
treaty seemed about to be completed the
government changed, Lord Salisbury sue
ceeded Granville. and lie expressly eis-
avowed any construction of the treaty or
understanding by which AZ could apply 10
the boundary dispute, so tne whole nrso-
tiation fell through.
At various stages in the correspondence,
General Guzman reiterated the Cou.tiiu-
tional impossibility of any Ssa;tlenient of
the boundary by treaty. Whether President
Crespo will put the same construction upon
the constitution remains TO be seen. A
member of the foreign affairs committee
in discussing the above correspondence said
sage OF President Cleveland's message
which asserts that "any adjustment OF
the boundary which the country tVenezuela)
may deem for her advantage and may en-
ter into OF her own free will, cannot OF
course, be objected to by the United States"
as not being In accordance with the Inter
some people, who hold that the United
States might be justified in objecting TO
the voluntary cession OF territory by an
other American government to European
power. Some OF the critics of the message
have foreseen possibility that Venezuela
might be pursuaded by financial or other
considerations to waive large proportion
of her territorial claims TO Great Britain.
III President Crespo interprets the con-
stitution of his government as did Guzman
Blanco, the necessity for any intervention
by the United States to prevent voluntary
REIMBURSEMENT of the mouth OF the ORR
noco to England's control is remote.
"Of course. the British Foreign Office is
familiar with the construction put upon the
Venezuelan Constitution in the last at
tempt to negotiate treaty But III she still
desires to stand by the letter of her refusal
to arbitrate, Guzman Blanco's suggestion
of a commission of jurists presents an al
tentative. Such a commission is now in
vestigating the question. but IL was not
created by the interested parties. Perhaps
Great Britain will yet consent TO submit
the dispute to such a commission. if. indeed,
she does not propose that solution of the
Gordian knot with which Salisburys ulti-
matum might seem to have bound her"