Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-09
Thex rnke Too Nlnph Tor tiranted.

roe Doctrine" by Prof. John Bach
McMaster OF tho University Of Penn
aylvania. The paper is long and inter
esting, and bears those Indications of
scholarly preparation that would natur
ally be expected Of Gle able author.
But in springtdo q iingo epthusi-
asm even the wisest and most consorya
tive Of men are occasionally swept
away from their sound mental bear
ings, and it seems in this instance
that Prof. McMaster proved no oxcep-
tion. He concludes his paper with
citation of the position taken by the
Buchanan administration with refer
ence to Mexico, at the time when Eng
land, France and Spain had decided on
armed intervention, inorder to suppress
the enormities committed by the Mira
mon and Juarcz governments. Against
this intervention both Secretary Of
State Cass and President Buchanan
protested. the former SAYING
While we do not deny the right Of
any other power tu carry on hostile
operations against Mexico, for the re-
dress Of its grievances. we firmly object
to Its holding possession Of any part
OF that country. or endeayoring by
force TO control its political destiny,
deemed it my duty. said the Presi
dent in his message in December, 1860,
to recommend 10 Congress- in my last
annual message the employment of a
sufficient military force 10 penetrate
into the interior s European
governments would have been deprived
of all preteXts 10 Interfere ia the terri
torial and domestic concerns Of Mexico
We should thus have been relieved from
the obligation of resisting, even by
force should this become necessary,
any attempt by these governments to
deprive our neighboring republic of
portions Of her territory a duty from
which we could not shrink without
abandoning the traditional and estab
lished policy of the American people. .
Three statements, Prof McMaster
asserts, are contained in this exposition
of the doctrine:
|. That we have duty resting on us
which we cannot shirk without aban-
doning the traditional and established
policy of the American people.
>. This duty is to resist any attempt
by a European government 10 deprive
our neighboring republic of portions
of her territory.
B That if necessary, resistance
must go even to the use of force,
And then he says:
This exposition by Buchanan is
| sound and good and is exactly the posi-
tion taken by Mr., Cleveland Great Brit
ain is to-day attempting TO take from
| Venezuela, not 30, 900 square miles, as
| is commonly stated, but l09, 600 square
miles, to which she has no Just claim
whatever: an area as large as Nevada
and exceeded by no States in tho Union
save Texas, California and Montana
| an area ninety-four timeA as large as
Rhode Island, fifty four times ais large
as Delaware, thirteen times as large
as Massachusetts, and 10000 square
/ miles larger than the six New England
/ States! When European power
| rightfully or wrungfully attempts to ac-
/ qulfe so immense an area as this, she
does, in the words of Monroe spread
her system; she does attempt to CON
troll tho destiny'' Of Vene1uela: she
does, in the language Of Polk, inter
fere with the Independent action vi
4 nations on this Contincnt.'A she is, as
Gass expressed it, ''holding possession
OF that country and endeav0rinp ..ta
control its political destiny . and the
Monroe doctrine does apply. We are
bunnd as buchanan asserted, IL resist
this attempt to deprive our neighbar-
ins republic Of her territory, . and We
should in duty 10 sound American
policy use force if necessary.
From liS3 until lSi2 we had n dis
pute with England oyar the boundary
of Maine Had she during that tint
eXtanded her claims fill they included
~ Of New England and aeven-eighth.
u New York, waHld She not nave beer
extending her syatat3 OF an the ma
tiIns Of the world she IS the most pro
gressipe and the most aggressive. TAX,
a map Of the world and mark on ii he
Possessions in 1850, III 1875. in 1850
in lsAi, and see what sita hua beei
doing. Then fake Mr., CGenilliatt
nap uf the British claims ia nezuel;
and see fiat history repeated. For 5,
Years she has slowly bui surely beeI
spreading her claims from taR Ease
q1lh0 y The 0rinueo rigef till the,
now touch HIS mouth Afa VA t1 con
Alder this 0i no moment:
Il will he observed tkat pF5fpseo
MrNaster makes somo very broad asspr
tions il the concluding paragraph .
bis paper, above quoted But are thc
not mere assumptions? As natter
taet there is 4 positive dispute be
tween Nercluea and Great Britm
oErr the boundary limo betwea NJ
f9rarr country and British Calianf
~ one means If endeagoring ta raae
a settlement Of the points involved j
tt" dispute the Congress Of the Uaite
! States ba7 appropriated 500, 600, III
7 the President has appointed 4 commit
i, sien Of aHle men, to MAKO a theroa3,
/ in4eetigatira. And yr5 Professor Aij
q MASTER assumes to strfSo lit tho trut
I 81 the matt.r BY positively assertir
!; taat tireat Britain la5 boldly take
! possession d 100000 square miles
Venezuelan territory q which sho hi
+ 90 Inst claim. Might Aa not ~ va
q insist that tine rrab cl6,nrised half
4 million Fqume miles lr more?
4 il Professor aleMas@r il corrcc
I there is no need II fartrcr lnyostig
i lion into the matter. iiut mere d
Q sumptIons ara nut facts and his int
& prove, uron investigation, 10 bo Il
. firm the truth. lie apparently ignor
e everything Tilt the claims u one par
!. e the controversy, 1t ii i mistake
d put forth sGch ono sided assertions
j settlements " fact. It is wrong to take /,
1....h fnr tr.Ltl LnlL ,.nnllir,,t All.. -