The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-26
vENIXuELAN COMMISSIONER
SPEAKS.

Saturday last was commemorative-day
AZ Johns Hopkins University. in Balu-
more. DR.. Andrew y. White late prcsi-
dent OF Cornell University, ex-Ministor TO
Germany and Russia, and now member
Of the Venezuelan Commission, was the
orator Of the day. and lac was introduced
10y President Gilman, OF Johns HOPKINS,
also a member Of the Venezuelan Com
mission. DR.. Whites subject was THE
Diplomatic Service Of the United States.
Regarding war with Great Britain. Or.
White said:
"Cf ali calamiues To- the world which
one can imagine, there could hardly be
anything more fearful than a WAL be-
tween the TWO great Enghsh-speaklng ma
lions. FiIghtfui as would be the cost IN
blood ana treasure OF such q war 10 both
peoples; wretched as necessarily must DE
lis outcome. these would be she least
OF its evils Tor such a conflict would
paralyze Tor long years the two great
civilizing nations OF the world, ia whose
practical alliance lie the best hopes TOR
the future OF humanity. Nothing should
be spared TO avert such 4 var. save la
ternsuonal Righteousness. the just pc
sition of our country. aud .he self-sespect
Of its citizens
This language from a member Of the
Venezuelan Commission makes The out
come of their investigation most hopeful,
though. indeed. we look upon the posi-
bility of war between England and Amer
lea as absolutely ended. The common
sense Of the people in both countries mas
taken mold Of the subject as we always
felt confident that 1t would. and that
common sense has decided that there
shall be no enlargement between these
two nations. How could there be? We
are OF one blood. Of one speech, ard our
interests are so interlaced and inter
twined at every conceivable point that
war between the two countries would be
like war in one family. II would come up
fully TO the idea OF civil war.
To our mind the bare suggestion Of such
a thing is like the suggestion of parri-
eide England's glorious and heroic past
is not dearor TO Englishmen than 10 is
TO us. The freemon Of Runnymedc We're
our ancestors as well as theirs. We de-
scend from the men who framed the
Petition of Right. John Milton. William
Shakespeare. and Oliver Cromwell belong
equally to us. What is there in this glo-
iious past that is not as much part
of our glorious past as of theirs? For
one, we say we viii not go TO war With
these people unless they should do the
inconceivabe thing of undertaking TO
force "a war upon us.
Within the past two weeks the London
Times has had very calm editorial re-
view of this whole case. which Is entirely
destitute of feeling or prejudice, and
which considers it in the most judicial
spirit In the course Of its article it
states that when Nenezuela's case is siftcd
to the bottom il is found to rest, not upon
occupation of territory or exercise OF
Jurisdiction over it, or any assertion Of a
right of possession that dates back more
than sixty years, nor even, as has been
supposed unon Spanish discovery Of the
continent but upon o. bun of the Pope
OF Rome issued in the sixteenth century.
The Spaniards having discovered a part
Of South America. the Pope. in his tenn
poral capacity. claimed that the whole
country belonged TO him, and he made a
grant of territory that falls within the
lines now claimed by the British, which,
the Venezuelans say. was a valid grant,
and they claim this grant as the iounda-
tion of their right TO the territory In
dispute.
A pretence Of this sort IS 50 fancifm
that we have felt very 10th TO believe
that this could really be the foundation
Of Nenezuelas claim But, upon the other
hand. it is 90 he recolectod that it j.
the London Times which makes this as
sertion. ana that j. makes 60 with great
elaboration ia am elaborate and most
Carefully prepared review OF the whole
case. A discussion Of this sort in the
London Times falls little short OF the
! dignity OF an official document 1t is
most improbable that it should be wrong
about a matter of fact OF this sort. and
/ il Is to be remembered that IN Lord Sails
bury's dispatch to Mr. Olnoy there is 4
/ distinct hint AZ something OF the kind.
Ii is a mos, fortunate thing that the
investigation OF this ease is committed
to a tribunal as learned. able. and fair
| as the Venezuelan Commission. All this
whole business Will 10 doubt be probod
to tho bottom. ana We shall probably
have q report which will be accepted by
all the world as giving the facts Of
the case exactly as they exist. And it
, should accept Englands position, that
her subjects who have made their homes
down there are not 10 Zoe disturbed, but
that all territory outside OF that settled
by them will De submitted TO arbitration.