The Portland daily press., 1896-01-06

al pIluolplcS, moreover, AmHrlCti u6-
mands arbitration as sacred right and
for this she will fight if needful.
The man who perhaps did more than
any other single individual to make Lin
coin President tells me Lincoln said to
him before war seemed inevitable, "The
trouble u.s. the people of the South have
their creed, which they hold, and we
have ours. which we hold. Their princi-
pies are sacred to them, as our principles
are sacred to us.
The same words apply to England and
America today. Absit omen. I am as
founded at the depth and character of
American feeling on this question. Men
experienced, staid, elderly, conservati We,
many holding judicial positions of great
responsibility, frankly declare their un-
compromising support of this American
doctrine. And while it is clear that Pres
ident Cleveland was infinitely too clever
and too devoted to his own party not to
see that his message would deal knock
down blow to the two groups of his po-
iitioal enemies, Republicans and free
silver men, still no greater mistake
would be possible than for England to re-
gard the message as q mere party manoeu
vre. Ii this latter view gains acceptance,
the consequences of the mistake may be
awful. When L reflect on the possibility
of this, and know what 1 know OF Amer
lean opinion, I am pro foundly depressed
Arbitration is demanded by every consid-
GRAFTON dearest to civilized mankind.
ADVICE TO SALISBURY.
Now, howsshall arbitration be reached
Tn test way of all would be for Lord
Salisbury to come to an arrangement di-
rect with Venezuela. The cabinet here
would much prefer this of course. 1 I'M
ders tand upon high authority that the
Venezuelan government would express
its regret at the Yuruan outrage, pay all
the additional indemnity demanded, and
request England to resume diplomatic
relations, if in return England would
agree upon reference of the whole oues-
ton to any competent tribunal she might
select And America would bring every
pressure to bear to this end if Venezuela
he5itated. All American interest would
cease instantly before the fact of arbitra-
tion before the party ozning the soil.
Lord Salisbury's dispatch intimates that
the absence of diplomatic relations CON
stitutes bar to negotiation. The above
suggestion removes this, and as America
will defend the British right to an apol-
ogy and indemnity, no loss of dignity
would be involved by acceding.
The second method is if Lord Sails
bury will say he believes the commission
fair and competent to consider the his
torical question, and ask if the Ameri-
can government would permit him to
name British commissioners to Join it
without committing him self to abide by
the result, can assert that the cabinet
would Instantly welcome the proposal. 1t
is certain that the dual commission
would reach some acceptable conclusion.
The third method is, supposing the
American commission dsvotes it's atten,
tion first to the territory England is will.
ling to arbitrate and reports there is a
prima tacie case for considering the lar
ger question at the same time, will Lord
Salisbury then consent to submit that
question to either the single or dual
commission
There is a fourth method, for I have
every reason to believe that Mr.. Bayard
will inform Lord Salisbury of the consti-
tuition of the commission and say that if
England is willing to lay her case before
it without prejudice, America will be
very glad to receive the documents In
deed, the request for the British case
may be more direct and pressing than
this 1t is impossible to see how Lord
Salisbury can refuse and equally impos-
sibie to see how, having acceded, he can
wholly disregard the finding. Here,
again, arbitration appears the Inevitable
and the natural result.
By declining arbitration in any shape
Lord Salisbury is counting for England
the ill-will of two continents. Most
weighty of all. and this is my most seri-
GUS but confident conclusion, if he does
the American People will consider fight
ing for arbitration as Aghuing for peace.