Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-21
THEY HAVE FOUND 4 MAN To Fill the Important Post of Ex-
 eCutive Officer. S. WALLET PREVOST THE MAN The Commission Made Public a Letter to Sec
 retary Olney CALLING FOR GENERAL INFORMATION England and Venezuela Asked to Send Rep resentatives Before the Commission, and the Loan of Old Maps and
 Documents Requested.


 the Venezuelan commission met today at 11:so a. m. in their handsomely ap- pointed temporary quarters in the build ing partly occupied by the interstate commerce commission. Justice Brewer presided. The selection of MT. S. Mallet Provost of New York as the executive officer of the commission was formally ratified. MT. Provost was not present. but it was stated that he would take hold of his duties on Wednesday next. The commission gave out for publica- tion the following letter, addressed to Secretary Olney last week, inviting in formation from the two governments chiefly interested in the boundary con- troversy
 Office of the
 Venezuelan Boundary Commission,
 Washington, D. C., Jan. 20, 1896. s'"ro the Honorable Secretary of State
 Dear Sir: have the honor to state that the commission appointed by the president of the United States to inves- tigate and report upon the true divisional line between the republic of Venezuela and British Guinea has organized by the election of the Hon. David J. Brewer as it's president, and Is entering upon the immediate discharge of its duties.
 .'In so doing it has, after careful con- SlutTdIlOn, cOHCluQeu tO duuTeSs yOu On the question of securing, so far as possi- ble, the friendly cooperation and the aid of the two nations which are directly in- terested in the now pending boundary differences.
 'It must have suggested itself to you. as it no doubt did to the president, that this commission, thus authorized to as- certain and report the boundary line be- tween two foreign nations, bears only a remote resemblance to those tribunals of an international character, of which we have had several examples in the past. They were constituted by or with the consent of the disputants themselves. and were authorized by the parties i'm hcdiatelv concerned to pronounce a final judgmentsf The questions at Issue were presented by the advocates of the vari- ous interests, upon whose diligence and skill the tribunal might safely rely for all the data and the arguments essential to the formation of an intelligent Judg- ment. Their functions were, therefore, confined to the exercise of judicial pow CTS, 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 directly involved.
 ''The present commission. neither by the mode of it's appointment, nor by the nature of its duties, may be said to be- long to tribunals of this character. It's
  gently and fairly seek to inform the ex- ecutive of certain facts touching large extent of territory, in which the United States may have no direct interest. Whatever may be the conclusion reached no territorial aggrandizement nor mate rial gain in any form. can accrue 10 the United States. The sole concern of our government Is the peaceful solution of a controversy between two friendly pow ers for the just and honorable settlement of the title to disputed territory and the protection of the United States against fresh acquisitions in our hemisphere on the part of any European state.
 Tt 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 and Venezuela to the appoint ment of the commission and explaining both its nature and object. It may be that they will see a way, entirely consist ent with their own sense of international .propriety, to give the commission the aid that 1t Is no doubt in their power to fur nish in the way of documentary proof, historical, narrative, unpublished arch ives. or the like. It is scarcely necessary to say that if either should deem 1t ap- propriate to designate an agent or attor- ney 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 like Iy to follow therefrom.
 An act of either government in the di- rection here suggested might be accom- panied by an express reservation as to her claims, and should not be deemed to be an abandonment or impairment of any position heretofore expressed. In other words, and in lawyers phrases, each might be willing to act the part of an amicus curiae, and to throw light upon different and complex questions of fact, which should be examined as carefully as the magnitude of the subject de- mands. The purpose of the pending in- yestigation is certainly hostile to none, nor can it be of advantage to any that the machinery devised by the govern ment of the United States to secure the desired information should fail of it's purpose DAVID J. BREWER,
 President"
 Tethis communicable Secretary Olney replied, stating that he had communi- cated the suggestions of the commission to Sir Julian Pauncefote. the British am bassador, and to Minister Mandrake, the Venezuelan representative, for trans mission to their respective governments
 The commission then adjourned until Friday next, it being said that Friday is to be the business day of the commission. The only employees determined on so far are the secretary Cor the executive off, cer). one stenographer and doorkeeper and messenger.
 The committee finding that in New England and elsewhere there are collec- lions of ancient maps. desire 1t to be un- derstood that any documents of this kind entrusted to them for their information will be carefully preserved and returned to fhe owners