The morning times., 1896-01-22
PATRIOTS lND JIH60tS
Chauncey N. TOepew Talks on
the Venezuelan Question.
VIEWS ON MONROE POLICY
In His Speech Before the New York
State Bar Association He Says the
Monroe Doctrine Should Not BE En-
forced, Except In FMgrant Cases.
Urges Court OF Arbitration.

|
OF the New York Slate Bar Association
tonight. The meeting was held in Odd
Fellows Hall, and a large and cultured
audience greeted DR.. Depew. There We're
present Chief Judge Andrews and the
judges or the court or appeals, many
supreme court justices, leading members
| or the Bar Association from all sections
OF the State, the State Officers and a
large number OF the members of the two
branches OF the legislature. President Rob-
| ertson introduced MIR. Depew, who dely-
cred the annual address, taking for his
subject, Patriotism and JiugoisIn; the
Lawyers Duty" f4-,.,
The best evidence OF healthy public SEN
| timeDt, OF rather OF Christian civilization
| and enlightenment, In the law, is that
| today The man who loses caste in the duel
is not he who refuses, but he who cnal-
| leDges.
In every State In the Union the duellist
has become by statute feloD, and the most
| striking instance or any, OF the change in
public sentiment is that 5uries never besi
| tate to convict him OF crime. Public
sentiment now declares that true coura ge
| hands the dueilist or would-De dueIiist
over TO The police, and appeals to the law
for the adjustment of difficulties.
| While this healthful advance in civiiiza-
! tion and this undoubted public sentiment
| supporting II, mark the new relations be-
tween Individuals, there has been little If
| any progress i'll the peaceful, lawful, and
orderly settlement of International dis
putes, involving communities.
The barbarous, murderous aud uncer
| tam methods of the ancient and the medic
val pcriuds still prevail. The alarms of war
agiiate world. The columns OF our daily
papers are filled with cables aud tele
grams announcing The rage OF nations and
| The imminence OF their flying ateach others
| throats. The battle blood which is the in
herilance OF the ages is aflame for fight.
Only one power keeps The nations OF
| Europe from instantly declaring war. The
bankers and business men have become The
arbiiers between nations. In modern con-
rlicis, so vast aud expensive are tie prep
arations for and operations or war that
the longest purse wins. Neither Germany,
| nor France, nor Austria, nor Italy, nor
Russia, nor Spain can hurl their armies
at each other and equip their navies for
fight without the consent OF the great
bankers of the world,
DANGER OF REPUBLICS.
The only Two nations which may be said
tu lie free from this thraldom, because of
their wealth, their commerce aud credit
are the United States and Great Britain.
War" said Erasmus. lis the malady OF
priUces." He might have added, the dan
ger OF republics.
The events OF the past few weeks have
demonstrated how easy 1t is to arouse the
fighting blood among our own people.
a generation has come upon the stage since
the civil war who are eager for battle.
The greatest ministers and leaders for
peace whom / ever met were the generals
whose fame fills the world. and whose VIC
tories were in our civil strife-Grant,
Sherman and Sheridan. During the whole
of their lives after the war they were the
apostles and preachers, of peace.
The present dispute between the English
speaking races which is agitating tue worh
calls for both practical wisdom and legal
acumen for its solution. There is no dis
sent in this country from the Monroe doc
trine as promulgated by President Monroe
and Interpreted by jefferson, Madison,
Webster and Calhoun. Alexander Hamilton,
the greatest lawyer OF the revolutionary
period, and one Of the most creative genluses
of our country, stated this rule for our
guidance in the Federalist with that clear
ness of insight into the future by which
he stamped upon our Institutions the cle-
ments OF conservatism and perpetuity- No
European aggressions upon the Americas
will be permitted by the United States
which endanger our safety or subject our
sister republics to European despotism.
Yet anyone who studies the Monroe doc
trine will see how in each individual case,
except where there is a fiagrant violation.
like the French invasion of Mexico, the APP
plicable Interpretation Of IL should be
the subject of judicial determination.
THE VENEZUELAN MESSAGE.
The Presidents message TO Congress
presents novel view of the principle. II
there Is a dispute as to a boundary line
between a South American republic and
European power. no matter how insigni-
ficant the territory involved. or how dis
family IL affects the Independence OF the
country, or how remotely IL may interest
US, We must demand that the two govern
ments arbitrate the line; and If they refuse,
we must find out as best we can what the
line is and enforce it by war. II, however,
pending our inquiry, the two parties agree,
we have no further rights or duties. This
seems to surrender the doctrine II Venezuela
or Brazil chooses to sell a portion of its lands.
A slight extension of the principle COM
pelS us to assume a protectorate over all
these republics. Their enterprises and
industries are almost entirely owned or
controlled and carried on by Americans,
English, Germans, French, and Italians.
Their governments are in almost perpetual
revolution, and the military dictator of
the hour eoBfiscates property right and
left, except that of foreigners. III he could
rely upon the United States to protect
him, he would treat the lives, possessions
and business OF the Germans, English,
Italians and French with the same i'm
his couDtrymcn.
These nations would demand reparation
and redress. This would involve the col
lection of substantial damages, and we
would be in measure bound to assume the
quarrel. We might, at the whim or neces-
stiles of the successful military dictator
OF Venezuela, or the Argentines, of Chill. or
Bolivia, of Paraguay, or Peru, of Yucca
tan. of Honduras, of Chill or Bolivia be in
volyed in frequent wars with the powers OF
Europe This would require an immense |
navy and large standing army.
The United States is the only nation so |
situated that it can with honor and safety |
move upon the pathway OF peace for an
court OF arbitration.
Had there been an international court |
of arbitration in the Venezuelan matter |
ord Salisbury could not have pleaded That |
there was a bou udary line embra cling terri |
tory so long andCunquestionably held by |
the British that they could not in honor SUBJ |
NIT the question Or their title to the court |
Both the English and the Americans have
been educated To believe that though any |
body may make a Claim upon property, |
the court can be relied upon to dismiss the |
complaint, il il is unworthy OF being en- |
tertained. or disavow jurisdiction, should |
there be any doubt, or IL it considers the |
ma,ter, tn adjust it upon the eternal prin- |
ciples of justice and right.
1t is possible for these two great coun- |
tries, out of their present difficulty, to |
evolve a tribunal OF International law and |
Justice hwich shall be in perpetual session. |
whose members shall be selected with such
care, whose dignity shall receive such
and whose reputation shall be
SO great that each nation can submit to it |
any question in dispute and bow to its |
decision with safety and honor.