St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-21
0YEz, JOHN Bulb.
TIL COURT is NOW IN SESSION AND
READY TO HEAR TESTI-
MONY.
DISPUTANTS GIVEN NOTICE.
EVIDENCE REGARDING THE VENE.
ZUELAN DISPUTE WILL BE
WELCOMED
BY UNCLE SANS COMMISSION.

BY UNCLE SANS COMMISSION.
Either of the Interested Gov
ernments.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2O.-The Ven
ezuelan commission has invited the
governments of Great Britain and Ven
ezuela to submit to it all of the evil
dence in their possession to further the
work of the commission, to be repre-
scented before it by attorneys, and all of
this with the reservation that such
representation and appearance shall
not be deemed an abandonment of any
rights or position heretofore assumed
1t has done this in order that the pro-
ceedings of the commission may not be
said to be ex parte, that the truth
may appear and that time nay be
saved in the inquiry with which the
committee is charged. The invitation
goes in the shape of a letter to Sec
rotary Olney, who has made response,
saying that he has transmitted 4 copy
of the commissions views to the gov
ernments concerned. These facts came
out after the meeting Of the commits
sion today, although the letter was
drawn up and sent to the secretary Of
state at its last meeting, Wednesday,
Jan. 15 The full text Of the letter is
as follows:
office of the Venezuelan Boundary Com
mission.
Washington, D. c., jan IL. 1896.
The Honorable Secretary of State-Dear
Sir: l have the honor to state that the COM
mission appointed by the president of the Uni
ted States to Investigate and report upon the
true divisional line between the republic Of
Venezuela and British Guiana, has organ
lied by the election Of Hon. David j. Brewer
as its president, and is entering upon the
immediate discharge of its duties
In SO doing; it has after careful considera-
ton, concluded to address you the question
of securing, so far as possible the friendly CO.
operation and aid of the two nations which
boundary differences.
1T must have suggested itself to you. as it
no a3ubt mas to the president that this COM
the boundary line between two foreign ma
lions, bears only remote resemblance to
those tribunals of an international character
or which We have had several examples in the
past. They were constituted by with the
consent of the disputants themselves and were
authorized by the parties Immediately con-
cerned to pronounce final Judgment The
questions at issue were presented by the adj
yocates of the various interests upon whose
dliigence and skill the tribunal might safely
rely Tor all the data and the arguments es-
sential to the formation of an intelligent jude-
Inent Thelr functions We're. therefore, con-
1ned to the exercise OF judicial powers and
trey might fairly expect to reach a result sat
lstactory to their own consciences. while it
commanded the respect of those whose inter-
ests were directly involved.
The present commission. neither by the
mode OF its appointment nor by the nature
OF lts duties, may be said to belong TO trib-
uhals OF II this character Its duty will be dis
charged If it shall diligently and fairly seek
to inform the executive of certain facts touch
ing large extent Of territory, in which the
United states have direct interest
1t has seemed proper to the commission.
uhoer these circumstances, to suggest to you
tne expectancy OF calling the attention of the
governments e ttn OF Great Britain and Venezuela
10 tne appointment of the commission and
explaining to both its nature and object. II
may be that they will see way, entirely con-
sistent with their own senses of international
proprlety, TO give the commission the AID
..fat is no doubt in their power to furnish in
eSe way OF documentary proof historical mar
CauVe unpublished archives the like. 1t is
scarcely necessary to say that if either should
eeem it appropriate to designate an agent or
attorney, whose duty it would be to see that
70 such proofs were omitted or overlooked
me commission would be grateful for such
evidence of good will, and for the valuable
from - LULU" 'nefe-
Any act of either government in the d.
sectlon mere suggested might be accompanied
oy an express reservation as to her claims,
md should not be deemed to be an abandon
nent, or Impairment of any position here
tofore expressed.
81 have the honor to remain. your most ODE
lent servant, David j. Brewer,
President
TO the Hon. Richard olney, Secretary of
State
H1IE SECRETARYs REPLY
was short and formal, merely an ac-
acknowledgement Of the receipt Of the
letter, and statement that he had
caused copies of it 10 be sent to the
British and Venezuelan governments.
IL cannot be said that the commission
is confident Of a favorable response
from both parties to the boundary
controversy, although the courteous
terms in which the suggestion is
couched and the wide latitude of res
ervation permitted each party that
may respond in the open spirit which
characterizes the invitation leads
to the natural hope that it
will be accepted. Meanwhile the
commission will proceed on the
original line of inquiry, which
promises to be a slow and difficult
task trusting to the abridgment of
the proceedings later on by the pro-
duction of evidence by both parties and
the appearance of attorneys, when the
proceedings may at once take on the
form of judicial trial. and the attain
ment of a conclusion be corresponding-
ly FASTENED.
Today's meeting took place for the
first time in the new quarters of the
commission in the Baltimore Sur build
Ing on F street. The first business was
the selectiCn of officers and the first
OF these chosen was S. Malet-Provost.
who has earned a high reputation at
the New York bar and also in Wash
ington. Mr.. Malet-Provost was named
as secretary of the commission. and
will be in daily attendance with the
commission. M. Whitmore. of Ithaca
N. Y, was selected as one of the STE
nographers who will be employed, and
Walter Mouthrop of the District of
Columbia, was appointed messenger.
A few other appointments will be made
hereafter, as the need for further helm
appears. Every Friday there will be
a meeting of tho full commission in
order to transact routine business re-
curing the action of all the members.
The members will not be idle. for to
each has been allotted particular line
of inquiry which he is expected to re-
port upon to his fellow commissioners
at intervals
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