The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-11

correspondence between the governments
at Washington and London from Febru-
ary 20 June of the past year, and which,
being so favorable to this Republic, was
sent here to be translated into Spanish
and printed. Latterly this Government
| throubh hts legation at Washington, was
consulted as to a point in relation to those
negotiations for arbitration. The reply
of the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign
Affairs, with an opinion contrary to that
which was seemingly suggested ON this
poant, arrived in Washington at the time
when the answers from Great Britain were
expected as to the determinate point of
the arbitration.
At this juncture of affairs the Govern
ment was informed that ON the 18th of
November there had been signed in Wash
inston by His Excellency, Mr. Olney, Sec
retary of State of the United States, and
Sir Julian Pauncefote, Ambassador of Her
protocol with the essential bases for a
treaty between Venezuela and Great Brit
ain, which by means Of arbitration,
would put am end to the old dispute be
tween the two nations The bases were
then submitted by the Washington Gov
Government. by means of letter to me
from His Excellency, Mr. Cleveland, in
which he manifested the noble desire to
see compact, which, in his opin-
ion was just and advantageous.
The responsibilities of those who are
entrusted with the administration of
public affairs by the suffrage of the peo-
pie, increase and become graver when the
preservation of interests closely linked
with the national life is the subject to be
dealt with. There is in the breast of thu.
Chief Magistrate, who has the good of
the republic at heart, struggle between
the ideas of the moment and those born
of concern for the future. To study
well the former and the latter: to weigh
the advantages and risks of the one and
the other without silencing the dictates
of conscience and reason; such are the
duties, truly arduous, of the ruler, during
whose term of office has CHANGED to fall
the settlement of an affair which like
that of the Guiana boundary question,
has been growing graver, a struggle
without a truce and full of lamentable
defenses. Public opinion, to which the
governing power must always listen, es-
pecially when the territorial integrity is
the subject of discussion, manifested
itself SO divided as to the bases proposed
to Venezuela that it would have been in
vain for the most expert observer to have
deduced from such adversely of opinions
any expression of the general sentiment
The Government, in forming its own opin-
ion, should naturally take into considera-
ton the conditions under which the pre-
the signers was the Secretary of State
of the nation which, fully alive to
the grave consequences of its ac-
ton, generously interposed in this
would at once preserve the laws
Of THE International code and the conti-
mental integrity. The recourse 20 arbitra-
tiou offered atself; and although by
for by Venezuela was more con-
sonant than amy other with the
desaes manifested. The Government
deemed it proper to insert in the treaty
voice in the manning of the arbitral trd-
bunal- As soon as this change was pro-
posed, it's acceptance was procured. The
action of the United States had produced
a result. the after effects of which were,
from a moral point of view, fndispensably
subject to to the the effective e. and powerful
tlement was presented for the considera-
ton of Venezuela with no proposition for
cooperative participation contrary to the
sovereignty and Independence of the Re-
public; further. as the United States had
conducted the negotiations according to
their Judgment alone. the definite accept
them sort of friendly responsibility
which will be in every case guarantee of
1ulure harmony between the two ma
tons represented by the arbitral tribunal
It is eminently just to recognize the fact
that the great republic has strenuously
erldeavored to conduct this matter in the
tanned represents am effort of intelligence
and good will, worthy of praise and
thanks from US who are so Intimately ac-
quainted with the conditions of this most
complicated question
It is your duty, according to the consti-
tutional law of the Republic to examine
q In, Ys,,.-
Plenipotentiary signed in accordance with
the bases referred to and the change
proposed by the executive power in re-
gard to the formation of the arbitral
tribunal
And as this Is an affair of such inpor-
tance, involving as it does such sacred
interests, beg you that from the mo-
ment 1t is presented for your considera-
tion you will postpone ali other business
until you shall decide upon it.