The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-28
Mr., CLEVELAND
As LECTURER.
Spoke Last Night Before Students Of
Princeton.
DISPUTE WITH VENEZUELA.
E1-President Discussed the Controversy Be-
tween Great Britain and the South
American Republic Over Settle.
nent Of Their Boundary.
DISPUTE WITH VENEZUELA.

n1cnt OF heir Boundary.
PRINCETON, y. j.. March 27-Mr
Cleveland delivered last night. at Alex
ander Hall, Princeton University, the
first Of two lectures the national boun-
Diary dispute between Great Britain and
Venezuela, which dispute involved the
boundary line separating Venezuela from
the English colony of British Guiana.
These lectures. like Mr. Cleveiand's ad
dress of last year, are given III the course
founded by the Honorable H. Stafford
Little.
Mr.. Cleveland at the outset spoke of the
vasueness on the subject of boundary
lines in the establishment both of the
Venezuelan Republic and of British
Guiana He said that from the first there
vas evident need of ''eXtraneous assis-
tsnce' before bounds so loosely named
could be exactly fiNed.''
He then referred to the initiation of the
dispute in 1S41 between the Venezuelan
minister to Great Britain and Lord Aber-
deem. Chief Secretary OF State for Foreign
Affairs.
The making of the Schombursk survey
and its bearing upon the dispute were
fully explained. The lecturer said:
I'm 1876, thir,y-two years after the dis
continuance of efforts on the part of
Great Britain and Venezuela to fix by
agreement a line which should divide
their possessions. Venezuela was confront
ed. upon the renewal of negotiations Tor
that purpose. by the following conditions:
GENEROUS CONCESSIONS.
"A lire proposed by her, founded upon
l.er conception of strict right, which her
powerful opponent had insisted could not
in any way he plausibly supported, and
which therefore she would in no event
accept.
An Indebtedness In the limits claimed
by Great Britain. great that of two
boundary lines indicated or suggested by
her, one had been plainly declared to be
merely a preliminary measure open to
future discussion between the Govern
i.ents of Great Britain and Venezuela.
and the other was distinctly claimed to
be based upon generous concessions and
q desire TO avoid all cause of serious con-
1rovcrsies between the two countries
"A controversy growing out OF TINS
situation impossible Of friendly settle
ment except by such arrangement and
accommodation as would be satisfactory
TO Great Britain, or by submission of
the dispute to arbitration.
"A constant danger Of such an extern
sion of settlements in the disputed ter
the situation and furnish Il convenient
pretext for the refusal of any concession
respecting the lands containing such set
Elements.
DISPARITY IN STRENGTH.
"A continual profession the part
of Great Britain of her present readiness
tn make benevolent concessions, and Of
her willingness to cooperate in a speedy
adjustment, while not substantially re-
ducinS her pretcnSionS. and certainly not
attempting in a conspicuous manner to
hasten negotiations to conclusion.
"a tremendous disparity in power and
strength between Venezuela and her ad-
ycrsary which gave her no hope, in
case the extremity of force or war was
reached, of defending her territory or
preventing its annexation to the posses
sions of Great Britain"
Ii was in 1876 that Venezuela appealed
tc the United States, begging our Gov
eminent Ito give the subject its kind
consideration and take an interest in
having due justice done to Venezuela
This" said the lecturer, appears to
be the first communica ton addressed to
our Government on the subject of a con-
troversy in which! we afterward became
,ery seriously concerned
The lecturer. quoting constantly from
documents. showed the repeated appeals
OF Venezuela to Great Britain in favor
OF settling the question by arbitration
on the whole subject, declaring that their
constitution prevented them from maxi
ing grants of territories except by a pro-
cess the result of arbitrat ion. Meantime
England constantly refused arbitration
on the general subject, declaring that it
feared The Venezuelan constitution would
still be used as a pleteXt for disobedience
Ia n Wal Britain also Objected
to the arbitration requested by Nene-
zuela, fearing that an award might be
made in favor Of the Venezuelan claim,
in which case ''al important territory
which has for a long period been in
habited and occupied by Her Majesty's
subjects and treated as part of the col
cny of Br....'.:i, Guiana. would be severed
from the queens dcminions-'
ENGLAND'S VIEWS ALONE.
On this Mr.. Cleveland said: England
alone had trea.ed it as part Of British
Guiana; her immense power had enabled
her to do this. and her own DEGREES
seemed to promise greater advantages
as against her Weak adversary than ar
bi,ration could possibly assure.
The British Government at one time
offered a plan of arbitration which did
not cover the entire disputed territory,
but never consented to arbitration such
as proposed by y eneZuela, ana Wnlcn
would include the entire territory in dis
pute.
The lecture last night brought down
with much detail the narrative to Sep
TENDER. 1893. AT the end OF the lecture,
Mr.. Cleveland said:
Here closed i period in this dispute.
ffty-two years in duration, NeNeG With
agitation and perturbed by irritating and
repeated failures to reach peaceful ad-
jusement. Instead of progress in the di-
rection of settlement of their bounda-
ries. the contestants could only contem-
plate as results Of their action, increased
obstacles to fair discussion, intensified
feelings of injury. extended assertion OF
title, ruthless appropriation of the terri
tory in controversy, and an unhealed
breach III diplomatic relations"
Mr.. Cleveland's second and concluding
lecture on this subject. to be given to-
night, will deal principally with the part
L.