Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-04-04
Mr.. CLEVELAND ON THE
VENEZUELAN DlSPUT TIE.

In Alexander Hall OF Princeton Uni
versity, last week, former President
Cleveland delivered the first of two
lectures on the boundary dispute be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela,
which involved the boundary line
separating Venezuela from the English
colony OF British Guiana. These
lectures, like MIR. Cleveland's address
OF last year, are given In the course
founded by II. Stafford Little.
Mr.. Cleveland at the outset spoke
Of the vagueness 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 was evident Feed of
"extraneous assistance" before bounds
SO loosely named could be exactly
fixed"
He then referred to the initiation Of
the dispute 10 19il between the Vene-
zuelan Minister tc Great Britain and
Lord Aberdeen, Chief Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs. The making
OF the Sohomburgk survey and its
bearing upon tho dispute we're fully
explained. Continuing, Mr.. Cleveland
said
~ In 1876. 80 years after the disoon-
tinuance of efforts on the part Of Great
Britain and Venezuela to fix by agree
ment line which should divide their
possessions, Venezuela was confronted,
upon the renewal of negotiations for
that purpose, by the following condi.
| tions:
"A line proposed by her, founded
upon her conception Of strict right,
which her powerful opponent had in
sisted could not in any way be plausibly
supported, and which therefore sht
would in no event accept.
'An Indebtedness 10 the limit.
claimed by Great Britain, so great that
of two boundary lines indicated or sug
gested by her, one had been plainly
declared to be merely preliminar,
measure open to future discussion be
tween the governments of Grea
Britain and Venezuela, and the othe
was distinctly claimed to be baset
upon generous concessions and 'desir,
to avoid all cause OF serious uontro
versies between the two countries.
"Acontroversy growing out of I his
situation impossible of friendly settle
ment except by such arrangement ant
accommodation as would be sstisfactor.
to Great Britain, or by submission
of the dispute to arbitration.
IA constant danger of such an exten
sion of settlements in the disputed Ter
ritory as would necessarily comrlicat
the situation, and furnish a convenien
pretext for the refusal OF any con
cession respecting the lands containing
such settlements.
"A continual profession on the par
of Great Britain of her present readi
/
and of her willingness to co operate /
a speedy adjustment, while not sub
stantially reducing her pretensions, an
certainly not attempting in cor
spicuous manner to hasten negotiation
to conclusion.
"a tremendous disparity in .powe
and strength between Venezuela an
, her adversary, which gave her no hopt
in case the extremity Of force or wa
, was reached, Of defending her territor
, or preventing its annexation to til
possessions of Great Britain.
at was in 1876 that Venezuela az
a pealed to the United States begin
/ our government to give the subject il
i kind consideration and take an interes
! in having due Justice done to Venezuel,
q This said Mr.. Cleveland, "appeai
: TO be the first communication az
4 dressed to our government on the sui
: ject of controversy 10 which we ate
4 ward became very seriously concerned.
4 Quoting constantly from documen
q Mt. Cleveland showed the repeate
r appeals of Venezuela to Great Britai
in favor Of settling the question
a arbitration on the whole subject, d
a claring that it's Constitution preventt
the government from making grants
ia territories except by process the resu
of arbitration. Meantime England CO.
a stantly refused arbitration on I'll
a general subject, declaring that it fear,
the Venezuelan Constitution wou
still be used as pretext Tor di
:. obedience to an award. Great Brita
10 also objected to the arbitration Z
IF quested by Venezuela. fearing that |
D. award might be made in favor of Il
4, Venezuelan claim, in which case g,
y important territory which has for
q long period been inhabited and occ
i, pied by her Maiesty's subjects al
Of treated as part Of the colony Of Britt
st Guiana, would be severed from t
90 Queens dominions."
" On this Mr.. Cleveland said: "En
= land alone had treated it as part
ps British Guiana; her immense pow
is had enabled her to do this, and b
'st own DEGREES seemed TO promise great
advantages as against her weak adv,
OF sary than arbitration could possit
nc assure"
II. The British government at one til
Offered plan of arbitration which d
not cover the entire disputed territoi
but never consented to arbitration su
as proposed by Venezuela, and viii
ay would include the entire territory
ri dispute.
n. The lecture brought down with mu
a detail the narrative to September, IS
al In concluding MIR. Cleveland said:
nd ''Heie closed period in this d
an pute, 90 years in duration, vexed vi
"a agitation, and perturhed by irritati
70. and repeated failures to reach pea
d. full adjustment. Instead of progress
,ea the direction of settlement OF tn
iii boundaries the contestant could Of
". contemplate, as results OF their acti
nv increased Obstacles to fair discussi
m intensified feelings of injury, extenC
ala assertion of title, ruthless appropr
NV ton of the territory in controversy Q
bs an unhealed breach in diplomatic re
az tions -
nc The second and concluding leot
,as on the same subject will be given
I'd night.