The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-30

! Princeton. March 3o.--Former President
! Grover Cleveland. in his second lecture
i on the Venezuelan boundary dispute. in
! Alexander Hail. Princeton. gave a vigor-
/ Gus statement OF the part the United
+ States played i'm the controversy. In his
first lecture, Mr.. Cleveland had recited
the events leading up to the determined
stand taken by his administration when
the dispute became acute
Mr.. Cleveland, evidently having in mind
the course of the United States Senate
in dealing with the Pauncefote
treaty. said:
The fact must not be overlooked that
notwithstanding this treaty was pro-
NOTED by the officers OF our government
the parties to it were Great Britain and
Venezuela This was a fortunate circum
stance, inasmuch as the work accom-
plished was thus saved from the risk OF
customary Disagreement at the hands of
the United States Senate"
SALISBURY REJECTED OFFER
Mr. Cleveland reminded his hearers
that II was I'm 1876 that Venezuela made
It's first appeal To the United States re-
gardng the boundary dispute. He re-
ferred to the interest in the matter SUBJ
sequently shown by Mr.. Evans, d Mr..
Blaine, Mr.. Frelnghuysen. Mr. Bayard
and Mr.. Olney. and recalled that in 1857
when the good Offices OF this government
were rendered Lord Salisbury rejected the
offer
'"If we had been forced to accept Lord
SalishuEY,s- estimate, :. AIR Cleveland Said,
'his dispatches would have been very
depressing 1t would have been unpJeas-
ant for us to know that a doctrine which
we had considered for seventy years 10
be of great Importance for our safety
was "A mere piaything with which we
might amuse ourselves, or that our efforts
were To be regarded by Great Britain and
other European nations as meddlesome
interference In affairs I'm which we could
have no legitimate concern.
1T seems that In 1855" he continued
two vessels belonging to English sub
iccts were seized and their crews taken
into custody I'm the disputed region. IN
1897 England demanded damages OF $1,000.
The amount which England eNacted
might not nave Dttn hllIfdSNNdple ana
the method OF it's assessments not the
most inconsideratc. and even the threat
of naval force might sometimes be justi-
fed / have not advcrted TO this 10 invite
Judgment upon 10. ! only want 20 call
your attention 10 the fact that II resulted
at a time when tho boundary question
was pending between the countries and
when tho weaker country was importun-
ing the greater FOR peace.
This incident resulted in the payment
OF the claim under protest by Venezuela.
Great Britain az the same time refusing
friendly overtures by the United States
I'm the interest OF an amicable settlement
of the dispute
Mr. Cleveland then reviewed the work
OF Mr. Blaine and Mr. Lincoln. and de-
scribed the action ne had taken during
his second term which eliminated in
Great Britains refusai 20 permit Nenez-
uela's claim 90 br tested by arbitration.
Mr. cleveland said:
ENGLANDs FINAL DEMAND
1T now became plainly apparent that
new stage had hcCn reached in tho
progress OF our nlcEculnn.- that
tho ominous happenings Of few months
had FASTENED tho day when We We're chsl-
iongcd TO take our exact bearings. lest
we should miss the course Of honor and
national duty.
"rhe more direct tone that had boon
given 60 our dispatches concerning the
dispute. our more insistcnt and emphatic
suggestion of arbitration. the serious re-
ference 10 the subject lu the prcs.dents