Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-07-03
ARECDOTlL SIDE Of
grover CLEVELAND
Side Lights on the EX-Fresi-
dents Career.
AUTHOR OF FAMOUS MESSAGE

Former Secretary Herbert Tells 70"
ths Venezuela Communication Wss
Hri.tcn-oextsrous Disposal Ct
Persistent Once Sesker-Nest joke.
Nothing which the late Grover C.eve-
Hand ever did while president o. The
United States attracted more attention
than the famous message he sent To
congress in December. 1893. on the
subject Of Great Britain's controversy
with Venezuela over the boundary ue-
tween the Inter country and British
Guiana. In aa Interview with a lows
paper correspondent Hilary Y Her
bet. then Mr. Cleyelaud's secretary of
The navy. recently toll the tue IN
warduesS OF that historic episode
Tile foundation for Mr. Cievclands
celebrated Venezuelan message. said
Mr. Herbert. "waS the note Of Sccre-
tarv of state Olucy to Lord salisbury.
the British minister for foreign al
fairs. That note was written during
the congressional recess. three months
before congress convened and before
Mr.. -Clcycmnd's message was prepared /.
The OIna~ note was drafted after .
consultation between the secretary of
state and Nh Cleveland during the
summer at Gray Gables on luz ards
bay. Mr.. Clncy went there, as | have
always understood, to confer with the
president about the Venezuelan qJes-
ton. The note was submitted to every
member of the cabinet. ! remember
distinctly | was in Washington that
summer ana a copy of the note came
to me and Mr.. Carlisle, the secretary
OF the treasury. ana Mr.. Lamont, the
secretary Of war, and we considered
the policy together.
Il remember that as the note devel-
opcd it almost took my breath away.
ana was inGined to oppose its preSen-
tation. but before the reading was tin
ished | realized its force and value, and
| heartily approved it. Between Mr.
Carlisle. Mr.. Lamont and myself some
SUGGESTIONS were made as to amend
mcnts. perhaps slight, and my under
standing IS that these amendments
were subsequently adopted Al the
cabinet knew for three or four months
before congress convened that this
hombshell had been prepared. Never
tholess it was kept absolutely secret.
Nobody knew anything about it. As
Mr. Cleveland himself said, he did not
believe in doing public business on the
sidewalk The message that Mr.. Cleve-
land afterward wrote was prepared by
himself Just after he had returned from
an outing He had gone down the
river on 4 fishing excursion, and when
he got back the message was written,
occupying him for two DAYS The mes
sage was read to the cabinet before it
was sent in. do not remember wheth-
err any suggestions We're asked or of
fered, the message being condensa-
ton of the very powerful Olney note"
Did you anticipate that war would
result from the mcssage"
NO; did not think so. because did
not think there was enough in the CON
troYcrSE 10 cause Il war between the
two countries which were so closely al
lied in blood and business. OF course
such measures as could he taken with
the means in hand to be prepared in
case of trouble were taken by the navy
department, but there was neither time
nor money nor opportunity to make
any extensive preparations"