Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1895 — BLOW AT JOHN BULL [ARTICLE]

BLOW AT JOHN BULL

Message in Support of the Monrp2 Doctrine. ' ' ' ' -6‘ N r i v ir i? a v n w IP JlAl JILAj IILU Hxiit. All Foreign Nations Must Keep Out of Americas. — Salisbury’s Refusal to Submit the Dispute to Arbitration —Lends to Strong Words—President Cleveland Tells Congress This Nation Should Use Force If Nccessary—Proposes to Send a Commission to Fix a LTne? Which J>hn Bull Will Cross at His Peril. ■

The message of President Cleveland to Congress transmitting the co rrespondence between- Secretary Olney a id Ijord"Salisbury relative to the Venezuela boundarydispute created'A real sensation in Washington.. Although the nature of Secretary Olney’s vigorous communicatiofi and of Lord Salisbury’s answers. had been already- accurately foretold dn/the Associated Press dispatches from Washington anQ-Uonflon there Was stillfg. great popular craving -to learn just now the President would, deal with Lglpl Salisbury’s refusal to submit the saatter i° arbitration, and the message was listened lo with intense interest in Congress and was read with avidity on .the Nowhere was there a vci<?£ lilted in dissent from the <locjtrit(g sb firmly laid down by the President, but on the contrary there was an outburst of patristic feeling that must have been highly gratifying to the Chief Executive. In the digpified L'niteLStates Senate, d'body that rarely exhibits emotion on any occasion, there was witnessed the unparalleled spectacle of handclapping and app.-ause,’ which was the spontaneous expression of- the approval of almost every Senator without regard to party. On the streets the message was discussed, and veterans of the late war talked exultantly of what they were prepared again to undertake at the call of tlffeir country. “Ip the great hall of the Pension Ijuildmg the employes gathered and sung with gusto “The Star Spangled Banner’’ and “My Country, *Tis of Thee.” Great Britain declines to epnsentihat the iSsiie between herself and Venezuela shall be settled by arbitration. At the

same time Great Britain denies the validity of the Monroe doctrine. The United States now must take two steps, if need be; one forthwith. President Cleveland asks Congress to make, an appropriation for a judicial commission t* investigate on behalf of this Country the merits of the contention concerning -frontier between British Guiana and Venezuela. If that commission shall find' that Great Britain is right in her claims the -io--rtand-and be-npheld by us: if the conimission of the United States shall fincT that Great Britain's claims are unfounded any attempt on the part of Great Britain to enforce such claims by arms to be resisted with arms by the United States. This is tire essence of President Cleveland's massage. After reviewing the early details of the rontrover¥y and referring to Salisbury's disinclination, to admit the force of the Monroe doctrine and resort to arbitration, the President says:

Without o attempting extended arguments in reply to these positions it may not be 'imiss to suggest that the doctrine upau which we stand is strong and sound* because its enforcement is important to our pence and safety as a nation, and is essentut 1 ! to the integrity of our free institutions And the tramjuill Maintenance of our distinctive form of government. It was intended to apply, to every stage of <>ur national life and cannot become obsolete while our republic endures. If the balance of power is justly a cause for jealous anxiety among the governments »f the old world, and a subject for our absolute non-interference. none the less is an observance of the Monroe doctrine ts vital concern to our people' and thnir government. Assuming, therefore, that we may property insist upon this doctrine, without regard to “the state of things in which we live, any changed conditions here or elsewhere,,, it is not apparent why its application may , not be invoked-in the present controversy. If a European pow,er, by an extension of its boundaries; jj-ffkes possession of th(| ( territoryyof orfe ■of our neighboring its will and in derogation of its rights, it is difficult, to set why," to that extent, such European power docs not thereby attempt to extend its system of government to that portion of this continent which is thus taken. This is the precise action which President Monroe declared to be “dangerous to our peace and safety,” and it can make no difference whether the European system is extended by an advance of frontier or otherwise. Practically, the principle for which We contend has peculiar, If not exclusive, re*, lation to the United States. It may not Save been admitted in so many words to (he code of international law, but since, ta international councils, every nation is entitled'to t|ie rights belonging to it, if the enforcement of the Monroe doctrine is something we may justly claim, it has Us ntaca in ths code of international law

as certainly and as surely as If ft were specifically mentioned, and when the United States is' a suitor before the high tribunal that administers international law the question -to be determined is whether or not we present claims which the justice of that code of law;can find to be right and valid. , Monroe Doctrine Is J tst. The Monroe doctrine finds its -recognition in those, principles of internation ai law which are based upon the theory that every nation shall-hirve—its rights pro,te et od an d it s ju s r el;ii m s en so r< ■ ed. 0f course this Government is entirely confident that under the sanction &£ this doctrine we have- clear rights and undoubted claims. , Nor is this ignored in fheßntish reply. This Govcinment proposed to the Government of Great Brit~ain a resort to arbitrabion~as tlie proper means of sett ling the question, to the end that a vexatious ' boundary dispute betwhen the two contestants might be determined and our exact standing and relation in respect to the controversy might be made clear. <

It wilTbe seen from the correspondence herewith submitted that This proposition hds been, declined by the British Government. upon grounds which under the circumstances seem to me-to be far from satisfactory. . The course to be pursued by this Government in view of tile present condition does’not appear to admit of seribus doubt. Great Britain’s present proposition has never thus far been regarded as admissible by Venezuela, though any adjiistment of the boundary which tliat country may deem for her and may enter into of her own will of course be objected to by the UnftethStates. Assuming, however, that the attitude of Venezuela will feinain unchanged, the dispute has reached such a stage as to make it now incumbent upon the. United States to take measures to determine with sufficient certainty for its justification what is the true divisional line between the republic of Venezuela and British Guiana. I suggest that the Congress make an adequate appropriation for the expenses of a commission to be appointed by the Executive, a ho Shall make thencccssary„.inv.esligatiomJirid--report-upon the matter with the least possible delay. &T list 'Fight If Necessary. ; When such report is.made and accepted, it will, in my opinion, be the duty of the United States to resist by every means in its power, as a willfußaggression upon its rights and interests, the appropriation, by Great Bi’itain of any lands, or. The exercise of governmental jurisdiction over any territory which; after investigation, we have determined of right belongs to Venezuela. In making these recommendations I am fully alive to the responsibility incurred and keenly realize all the consequences that ffiay follow. I am, nevertheless, firm in my convic-

tion that while it js a grievous thing to contemplate the great English-speaking of the world as being otherwise than friendly competitors in the onward march of civilization and strenuous and worthy rivals in all the arts of peace, there is no calamity which a great nation can invite which Equals that which follows a supine submission to wrong and injustice, and the consequent loss of '“national self-respect and honor, beneath which is skidded and defended a, people's safety and greatness. GROVER CLEVELAND. London Editor's Excited. London editors are literally frothing at the mouth. The message of President Cleveland on the. Venezuelan boundary question has had on them the exciting effect which a red flag would have on at. enraged bull. Quart.,s of ink have been wasted on violent diatribes against the Monroe doctrine and the American contention touching the rights of Venezuela, and not a glint of justice or equity can be discerned in the attitude assumed by President Cleveland and Secretary Olney.