THE MONROE DOCTRINE 433 



don to me such other portion as I may designate." It is not 

 perceived how such an attitude can be defended nor how it is 

 reconcilable with that love of justice and fair play so eminently 

 characteristic of the English race. It in effect deprives Venezuela 

 of her free agency and puts her under virtual duress. Territory 

 acquired by reason of it will be as much wrested from her by the 

 strong hand as if occupied by British troops or covered by British 

 fleets. It seems therefore quite impossible that this position of 

 Great Britain should be assented to by the United States, or that, 

 if such position be adhered to with the result of enlarging the 

 bounds of British Guiana, it should not be regarded as amounting, 

 in substance, to an invasion and conquest of Venezuelan territory. 



In these circumstances, the duty of the President appears to 

 him unmistakable and imperative. Great Britain's assertion of 

 title to the disputed territory combined with her refusal to have 

 that title investigated being a substantial appropriation of the 

 territory to her own use, not to protest and give warning that the 

 transaction will be regarded as injurious to the interests of 

 the people of the United States as well as oppressive in itself 

 would be to ignore an established policy with which the honor 

 and welfare of this country are closely identified. While the 

 measures necessary or proper for the vindication of that policy 

 are to be determined by another branch of the Government, it is 

 clearly for the Executive to leave nothing undone which may 

 tend to render such determination unnecessary. 



You are instructed, therefore, to present the foregoing views 

 to Lord Salisbury by reading to him this communication (leaving 

 with him a copy should he so desire), and to reinforce them by 

 such pertinent considerations as will doubtless occur to you. 

 They call for a definite decision upon the point whether Great 

 Britain will consent or will decline to submit the Venezuelan 

 boundary question in its entirety to impartial arbitration. It is 

 the earnest hope of the President that the conclusion will be on 

 the side of arbitration, and that Great Britain will add one more 

 to the conspicuous precedents she has already furnished in favor 

 of that wise and just mode of adjusting international disputes. 

 If he is to be disappointed in that hope, however a result not to 

 be anticipated and in his judgment calculated to greatly embarrass 

 the future relations between this country and Great Britain it 

 is his wish to be made acquainted with the fact at such early date 

 as will enable him to lay the whole subject before Congress in 

 his next annual message. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



EICHARD OLNEY. 

 2r 



