THE VENEZUELAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION 195 



Assuming, however, that the attitude of Venezuela will n-inaiii un- 

 changed, the dispute has reached sucli a stage as to make it now incum- 

 bent upon the United States to take measures to determine with sutlicient 

 certainty for its justification what is the true divisional line between the 

 Republic of Venezuela and British Guiana. The inquiry to that end 

 should of course be conducted carefully and judicially, and due weight 

 should be given to all avaiUible evidence, records, and facts in sujjport of 

 the claims of both parties. 



In order that such an examination should be prosecuted in a thorough 

 and satisfoctory manner, I suggest that the Congress make an adniuate 

 appropriation for the expenses of a commission, to })e appointed by the 

 Executive, who shall make the necessary investigation and re|>ort "u|)on 

 the matter with the least possible delay. When such rejxjrt is madean.l 

 accepted it will, in my opinion, be the duty of the United States to resist 

 by every means in its power as a willful aggression upon its rights and 

 interests the appropriation by Great Britain of any lands or the exercise 

 of governmental jurisdiction over any territory which, aaer investigation, 

 we have determined of right belongs to Venezuela. 



In making these recommendations I am fully alive to the responsibili- 

 ties incurred and keenly realize all the conse(]uences that may follow. 



I am nevertheless tirm in my conviction that wiiile it is a grievous 

 thing to contemplate the two great English-speaking i)eoples of the world 

 as being otherwise than friendly competitors in the onward march of civil- 

 ization and stienuous 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 are shielded and 

 defended a people's safety and greatness. 



This short message went to Congress December 17, 1895, where 

 it was read and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 

 The following da}', December 18, the chairman of that commit- 

 tee, the Hon. R. R. Hitt, reported a bill (H. R. 2173) appropri- 

 ating S100,000 for the expenses of a commission to investigate 

 and report upon the true divisional line between British Guiana 

 and the Republic of Venezuela. This bill was passed by the 

 House of Representatives forthwith and unanimously ; it was 

 then sent to the Senate. It was on the following day, the 10th 

 of December, referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations in 

 the Senate. The next day it was rejiorted l)ack, debated, antl 

 passed without amendment. The following day, December 21, 

 it was a law, having received the signatures of the Speaker of 

 the House, the Vice-President, and the President. Thus Presi- 

 dent Cleveland's suggestion on December 17, that a commission 

 be created, was four days later the law of the land, and made so 

 with an unanimity almost, if not quite, unparalleled. No vote 



