Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/704

 672 International arbitration. [1895-7 When the British answer was received in December, 1895, President Cleveland laid the correspondence before the Congress. Affirming that the matter was one that involved, on the principles of the Monroe Doctrine, the vital interests and safety of the United States, he recommended the appointment by the United States of a commission to investigate the merits of the controversy. He declared at the same time, that, in case of the title being found to belong to Venezuela, it would be the duty of the United States " to resist by every means in its power, as a wilful aggression upon its rights and interests, the appro- priation by Great Britain of any lands or the exercise of governmental jurisdiction over any territory which after investigation we have determined of right belongs to Venezuela." The publication of this message, which was generally construed as suggesting the possibility of a collision, was followed by an outbreak of great popular excitement. Congress with unanimity adopted the President's recommendation as to a commission of investigation; but the commission, immediately after its appointment, addressed to Secretary Olney a letter, setting forth its peaceful and non-partisan character and the desirability of securing the co-operation of Great Britain and Venezuela in obtaining evidence. Both governments responded to the appeal; but the labours of the commission were brought to a close by the conclusion of a Treaty of Arbitration. The signatories of this treaty were Great Britain and Venezuela; but its essential provisions were the result of direct negotiations between the former Power and the United States. Its predominant feature was the application of the principle of prescription, under the definite rule that fifty years' adverse holding of a district, either by exclusive political control or by actual settlement, should suffice to constitute a national title. The adoption of this principle, which in the circumstances of the case furnished the only practicable basis for a judicial decision, at once removed the foundation of a large part of the Venezuelan claim. The results of the arbitration were decidedly favourable to Great Britain. A general Arbitration Treaty between the United States and Great Britain was signed by Secretary Olney and Sir Julian Pauncefote, at Washington, on January 11, 1897. It failed, however, to pass the Senate, the vote in its favour, on May 5, 1897, standing 43 to 26, or less than the requisite two-thirds majority of the senators present. The chief issue of the presidential campaign of 1896 was the currency question. The Republicans, in their National Convention at St Louis, in June, declared : " We are opposed to the free coinage of silver except by international agreement with the leading commercial nations of the world, which we pledge ourselves to promote ; and, until such agreement can be obtained, the existing gold standard must be preserved." When this resolution was adopted, thirty-four delegates, comprising all or a part of the members of the several delegations from the States of