20483.
PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
Reference :-
EPIC.O.885
14 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
1
No. 93A.
(BRITISH GUIANA.)
LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.
MY LORD,
Royal Courts of Justice, October 12, 1895. We were honoured with your Lordship's commands signified in Mr. Bertie's letter of the 20th ultimo, transmitting to us a despatch from the Government of the United States, which had been left with your Lordship by Mr. Bayard, and other
papers.
In obedience to your Lordship's commands, we have taken the papers into our consideration, and have the honour to
Report-
That it is desirable that the treatment of the Monroe doctrine in the despatch in question should be formally noticed. In our opinion, the doctrine propounded in this despatch is absolutely incompatible with international law.
By international law, the United States have no right to interfere in any con- troversy between any other State in America and a European Power, unless the action of either of the parties to the dispute seriously menaces the interests of the United States.
The so-called Monroe doctrine was, and can only be regarded as, a declaration of policy; it has not always been stated in the same terms, and can only be justified on the principle that the acquisition by European Powers of political control in America may be prejudicial to the United States, as tending to involve them in international complications.
In the despatch now in question, an attempt has been made to formulate the Monroe doctrine in such a way as to extend its operation far beyond those cases which, even in America, have been considered as falling within it.
It is not pretended that the settlement of the dispute as to the boundaries between British Guiana and Venezuela can affect the interests of the United States. But the right is asserted to dictate a particular mode of settlement of that dispute because the territory in question is in South America.
This appears to us to be an attempt to declare a policy, and possibly extract recognition of a principle, in such a manner as to include a number of cases which in no way fall within the principle on which that policy professes to rest. In this view, and having regard to the passages marked IIX, and the three concluding paragraphs of Mr. Olney's letter, it is extremely important that, in the reply, reference should be made to the declarations and actions of the United States since 1823, inconsistent with the view now attempted to be maintained. See Memorandum 4215 (Paper B), and 4323 (Paper D), also pp. 10 and 11 of J. B. Moore's pamphlet (Paper F).
As regards the second question, it appears to us that the claim of the United States to prescribe that the dispute should be settled by arbitration is wholly unjustified by international precedent.
International law recognizes the right of one State to interfere in the concerns of its neighbours, if such intervention is necessary for the purpose of self-preservation, or if it is demanded in the interests of humanity. The claim of the United States that Great Britain and Venezuela should settle the dispute by arbitration rests solely on the fact that Venezuela is in South America. It does not appear to us that the inter- vention of the United States on this occasion can be justified by the most elastio interpretation which has been given to the right of intervention.
With regard to the passages quoted from pp. 10 and 11 of the despatch in question, it does not appear to us, taking the despatch as a whole, that these passages were intended to lay down the proposition that the Monroe dectrine involves the withdrawal of any European Power from its present possessions in America. These passages, however, contain expressions which, taken by themselves, might appear to bear this construction, and we certainly think it desirable that any such use of them in the future should be precluded by noticing them in replying to the despatch.
We have, &c.
The Most Hon.
The Marquess of Salisbury, K.G.
RICHARD E. WEBSTER. R. B. FINLAY.
85965.-31. 25.-1/96.