第 11 节
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死磕 更新:2021-02-21 15:13 字数:9322
merica and the railroads of Mexico; would not be slow to avail itself of openings of assured and profitable enterprise even in mid…ocean。〃 As the feeling grew in the United States that these islands really belonged to the American continent; Blaine even invited Hawaii to send representatives to the Pan…American Congress of 1889。 When he again became Secretary of State; he was prepared to give indirect support at least to American interests; for the new queen; Liliuokalani; was supposed to be under British influence。 On the arrival of a British gunboat in Honolulu; J。 L。 Stevens; the American Minister; went so far as to write on February 8; 1892: 〃At this time there seems to be no immediate prospect of its being safe to have the harbor of Honolulu left without an American vessel of war。〃
Revolution was; indeed; impending in Hawaii。 On January 14; 1893; the Queen abolished the later constitution under which the Americans had exercised great power; and in its place she proclaimed the restoration of the old constitution which established an absolutism modified by native home rule。 At two o'clock on the afternoon of the 16th of January; the resident Americans organized a committee of safety; at half…past four United States marines landed at the call of Stevens。 The Queen was thereupon deposed; a provisional government was organized; and at its request Stevens assumed for the United States the 〃protection〃 of the islands。 Without delay; John W。 Foster; who had just succeeded Blaine as Secretary of State; drew up a treaty of annexation; which he immediately submitted to the Senate。
On March 4; 1893; Cleveland became President for the second time。 He at once withdrew the treaty and appointed James H。 Blount special commissioner to investigate the facts of the revolt。 While the report of Commissioner Blount did not; indeed; convict Stevens of conspiring to bring about the uprising; it left the impression that the revolt would not have taken place and certainly could not have succeeded except for the presence of the United States marines and the support of the United States Minister。 Cleveland recalled Stevens and the marines; and requested the provisional government to restore the Queen。 This Sanford Ballard Dole; the President of the new republic; refused to do; on the contention that President Cleveland had no right to interfere in the domestic affairs of Hawaii。 On the legality or propriety of Stevens's conduct; opinion in Congress was divided; but with regard to Dole's contention; both the Senate and the House were agreed that the islands should maintain their own domestic government without interference from the United States。 Thus left to themselves; the Americans in Hawaii bided their time until public opinion in the United States should prove more favorable to annexation。
CHAPTER VI。 Venezuela
Probably no President ever received so much personal abuse in his own day as did Grover Cleveland。 In time; however; his sterling integrity and fundamental courage; his firm grasp of the higher administrative duties of his office; won the approval of his countrymen; and a repentant public sentiment has possibly gone too far in the other direction of acclaiming his statesmanship。 Unlike Blaine; Cleveland thought soundly and consistently; but he was more obstinate; his vision was often narrower; and he was notably lacking both in constructive power and in tact; particularly in foreign relations。 In his first Administration; through his Secretary of State; Thomas F。 Bayard; Cleveland had negotiated fairly amicably with Great Britain; and when he failed to secure the Senate's assent to a treaty on the irritating question of the northeastern fisheries; he arranged a modus vivendi which served for many years。 In American affairs he opposed not only the annexation of Hawaii but also the development of the spirit of Pan…Americanism。 He was; however; no more disposed than was Blaine to permit infractions of that negative side of the Monroe Doctrine which forbade European interference in America。 His second Administration brought to the forefront of world diplomacy an issue involving this traditional principle。
The only European possession in South America at this time was Guiana; fronting on the Atlantic north of Brazil and divided among France; Holland; and Great Britain。 Beyond British Guiana; the westernmost division; lay Venezuela。 Between the two stretched a vast tract of unoccupied tropical jungle。 Somewhere there must have been a boundary; but where; no man could tell。 The extreme claim of Great Britain would have given her command of the mouth of the Orinoco; while that of Venezuela would practically have eliminated British Guiana。 Efforts to settle this long…standing dispute were unavailing。 Venezuela had from time to time suggested arbitration but wished to throw the whole area into court。 Great Britain insisted upon reserving a minimum territory and would submit to judicial decision only the land west of what was known as the Schomburgk line of 1840。 As early as 1876 Venezuela appealed to the United States; 〃the most powerful and oldest of the Republics of the new continent;〃 for its 〃powerful moral support in disputes with European nations。〃 Several times the United States proffered its good offices to Great Britain; but to no effect。 The satisfactory settlement of the question grew more difficult as time went on; particularly after the discovery of gold in the disputed region had given a new impulse to occupation。
President Cleveland took a serious view of this controversy because it seemed to involve more than a boundary dispute。 To his mind it called into question the portion of Monroe's message which; in 1823; stated that 〃the American continents。。。are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers。〃 According to this dictum; boundaries existed between all nations and colonies of America; the problem was merely to find these boundaries。 If a European power refused to submit such a question to judicial decision; the inference must be made that it was seeking to extend its boundaries。 In December; 1894; Cleveland expressed to Congress his hope that an arbitration would be arranged and instructed his Secretary of State to present vigorously to Great Britain the view of the United States。
Richard Olney of Boston; a lawyer of exceptional ability and of the highest professional standing; was then Secretary of State。 His Venezuela dispatch; however; was one of the most undiplomatic documents ever issued by the Department of State。 He did not confine himself to a statement of his case; wherein any amount of vigor would have been permissible; but ran his unpracticed eye unnecessarily over the whole field of American diplomacy。 〃That distance and three thousand miles of intervening ocean make any permanent political union between a European and an American state unnatural and inexpedient;〃 may have been a philosophic axiom to many in Great Britain as well as in the United States; but it surely did not need reiteration in this state paper; and Olney at once exposed himself to contradiction by adding the phrase; 〃will hardly be denied。〃 Entirely ignoring the sensitive pride of the Spanish Americans and thinking only of Europe; he continued: 〃Today the United States is practically sovereign on this continent; and its fiat is law upon the subjects to which it confines its interposition。〃
The President himself did not run into any such uncalled…for extravagance of expression; but his statement of the American position did not thereby lose in vigor。 When he had received the reply; of the British Government refusing to recognize the interest of the United States in the case; Cleveland addressed himself; on December 17; 1895; to Congress。 In stating the position of the Government of the United States; he declared that to determine the true boundary line was its right; duty; and interest。 He recommended that the Government itself appoint a commission for this purpose; and he asserted that this line; when found; must be maintained as the lawful boundary。 Should Great Britain continue to exercise jurisdiction beyond it; the United States must resist by every means in its power。 〃In making these recommendations I am fully alive to the responsibility incurred; and keenly realize all the consequences that may follow。〃 Yet 〃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 axe shielded and defended a people's safety and greatness。〃
Perhaps no American document relating to diplomacy ever before made so great a stir in the world。 Its unexpectedness enhanced its effect; even in the United States; for the public had not been sufficiently aware of the shaping of this international episode to be psychologically prepared for the imminence of war。 Unlike most Anglo…American diplomacy; this had been a long…range negotiation; with notes exchanged between the home offices instead of personal conferences。 People blenched at the thought of war; stocks fell; the attention of the whole world was arrested。 The innumerable and intimate bonds of friendship and int