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Republican and Democratic parties； who had been his ardent
supporters； now became his bitter enemies。 He was charged with
〃demagogism〃 and 〃jingoism；〃 but he kept sturdily on。 Congress；
including the great body of the Republicans； supported him； the
people at large stood by him； and； as a result； a commission to
determine the boundary was appointed and began its work in
Washington； the commissioners being； in the order named by the
President； David J。 Brewer of Kansas； a justice of the Supreme
Court of the United States； Chief Justice Alvey of the District
of Columbia； Andrew D。 White of New York； F。 R。 Coudert； an
eminent member of the New York bar； and Daniel C。 Gilman of
Maryland； President of Johns Hopkins University。
On our arrival in Washington there was much discouragement among
us。 We found ourselves in a jungle of geographical and legal
questions； with no clue in sight leading anywhither。 The rights
of Great Britain had been derived in 1815； from the Netherlands；
the rights of Venezuela had been derived； about 1820； from Spain；
but to find the boundary separating the two in that vast
territory； mainly unsettled； between the Orinoco and the
Essequibo rivers； seemed impossible。
The original rights of the Netherlands had been derived from
Spain by the treaty of Munster in 1648； and on examining that
enormous document； which settled weighty questions in various
parts of the world； after the life…and…death struggle； religious；
political； and military； which had gone on for nearly eighty
years； one little clause arrested our attention： that； namely； in
which the Spaniards； despite their bitter hatred of the Dutch；
agreed that the latter might carry on warlike operations against
〃certain other people〃 with reference to territorial rights in
America。 These 〃certain other people〃 were not precisely
indicated； and we hoped； by finding who they were； to get a clue
to the fundamental facts of the case。 Straightway two of our
three lawyers； Mr。 Justice Brewer and Mr。 Coudert； grappled on
this question； one of them taking the ground that these 〃other
people〃 referred to were the Caribbean Indians who had lived just
south of the mouth of the Orinoco； and had been friendly to the
Dutch but implacable toward the Spaniards； and that their
territory was to be considered as virtually Dutch； and；
therefore； as having passed finally to England。 But the other
disputant insisted that it referred to the Brazilians and had no
relation to the question with which we had to deal。 During two
whole sessions this ground was fought over in a legal way by
these gentlemen； with great acumen； the rest of us hardly putting
in a word。
At the beginning of the third session I ventured a remonstrance；
saying that it was a historical； and not a legal； question； that
it could not possibly be settled by legal argument； that the
first thing to know was why the clause was inserted in the
treaty； and that the next thing was to find； from the whole
history leading up to it； who those 〃other persons〃 thus vaguely
referred to and left by the Spaniards to the tender mercies of
the Dutch might be； and I insisted that this； being a historical
question； must be solved by historical experts。 The commission
acknowledged the justice of this； and on my nomination we called
to our aid Mr。 George Lincoln Burr； professor of history in
Cornell University。 It is not at all the very close friendship
which has existed for so many years between us which prompts the
assertion that； of all historical scholars I have ever known； he
is among the very foremost； by his powers of research； his
tenacity of memory； his almost preternatural accuracy； his
ability to keep the whole field of investigation in his mind； and
his fidelity to truth and justice。 He was set at the problem； and
given access to the libraries of Congress and of the State
Department； as also to the large collections of books and maps
which had been placed at the disposal of the commission。 Of these
the most important were those of Harvard University and the
University of Wisconsin。 Curious as it may seem； this latter
institution； far in the interior of our country； possesses a
large and most valuable collection of maps relating to the
colonization history of South America。 Within two weeks Professor
Burr reported； and never did a report give more satisfaction。 He
had unraveled； historically； the whole mystery； and found that；
the government of Brazil having played false to both Spaniards
and Dutch； Spain had allowed the Netherlands to take vengeance
for the vexations of both。 We also had the exceedingly valuable
services； as to maps and early colonization history； of Mr。
Justin Winsor； librarian of Harvard University； eminent both as
historian and geographer； and of Professor Jameson of Brown
University； who had also distinguished himself in these fields。
Besides these； Mr。 Marcus Baker of the United States Coast Survey
aided us； from day to day； in mapping out any territories that we
wished especially to study。
All this work was indispensable。 At the very beginning of our
sessions there had been laid before us the first of a series of
British Blue Books on the whole subject； and； with all my
admiration for the better things in British history； politics；
and life； candor compels me to say that it was anything but
creditable to the men immediately responsible for it。 It made
several statements that were absolutely baseless； and sought to
rest them upon authorities which； when examined； were found not
to bear in the slightest degree the interpretation put upon them。
I must confess that nothing； save； perhaps； the conduct of
British 〃experts〃 regarding the Behring Sea question； has ever
come so near shaking my faith in 〃British fair play。〃 Nor were
the American commissioners alone in judging this document
severely。 Critics broke forth； even in the London 〃Times；〃
denouncing it； until it was supplanted by another； which was fair
and just。
I； of course； impute nothing to the leading British statesmen who
had charge of the whole Venezuelan question。 The culprits were；
undoubtedly； sundry underlings whose zeal outran their honesty。
They apparently thought that in the United States； which they
probably considered as new； raw； and too much engaged in
dollar…hunting to produce scholars； their citations from
authorities more or less difficult of access would fail to be
critically examined。 But their conduct was soon exposed； and even
their principals joined in repudiating some of their fundamental
statements。 Professor Burr was sent abroad； and at The Hague was
able to draw treasures from the library and archives regarding
the old Dutch occupation and to send a mass of important material
for our deliberations。 In London also he soon showed his
qualities； and these were acknowledged even by some leading
British geographers。 The latter had at first seemed inclined to
indulge in what a German might call 〃tendency〃 geography； but the
clearness； earnestness； and honesty of our agent soon gained
their respect； and； after that； the investigators of both sides
worked harmoniously together。 While the distinguished lawyers
above named had main charge of the legal questions； President
Gilman； who had in his early life been professor of physical and
general geography at Yale； was given charge of the whole matter
of map…seeking and …making； and to me； with the others； was left
the duty of studying and reporting upon the material as brought
in。 Taking up my residence at Washington； I applied myself
earnestly to reading through masses of books； correspondence； and
other documents； and studied maps until I felt as if I had lived
in the country concerned and was personally acquainted with the
Dutch governors on the Cuyuni and the Spanish monks on the
Orinoco。 As a result lines more or less tentative were prepared
by each of us； Judge Brewer and myself agreeing very closely； and
the others not being very distant from us at any important point。
One former prime minister of Great Britain I learned； during this
investigation； to respect greatly；Lord Aberdeen； whom I well
remembered as discredited and driven from power during my stay in
Russia at the time of the Crimean War。 He was wise enough in
those days to disbelieve in war with Russia； and to desire a
solution of the Turkish problem by peac