6. “A portion of this vast domain belongs to England, as the
successor in title of Holland; but a very much larger and
more desirable portion of it belongs to the Republic of
Venezuela as the successor in title of Spain. The precise
boundary between the two ancient possessions, although
clearly inferable from historical facts was never definitely
fixed by treaty; and now, after the lapse of many
decades, Venezuela and Great Britain are parties to a
boundary dispute which has interrupted their friendly
intercourse.”
- William L. Scruggs (British Aggressions
in Venezuela – The Monroe Doctrine on Trial)
“The disputed frontier of Venezuela has nothing to do with
any of the questions dealt with by President Monroe. It is
not a question of the colonization by a European power of
any portion of America. It is not a question of the imposition
upon the communities of South America of any system of
government devised in Europe. It is simply the
determination of the frontier of a British possession, which
belonged to the throne of England long before the Republic
of Venezuela came to existence.”
- Lord Salisbury
