Mr. Pruyn to Mr.
Seward.
No. 36.]
Legation of the United States,
Caracas,
October 3, 1868.
Sir: I have to communicate to you the painful
intelligence that on the 1st instant a most dastardly attempt was made
to assassinate the acting President and minister of foreign relations,
Señor Guillermo Tell Villégas, while in the discharge of his official
duties at the government mansion. Fortunately the would-be murderer was
seized before he could execute his atrocious design. In inclosure No. 1 may be found the official
account of the affair, and in No. 2 a copy of a dispatch on the subject
which I addressed to this government.
1 am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Translation.]
UNITED STATES OF VENEZUELA, DEPARTMENT
OF THE INTERIOR AND OF JUSTICE, SECOND BUREAU—DISPATCH No.
274.
Caracas,
October 1, 1868, 5th year
of the Law and the 10th of the
Federation.
To the Citizen President of the State of
Bolivar:
An atrocious act, unparalleled in the history of Venezuela, has just
been perpetrated. An individual named Francisco Solerè, having
forced his Way into the hall of dispatch of the national executive
in spite of the porter’s efforts to detain him, and being armed With
a revolver, approached the citizen minister of foreign relations and
President of the council, Dr. Guillermo Tell Villégas, (then in his
appropriate chair,) and addressed him in the most insulting
language, and threatened to kill him. And if the contemplated murder
was not consummated, if the august precinct of the supreme executive
magistrate was not dyed with the blood of a minister, it is owing to
the presence of the minister of war and marine, and to the secretary
of this department, who, having heard he assailant utter, on
entering the government mansion, words that revealed his terible
design, followed him and arrived most opportunely.
[Page 977]
A crime of such magnitude merits the most exemplary punishment, or
else the majesty of the nation will suffer the profoundest
humiliation, and its rightful authorities be shorn forever of its
prestige and moral force, without which there can exist neither
government nor order in any country of the universe. There is only
one thing that can counteract the painful impression that this deed
has produced in this outraged community, and that is, that this act
shall be promptly investigated, and that the punishment which the
culprit deserves shall be inflicted by the magistrates to whom the
law commits the sacred function of administering justice.
My object in addressing this note to you is, that you may urge them
on to the fulfilment of their duty, hoping that you will be pleased
to inform me of the measures that may be taken, for the executive
has determined that the matter must be thoroughly carried out to its
proper termination.
Union and liberty!
A true copy:
NICANOR BOLET PERAZA, The Secretary of the
Department.
Mr. Pruyn to Señor Villégas.
Legation of the United
States,
Caracas,
October 2, 1868.
Sir: The undersigned, in charge ad interim of the legation of the United
States, has heard with sentiments of the deepest concern of the
dastardly attempt made yesterday to assassinate your excellency
while in the discharge of your high official duties.
The government and people of the United States, who cherish among
their fondest aspirations the wish that the sister republic of
Venezuela may always enjoy peace and prosperity, will be profoundly
grieved to learn that there has been found one—even a
foreigner—within the borders so unutterably wicked as to attack a
great and good personage occupying the highest position among those
who are endeavoring to regenerate the republic and restore her to
her former state of happiness and grandeur.
The people of the United States have not forgotten the great grief
and heart-felt sympathy manifested by Venezuela in the hour of their
affliction when, by the hand of the murderer, the soul of their
beloved Chief Magistrate, Abraham Lincoln, was sent back to God, and
other great and good men, who had aided him in the glorious work of
saving the life of the nation, were laid low at death’s door by the
same infamous means.
The undersigned begs to express the feelings of satisfaction and joy
which the government and people of the United States will experience
on hearing that the Divine Providence which watches over the affairs
of men has delivered you from deadly peril, and he also begs to join
in their fervent hope that the same almighty power may grant your
excellency a long and happy life, in order that you may pursue the
patriotic path, already so familiar to you, of self-sacrificing
public duty, which, although you do not seek it, leads to that
highest pinnacle of human glory, the approbation of a free
people.
Hon. Guillermo Tell VillÉgas,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, &c., &c.,
&c.
