No. 674.
Mr. Russell to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Caracas, March 6, 1875.
(Received March 22.)
No. 52.]
Sir: I have the honor to send a brief record of
events showing the present state of things in Venezuela.
I inclose a copy of a proclamation of the President, with a translation, and
would call attention to the last paragraph, in which the wealth of this
government and its ability to cope with other powers are set forth. It is
generally supposed to refer to Holland and Colombia.
The President returned to Caracas March 1, and was welcomed with great
display and at great cost. The rejoicings occupied four days, and included a
municipal banquet, which was attended by all the diplomatic body. This body
was also received officially by the President, whose speech was an assurance
that internal peace will long continue undisturbed.
At the consular reception, the President stated that the blockadehad not
ceased, but would cease soon; that by new custom-house rules the
custom-houses of Vela de Coro and Maracaibo would be suppressed, and all
foreign trade, export or import, would be forbidden at those ports. He added
that, by discriminating duties on ships and goods, he intended to destroy
all communication with Curaçoa, and that no vessel should come to Venezuela
that touched at Curaçoa even for coal. Puerto Cabello is to be substituted
for the closed ports, and a depot of coal is to be established there. I
reserve any further report on the above until the publication of the
decrees, some of which are already signed.
The 22d of February was honored by the display of the Venezuelan diplomatic
and consular flags, and by visits from my colleagues.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
52.—Translation.]
General Guzman Blanco, President of the Republic, in
campaign, to the constitutional army.
Compatriots and Companions in
Arms:
The sixteen thousand soldiers of the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th army
corps, who are now formed in the grand parade of Coro, joined with the
two thousand of the
[Page 1365]
6th
corps, and the fifteen hundred of the 7th, the fifteen hundred of the
Barcelona and Margarita divisions, and the one thousand of the auxiliary
force of Zulia, make a total of twenty-two thousand men of the active
army, besides which there are eight thousand of reserve garrisoning all
the States of the Union from the Orinoco to the Záchira.
These thirty thousand men, representatives of the desire of Venezuela,
have re-established peace, vindicated popular dignity, and strengthened
the titles of my government, more by the power of opinion than by the
action of force. All the political problems of the past having been
resolved by the revolution of April, 1870, there remained pending that
of the ambition of some (one) of its chiefs-, and in one hundred days
the people have shown them that it is master of its own destinies, and
that we, its servants, have been and are only instruments, more or less
competent, of its intelligent and patriotic will. I congratulate you on
a lesson so eloquent, and I make known here my gratitude toward the
people for the support they have given me, and toward each one of the
leaders of the army corps, who with loyalty and abnegation have
confounded the ambitious, and confirmed once more the honor of the
liberal army. But I owe to the country another congratulation. These
thirty thousand men not only signify our power and sustain internal
peace, but they show that, when the case arrives, our independence and
our (rights) international rights would be defended with a force of
fifty thousand men of the active army, and with twenty thousand or forty
thousand of reserve, without adding that there are few peoples that can
count on such resources and money, relatively, as those of which
Venezuela can dispose.
Long live the sovereign people!
Long live the peace of the republic!
Long live the constitution of ’76!
GUZMAN BLANCO.
Headquarters
in Coro, February 17,
1875.
