No. 687.
Mr. Russell to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Caracas, June 19, 1875.
(Received July 12.)
No. 78.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a letter
from the minister of foreign relations, and a translation thereof. By the
same steamer I shall send, to be mailed in New York, a sealed packet
accompanying the same and referred to therein.
Together with some of my colleagues, I felt some doubt about the propriety of
acting as a messenger to send a sealed inclosure, said to contain a claim
against a friendly and allied state. But as the other national
representatives decided to comply with the request of Venezuela, I have done
the same, intimating to the minister of foreign relations that I could of
course express no opinion to my Government as to a document which I had not
been permitted to read. I also sent a copy of the note inclosed to the Dutch
chargé, telling him that I thought such notice due to him as representing a
government which had always been a steadfast friend of the United States,
and protesting that I could not be considered as giving any opinion as to
the character of the unknown inclosure. His reply was cordial. He had
received no communication on the subject from this government, nor does he
know, except from this correspondence, that any claim has been made on his
government.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No.
78.—Translation.]
Mr. Blanco to Mr.
Russell.
The government of Venezuela has appealed to the King of the Netherlands,
claiming indemnity for the expenses which it was obliged to incur to
re-establish peace, [Page 1379]
disturbed in the republic by the last rebellion, promoted, organized,
and sustained by Dutch subjects, living in the Island of Curaçao, and
asking, moreover, that His Majesty of the Netherlands will be pleased to
direct measures to prevent the tranquality of this country, in which
citizens and foreigners have an interest, from being at the mercy of
some few speculators of that colony. But notwithstanding the confidence
which His Excellency the President has in the justice of the demand, and
in the intelligence, impartiality and rectitude of the government of His
Excellency the King of the Netherlands, he has thought fit to apply to
the friendly governments, soliciting their good and friendly offices in
the action intended, and to that end this ministry appeals to the State
Department of the United States of North America.
The brief which I have the honor of sending to your excellency contains
the above-mentioned request, joined with a memorandum or recapitulation
of the facts and reasons on which the claim is founded, and I ask your
excellency that you will be pleased to send said sheet to the Government
of the North America N. Union.
Presenting thanks to your excellency in advance very warmly, I have the
honor to repeat to your excellency the assurances of my high
consideration.
The Hon. Thomas Russell,
Minister Resident of the United States of North
America.
