No. 732.
Mr. Baker to Mr. Blaine.
Legation of the United States,
Caracas, March 30, 1881.
(Received April 23.)
No. 363.]
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 361 of date
23d instant, I inclose herewith a copy and translation of the additional
note from Mr. Saavedra,
[Page 1205]
therein referred to, and which was received too late to copy and
translate for the mail which carried that dispatch. I also inclose a
copy of my note in response to this last note of Mr. Saavedra.
At the time of writing my dispatch No. 361 I was uncertain whether or not
Mr. Saavedra proposed sending me a further note stating with more
definiteness and detail the proposition made to France and England, and
intended, as you will see by his note, for the United States also, but,
upon subsequently meeting him, he indicated that no further note on the
point was intended. As being germane to the subject, I draw your
attention to the Department’s No. 48 to me.
For the rest, in view of the poor and weak condition of this country, and
of the ill effects which a rupture with France might have upon American
and other interests here, I earnestly recommend that our government do
what it properly may to relieve it from its present embarrassments with
France, if at the time of receiving this dispatch need therefor should
be apparent.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
363.—Translation.]
Mr. Saavedra to
Mr. Baker.
The undersigned, minister ad interim of
exterior relations, referring to his note of the 20th to the most
excellent minister resident of the United States of North America,
must now add something more to its contents, with the request that
he will bring it also to the notice of his government.
Heretofore there has been presented to it a proposition respecting
the receipt and distribution of the product of the 13 per cent,
fixed in the estimate among the creditor governments of Venezuela on
account of the diplomatic debt.
The government has not yet received the acceptance of this
proposition, although it expects it (la espera) with anxiety, and
having, as it now has, good reasons to believe that from one moment
to another the order will come to the chargé d’affaires of France to
break relations with Venezuela and withdraw himself, which would
embarrass the arrangement, it has seen itself in the condition to
make him a new proposition capable of regulating his withdrawal and
rupture, thus giving time to receive from the United States the
acceptance of the arrangement proposed to them.
In view of this the Government of Venezuela hopes that that of the
United States will not wonder at this step (no extrañasá este paso)
taken by force of circumstances; and in communicating it to your
excellency it is with the view of giving you the corresponding
explanation of the occurrence.
Besides as it concerns the national executive to separate the British
Government from the French in this matter, it has made to the
legation of England the same new proposition, which it submits
immediately to the consideration of the government of your
excellency, to the end that it may choose between it and the first
that which may appear most convenient to it, with the understanding
that to Venezuela the one and the other are equal, always supposing
that the government of your excellency intervenes in the matter,
which without doubt will secure the good end which is aspired
to.
The new proposition consists in offering payment in the five per
cent, consolidated debt, admitted already by the Italian Government
for claims of the same class as the French. The acceptance of this
debt, which has a high value in the market, with the probability of
augmentation, would produce the advantage of putting at once in the
hands of the interested the whole of their credits, in a paper
which, for the security with which the interest will be paid monthly
and the capital be amortized by auctions (por remates) could enter
advantageously into every sort of negotiation. Besides, in prevision
of whatever contingency, it will be stipulated that, in case of
there being any alteration in the actual law of public credit,
things will be re-established in their actual state.
The undersigned renews, &c.,
[Page 1206]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
263.]
Mr. Baker to
Mr. Saavedra.
Legation of the United States,
Caracas, March 23, 1881.
The undersigned, minister resident of the United States, has just
received the note of his excellency the minister of exterior
relations ad interim of this date, and in
further notice of the existing relations between the Government of
Venezuela and that of France; and the undersigned assures his
excellency that he will as soon as practicable, and in a friendly
manner, bring this note to the knowledge of his government.
The undersigned renews, &c.
