No. 258.
Mr. Dayton
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
The Hague, July 17, 1882. (Received July 29.)
Sir: In conversation on Monday last with Mr. Rochaupen, upon my handing to him a copy of the printed circular of the Treasury Department addressed to United States collectors of customs informing them of the repeal of the law imposing discriminating duties on merchandise produced east of the Cape of Good Hope, imported from a place west thereof, he remarked that this government was now engaged upon the subject of the discriminating duties, amounting to 30 per cent., which the Venezuela Government had lately imposed upon all merchandise imported from the Antilles; that such action was ruinous to the commerce of Curacoa. He also stated that the English Government had protested against this act on the part of Venezuela and had set up treaty obligations with that country against the same, but so far without effect. He said he had just been reading the communication of the President of the United States to Congress upon the subject of their relations with Venezuela and had noticed that the President had therein referred to the inability of Venezuela to fulfill her obligations. He thought the course of that government in imposing the discriminating duties referred to was not calculated to improve her position in that respect.
Very respectfully, &c.,