Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President, Transmitted to Congress December 2, 1895, Part I

Mr. Vignaud to Mr. Gresham.

Embassy of the United States,
Paris, March 22, 1895. (Received April 2.)

No. 275.]

Sir: On the 15th instant, the Venezuelan chargé d’affaires having formally asked this embassy to assume the protection of Venezuelan citizens residing in France during the interruption of diplomatic relations between France and Venezuela, I at once informed the minister of foreign affairs of this request and of the willingness of the embassy to comply with it if there were no objections on his part.

I saw Mr. Hanotaux on the 20th instant and he said that he acquiesced to the proposed arrangement, provided, however, that the pending diplomatic questions would have to be settled between France and Venezuela themselves.

I told him that such was my understanding, your instructions being that the embassy was not to represent Venezuela diplomatically.

I have, etc.,

Henry Vignaud

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