AYES ISLAND. 161 



department to the claimant, made on the 25th April, 1856, in relation 

 to the proofs are approved of by Mr. Eames as ''alike judicious and 

 important." 



In the meantime, however, I trust that the department will, by such 

 dispatch as it may deem proper, stimulate Mr, Eames to some exertion 

 to procure some answer from Venezuela upon some points, and, by 

 distinct instructions, direct him to present all the proofs in his posses- 

 sion provided by us, and we will not put him to the trouble of argu- 

 ment or comment upon them. All that we wish from him is, to lay 

 before the Venezuelan government the documents sent by the depart- 

 ment, and we do not desire his doing any more than this, and insisting 

 upon an answer from the Venezuelan government with reasonable dil- 

 igence, with such reiterated presentation of our claim, and demand for 

 justice, and protest against any extension of the delay of two years 

 that has already ensued. 



With reference to this dispatch, I purpose hereafter to transmit to 

 the department some observations that I think it calls for, for I assure 

 you it has given me pain and mortification. I consider the documents 

 that he has not procured, and upon which he comments at large to 

 show their immateriality instead of getting them, as of importance, 

 and I hope they will be procured. I allude to the British protest, and 

 to the resolutions of Venezuela of May 21, 1855, and July 22, 1855. 

 The Dias report is obviously of the highest consequence, and if a formal 

 "demand of justice" was made under the third section of the thirty- 

 fourth article of our treaty with Venezuela of 1836, (p. 432, 8 vol. 

 Stat, at Large,) being the '■ statement of the injuries and damages (we 

 sustained) verified by competent proofs," it would place the affair in a 

 tangible shape, and Venezuela would then have to refuse or act justly. 

 She has already "unreasonably delayed," and, I trust, in such demand 

 this unreasonable delay will be adverted to in unequivocal terms. 



In regard to your suggestion in respect to the appointment of an 

 agent by Mr. Shelton, I would respectfully enquire whether it is prac- 

 ticable to dispatch such agent in a public vessel to Laguayra, to await 

 some ten days his return, and the character of the instructions he would 

 bear with him ; because if not in their nature decisive, it is not antici- 

 pated that the expense and trouble incurred would be worth the result 

 effected. 



We do not wish that any action by the department should be delayed 

 or pretermitted in anticipation of the appointment of such agent, for, 

 before decision can be made on that point, the claimants have to be 

 consulted with, after hearing from the department in answer to the 

 above inquiry. 



I have received nothing in reference to the letter, of which I advised 

 the department on the 8th instant, I had addressed to the President. 



I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient 

 servant, 



H. S. SANFOED. 



Hon. ^ViLLiAM L. Marcy. 



Ex. Doc. 10 11 



