AVES ISLAND. 251 



to in which such proofs were transmitted. By the treaty between the 

 United States and Venezuela, however, it is required, (see CI. 3, of 

 Art. 34, of treaty of 1836, 8 Statutes at Large, p. 842,) as in many 

 other of our treaties with the Hispano- American Kepublics, "■ that 

 neither of the contracting parties will authorize or order any act of 

 reprisal, nor declare war against the other, on complaints of injuries 

 or damages, until the said party considering itself offended shall first 

 have presented to the other a statement of such injuries or damages, 

 verified by competent proofs, and demanded justice, and the same 

 shall have been refused or unreasonably delayed." 



In this case, the proofs in the schedule below have been communi- 

 cated to the State Department of the United States by the claimants 

 for transmission to the government of Venezuela, at the dates therein 

 designated. If heretofore communicated to it, (and there is no reason 

 whatever for any portion of them being withheld,) the treaty has been 

 complied with ; but if they have not been fully communicated to the 

 Venezuelan government, and if any part of them has been suppressed, 

 the omission, it is submitted, must be supplied by annexing the same 

 to the letter of request, in order that the terms of the treaty may be 

 complied with by the United States. 



Such proceeding is proper, in order that the State complained of 

 may be apprised precisely of the alleged wrong, and have an oppor- 

 tunity to adduce contrary or explanatory proofs. 



In this case, two years and a half have been spent fruitlessly in 

 applications for redress, in remonstrance, in correspondence, and other 

 efforts, to procure the adjustment of the case without resorting to any 

 harsh course. Venezuela is fully apprised of all the circumstances of 

 the case, both as to facts and law. They have all been made public 

 by the Senate of the United States. (Sen. Ex. Doc, No. 25, 3d Sess. 

 34th Cong.) The letter of request, in this case, ought to exact an 

 adjustment within a brief period. (See, as to time, Wildman, Inst, 

 of Int. Law, c. 5, p. 190, and cases there cited designated by treaty, 

 &c., &c.) 



