268 AVES ISLAND. 



and energy ; and it may be also said tliat the continuance of such neglect 

 will, in many cases, excite the injured citizen to attempt the redress of 

 his wrongs by his own strong arm, and with such means as the Superior 

 of all governments may extend to him, without relying on his country 

 for aid. If procrastinated palavers and protocols, the scribling of end- 

 less diplomatic dispatches, and everlasting discussion and negotiation 

 be all the results he can attain ; if delay, evasion, shuffling, and trifling 

 by the State which has wrong him be unrebuked and overlooked by his 

 government, except by the stereotyped phrase "they do not look on 

 it with indifference," can it be wondered at if, maddened by his wrongs, 

 he becames & filibuster and engage in schemes hostile to the nation which 

 has wronged him, and, perhaps, ruined him, in order to avenge those 

 wrongs, and, perchance, obtain some indemnity for them by plundering 

 it in retaliation? 



• By rigidly and promptly enforcing the law of special reprisals in 

 every case, we shall not so often witness such acts by American citizens, 

 now the subject of such sharp reproach against us by the people of other 

 States. 



The claimants in this case forbear to ask for special letters of reprisal 

 in their case until a technical formal lettre de requite hath been sent to 

 Venezuela with full and authentic copies of all the proofs and deposi- 

 tions filed by these claimants in said department. These claimants are 

 apprehensive that in this regard the treaty stipulations with Venezuela 

 have not been fully complied with on the part of the United States by 

 such full rendition of the proofs adduced in regard to the spoliation 

 and the damages sustained therefrom, and they would submit that such 

 full proofs be forthwith communicated to that government according to 

 treaty, and accompanied by a technical lettre de requete for reparation, 

 with a view to the ultimate granting of letters of special reprisal; and, 

 in the meantime, they would respectfully solicit the adoption of meas- 

 ures by the government of the United States to ascertain for its own 

 satisfaction the amount of damages justly due, and the payment of 

 which should be enforced by such letters of reprisal, if necessity exists 

 for their issuance after the time specified in the lettre de requete has 

 expired. 



These claimants decline in this brief to comment upon the testimony 

 sustaining their claim for damages to the amount of $655,590 filed in 

 the State Department and printed for its use, and a copy whereof hath 

 been or should have been communicated to the government of Vene- 

 zuela, as was anticipated when said document was filed. Those depo- 

 sitions and proofs sustain in general terms every item of said claim as 

 just and reasonable ; but in the investigation solicited the claimants 

 will be able to adduce evidence verifying particulars and details, so as 

 to leave no question of fact in respect to said damages in doubt. The 

 questions of law in relation to the damages which we claim can then 

 be more readily decided in a manner satisfactory, because just to all 

 parties; but in such case the decision, as to damages, of the Executive 

 preliminarily to the issuance of letters of reprisal, will be subject to the 

 review and supervision of the judicial tribunal before which the prop- 

 erty seized under the letters may be brought for adjudication. 



These claimants, Philo S. Shelton and Sampson & Tappan, do not 

 regard their case as blended in any degree with that of Lang & Delano 



