AVES ISLAND. 383 



sion of tlie responsibility of Venezuela in the case. The reply of the 

 minister, though purporting to be now given upon mature consideration 

 of the whole subject, neither expresses nor intimates any dissent from 

 that conclusion. 



The reasons now assigned by the minister for declining to commu- 

 nicate to this legation a copy of the answer of this government in the 

 case, which was prepared in my absence, and which, as he states, was 

 forwarded and reached the department in advance of the special mis- 

 sion, may be considered as not wholly destitute of plausibility. A 

 more cogent inducement to this course, however, may have probably 

 existed in the desire that the paper should be considered by the depart- 

 ment unaccompanied by any counter observations on my part. 



However this may be, the fact cannot have escaped the attention of 

 this government, although any recognition of it appears to have been 

 studiously avoided, that in my note of November 30, the communica- 

 tion to this legation of that answer was requested directly by the de- 

 partment in advance in its own words, and the refusal to compl}^ with 

 such a request would seem to be predicated upon the admitted purpose 

 of a prompt and satisfactory settlement in A¥ashington, inasmuch as 

 upon any other view, it may be considered as constituting aggravation 

 of the previous unsatisfactory course of Venezuela in the case. 



With the highest respect and consideration, I have the honor to be, 

 your obedient servant. 



Hon. Lewis Cass, 



Secretary of State. 



CHARLES EAMES. 



[Translation.] 



EepuUic of Venezuela. 



Department or Foreign Relations, 



Caraccas, February 18, 1858. 



Sir : The undersigned has had the honor to present to the executive 

 power the note addressed to him on the 30th of November last by the 

 honorable minister resident respecting the subject of the Aves Island ; 

 and, after full consideration of th,e case, the secretary of foreign rela- 

 tions has been directed to make the following reply: 



The answer which Mr. Eames requests has been given to his gov- 

 ernment, to which he doubtless would have had to transmit it; so that 

 what is now sought to be done in an indirect manner, has been already 

 directly accomplished, and is besides useless, because on the 17th of 

 December last, the answer referred to was delivered to the Hon. Gen- 

 eral Cass. Moreover, Mr. Eames has been informed that the republic, 

 notwithstanding it has a legation in Washington, has accredited 

 another extraordinary and especially charged with the Aves Island 

 reclamation. This has already entered upon the discharge of its 

 duties, and in view of all, his excellency believes that the negotiation 

 should continue there, its prosecution simultaneously in two places 

 being impossible. 



