AVES ISLAND. 389 



Second. If it is so fixed, (taken up,) will your excellency's govern- 

 ment refuse to hear the envoy of Venezuela on the charge of procras- 

 tination, which has been made against the cabinet of Caraccas? 



As on Wednesday there will be an opportunity for Laguayra_, at 

 Philadelphia, and as your excellency has been pleased to submit the 

 interview to the convenience of the undersigned, he may be permitted 

 to request it at one, of the afternoon of Tuesday next, in order that 

 your excellency, on your part, may have time to consider calmly the 

 interrogatories, and the undersigned, on his part, to communicate the 

 result to his government. 



With sentiments of respect and of high consideration for your excel- 

 lency, he subscribes himself, 



M. DE BRICENO. 



His Excellency the Secretaet of State oe the United States. 



Mr. Cass to Mr. Briceno. 



Departjsient of State, 



Washington, 3Iarch 4, 1858. 



Sir: Your note of the 27th only reached me, in a translation, on 

 Monday, the 1st instant. 



I regret that you were unable to meet me on Monday, and that thus 

 your interview has been necessarily delayed beyond the day of sailing 

 of the packet which was about to leave Philadelphia for Laguayra. If 

 you can conveniently call at the department on Saturday, at 2 o'clock, 

 I shall be glad to converse with you at that time on the present position 

 of the "Aves" case, and to learn how far you are authorized and may 

 feel yourself at liberty to make arrangements for its complete adjust- 

 ment. 



The intimation contained in your note that '^^the government of 

 Venezuela, even if it should prove to be responsible, cannot come to an 

 understanding with the present minister resident of the United States 

 at Caraccas," has been received with much surprise, because no com- 

 plaint of his conduct had been communicated to the department by 

 your government prior to your arrival here, and no request had been 

 made for his recall. If he is thought to occupy ''a hostile attitude" 

 towards Venezuela, only because he has expressed in decided terms the 

 view entertained by this government of the transactions upon which 

 the claimants in the ''Aves" case found their demand for indemnity, 

 such a belief is as manifestly unjust as it would be for this government 

 to impute a ' ' hostile attitude ' ' to the minister of Venezuela in conse- 

 quence of the very strong and decided terms in which he has felt it his 

 duty to protest against the policy adopted by the United States on this 

 same subject. If, however, in his intercourse with your government, 

 Mr. Eames has exceeded "the limits of moderation and respect," either 

 with reference to the "Aves" case or any other, which has been a 

 subject of discussion at Caraccas, he has certainly failed, in so doing, 

 to represent the disposition of the President, and his conduct, in this 

 respect, would be deeply regretted by his government. It is my duty 



