AVES ISLAND. 391 



Mr. Briceno to Mr. Cass. 



[Translation.] 



Special Legation of Venezuela in the United States, 



Washington, 3Iarch 4, 1858, 

 The undersigned, envoy extraordinaiy and minister plenipotentiary 

 of Venezuela, in acknowledging to his excellency G-eneral Cass the re- 

 ception of his estimable note of to-day, has the honor to make known to 

 him at the same time that he reserves to himself to consider its contents 

 along with the result of the conference, which is appointed for Satur- 

 day, the 6th instant. 



The undersigned reiterates to his excellency General Cass the assur- 

 ances of his distinguished consideration. 



M. DE BRICENO. 

 His Excellency the Secretary of State of the United States. 



Mr. Briceno to Mr. Cass. 



[Translation.] 



Special Legation of Venezuela in the United States, 



Washington, March 8, 1858. 



The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary 

 of Venezuela, has the honor to present in writing to his excellency 

 the Secretary of State of the United States, the substance of all the 

 observations which he submitted to his upright judgment at the special 

 audience that he granted him on the 6th instant. He will add on the 

 occasion some others which are suggested by his excellency's note of 

 the 4th instant, to which the undersigned in acknowledging its recep- 

 tion reserved his reply until after the proposed interview. Both are 

 summed up in the following memorandum : 



Your excellency avers that your government has received with much 

 surprise the announcement of the inconveniences now felt in order to 

 exclude Mr. Eames from the negotiation in Caraccas, inasmuch as it 

 heard nothing in regard to this matter previous to the arrival of the 

 undersigned in this city. In tarn, the undersigned is surprised at your 

 excellency's assertion; for Senor Ribas, charge d'affaires of Venezuela, 

 had a conference with your excellency in regard to this affair, comply- 

 ing with the orders which were communicated to him by Senor Guti- 

 errez in a note of the 28th of August last, and the note of October 31 

 of last year set forth minutely the complaints against the minister 

 resident. 



Your excellency signifies a belief that a hostile attitude is attributed 

 to Mr. Eames solely because he expressed himself in decisive terms m 

 support of the views of his government. The undersigned permits 



