392 AYES ISLAND. 



himself to remember tlie enumeration of insults wliich has been made 

 in official documents, the most recent of which is the note of this lega- 

 tion, in which it is stated that Mr. Eames, in one of his communica- 

 tions, has charged (imputado) Venezuela with having ordered a robbery. 

 This does not now admit of the investigation which your excellency 

 has been pleased to suggest in your note of the 4th instant. Vene- 

 zuela considers herself a judge of her own dignity, and does not doubt 

 that she would have the right to proceed against Mr. Eames as the 

 government of the United States did against Mr. Eoussin in a less 

 serious case, if she did not \ieem it prudent to await the same result 

 from the upright, benevolent, and conciliatory policy of your excel- 

 lency's government. 



The government of the United States, in the note and at the audi- 

 ence which have been mentioned, has defended its present position 

 imperiously; that is, by laying down as unquestionable truths exactly 

 all that is controverted — the principal point of responsibility and that 

 of delay in the discussion. In its opinion, it is evident that the Island 

 of Aves has not been legally occupied by Venezuela ; and this premise 

 being established, it easily deduces everything which is adapted to 

 support its reclamation. In its opinion, the discussion between the 

 two nations has lasted three years, owing to the fault of Venezuela ; 

 and this premise being established, it easily deduces everything which 

 is calculated to sustain the party which has set about closing the dis- 

 cussion, in order to investigate solely what is due the claimants. In 

 its opinion, the case has been from the beginning clear and indisputa- 

 ble; and this premise being established, a prompt, summary, and 

 violent proceeding against the nation which seems to be the aggressor 

 is justifiable ; and consequently it exempts itself from the obligation 

 to admit middle terms, to which it w^ould be subject by the law of 

 nations under any other presupposition. 



At the audience mentioned the undersigned was able also to defend 

 imperiously the position of Venezuela, by laying down that it was a 

 question of nothing less than property the most inviolable, its own 

 territory, which had been occupied clandestinely and against the will 

 of its owner by the citizens who are the claimants, and by laying down 

 that not only is Venezuela assisted by clear and indisputable right in 

 rejecting the pretentions which they maintain, but in looking upon 

 their acts on the Island of Aves as a serious insult, which might be 

 promptly avenged and all compromise refused, in order that toleration 

 should not bring on many other such acts. Yet the government of 

 Venezuela, which is very far from wishing to compromit the great in- 

 terests of the State in a rash contest, and wdiich anxiously desires to 

 earn the sympathies of the powerful republic called to protect its weaker 

 sisters, and to exercise over them the rational and pacific influence that 

 is derived from the homogeneousness of their institutions, the republic 

 •of Venezuela has, for these reasons, reached the extreme of shutting 

 its eyes to the offense, in order to devote itself to examining, in an 

 honorable and candid discussion, the demands of the questioned recla- 

 mation. 



On this account the undersigned^ at the audience mentioned, de- 

 fended the position of Venezuela, stating that, in the main, her 



