394 AVES ISLAND. 



The government of tlie undersigned, and the whole nation of Vene- 

 zuela, can only perceive with great displeasure such extremities. The 

 Cabinet at Washington has certainly the right to judge and decide in 

 its own way as to the means to be employed in the settlement of its 

 reclamations; but from its very high position, its discretion, its pru- 

 dence, is to be expected a conscientious regard for that opinion which, 

 in the last instance, will have cognizance of its acts. 



The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to his 

 excellency, the Secretary of State of the United States, the assurances 

 of the distinguished consideration of his obedient servant, 



M. DE BRICENO. 



His Excellency the Secretary op State of the United States. 



Idr. Fames to Mr. Cass. 



No. 48.] Legation of the United States, 



Caraccas, 3Iarcli 25, 1858. 



Sir: With reference to my No. 47, under date of 23d instant, in- 

 forming the department of the definitive establishment of the new 

 government in this republic^ I have now the honor to transmit inclosed, 

 in copy and translation, a note of Mr. Urrutia, minister of foreign 

 relations, addressed to this legation, under date of yesterday, but 

 received this afternoon, by which I am informed that this government 

 has withdrawn both of its legations now in Washington, being the 

 special mission of Senor M. Briceno, minister plenipotentiary of the 

 republic, charged with the Aves Island negotiation, and the chargeship 

 d'affaires of the republic intrusted to Senor Florencio Ribas. 



The information of the determination so promptly formed by this 

 government within the first four days after its establishment, to recall 

 the special mission of Mr. Briceno, was, when it reached me two days 

 ago, quite unexpected, and still less could I have anticipated that such 

 determination would have been so quickly carried into effect. Two 

 sealed packages, however, addressed respectively to Mr. Briceno, in 

 Washington, and to Mr. Ribas, in New York, and stated to contain 

 the letters of recall of those gentlemen, were delivered to me yesterday 

 with the inclosed note of Mr. Urrutia, and with a request that I would 

 do this government the favor to let them go forward by the first oppor- 

 tunity. They will go by the same vessel with this dispatch, which is 

 announced to sail to-morrow. 



The note of Mr. Guiterrez, addressed to me under date of 18th ulti- 

 mo, and forwarded in copy to the department with my No. 43, under 

 date of 24th ultimo, gave me the latest information I have as to the 

 state of the Aves Island negotiation, and led me to infer, as I then 

 intimated to the department, that it might be at that time proceeding 

 to a satisfactory conclusion in Washington. It is stated, however, 

 that dispatches of a late date arrived four or five days ago from Mr. 

 Briceno. The contents of these may possibly have had some effect in 

 inducing the course now taken by this government. However this 

 may be, it is clear from the tenor of Mr. Urrutia' s note, that this gov- 



