414 AVES ISLAND. 



affair, cannot fail to recognize the identity of the two cases. At least, 

 it may be so presumed in view of the sound principles professed by the 

 American press, which sustains the predominant policy of the ruling 

 administration. We have only to substitute, in the present interna- 

 tional claim alluded to, the agents of the case, in order to manifest the 

 justice of Venezuela, sustained by the Committee of Foreign Kelations 

 of the Senate, and by the " Washington Union " of- January 31, 



" ' The South ' is compelled to dissent from both the premises and 

 the conclusion of the able report of Mr. Mason, of the Senate Committee 

 of Foreign Relations in the Paulding- Walker case. ' The South,' 

 after stating the position of the committee that the affair of the arrest 

 (expulsion) only concerns the government of the United States and the 

 government of Nicaragua, (the government of Venezuela and the gov- 

 ernment of Holland,) exclaims with some enthusiasm : ' What ! is not 

 reparation due the individuals who are the victims of an act of legal 

 violence and unwarrantable usurpation ? ' ' The Soutli ' (the attorney 

 of the claimants) is sufficiently conversant with the principles of law, 

 to understand that a party detected in the violation of statutes may not 

 invoke the civil arm of government to put him right. If G-eneral 

 Walker (Shelton party) set on foot a military (filibuster) expedition 

 against the State of Nicaragua, (the Dutch Isla de Aves,) in contempt 

 of our laws, it would be a monstrous perversion of well defined legal 

 practice to yield to his demands of restitution and redress. If the ex- 

 pedition referred to left our shores illegally. General Walker and his 

 men in connection therewith, (the invaders of Isla de Aves,) can never 

 be treated as citizens having the right to claim the protection of the 

 government. They are tainted with wrong. Nor can we agree with 

 ' The South ' (attorney of the claimants) that natural sovereignty is 

 such an unappeasable organ, as to be incapable of determining the 

 extent of its own wrongs, and of deciding upon the manner of their 

 redress. If the sovereignty of Nicaragua (Holland) has been violated 

 by us, (Venezuela,) we insist that Nicaragua (Holland) shall at least 

 have the right to say how much, if any, she is injured, and what will 

 satisfy her. We go so far as to maintain, in o]3position to ' The South,' 

 that it is clearly the right of any nation to consent to the military oc- 

 cupation of its soil by another," &c. 



Third. Finally, if Isla de Aves was derelict in July, 1854. Venezu- 

 ela, by occupying it, has not incurred any liability towards the Ameri- 

 can citizens whom she found there in December of the same year. 



International law authorized Venezuela to do so, as has been shown 

 above. 



Besides, the American claimants themselves freely consented to the 

 occupation by Venezuela, in the following document : 



"Domingo Dias, captain of a ship-of-war, and second chief of the 

 Venezuelan navy, and commissioned by the supreme government of 

 the republic to watch the desert Antilles that belong to it in the Car- 

 ribbean sea, has agreed, subject to the approbation of my government, 

 that Messrs. Charles H. Lang, (agent of the company of Lang and 

 Delano, of Boston,) and Nathan P. Gibbs, (agent of that of Sampson, 

 Tappan & P. S. Shelton, also of Boston,) whom I have found extract- 

 ing guano from this island, may: 



