4l6 AYES ISLAND. 



to invoke your interposition upon a full narration of the very events 

 in which this paper forms so material a portion, the first inclination of 

 my mind was either to doubt its genuineness, or the accuracy of the 

 copy in my hands, I therefore took an early opportunity to have an- 

 other interview with Mr. Aranda, in which I informed him that I had 

 what purported to be a copy of one of the papers in the case, which, at 

 this stage of the business, I wished to compare with the original. He 

 at once assented, though he could not understand how a copy should 

 have got out, and at a subsequent day, placed the papers in my hands 

 for examination. I found the original there, to all appearance an au- 

 thentic paper^ and upon comparison, my copy proved to be exact. I 

 then asked Mr. Aranda if he was satisfied of the genuineness of the 

 original, and he replied that there could not be a doubt of it. 



"With these facts before me, I find myself unable to resist the con- 

 viction that the case of the claimants is clothed by this paper with a 

 character very different from that in which they brought it to your 

 notice, and upon which your instruction was framed. If the case was 

 one of a conflicting claim between the two governments to the eminent 

 domain of the Aves, this agreement I should consider of no force what- 

 ever. But the case being a reclamation of private citizens for indem- 

 nity and restoration, I cannot avoid the conclusion that the claimants 

 themselves have, by this act of their agents, if left unexplained, greatly 

 embarrassed their government in its successful prosecution. At all 

 events, there can be no doubt that the agreement of the claimants is 

 regarded by the Venezuelan government as an effectual bar to any claim 

 for indemnity by them or in their behalf, 



"In this state of facts, I deem it proper to refer this new matter in 

 the case to the department, in order to learn the view which you take 

 of its bearing upon the further prosecution of the claim, I am the 

 more induced to adojjt this course because, considering the date of this 

 agreement, I see no reason to doubt that it was known to the claimants 

 when they presented their case to you on the 15th of January last, and 

 I cannot understand what is their justification for not then bringing it 

 to your attention, with whatever explanation of it might be in their 

 power. It is proper to add, however, that I have of course made no 

 admission whatever to this government as to the paper or the operation 

 of it, and that when I receive your views of it, and of the case as af- 

 fected by it, I shall be prepared to carry your instructions at once into 

 effect." 



When the claimants found themselves overwhelmed by a proof so 

 decidedly against them, they then conceived tlie plan of making it 

 void by launching a gross imputation upon an unblemished and hon- 

 orable Venezuelan chieftain. They have not dared to deny their own 

 signatures ; they have only endeavored to make believe that force and 

 fraud were used for the purpose of obtaining their acquiescence. 



Force and fraud! Two actions which never go together, because 

 the nature of each by itself excludes the other. The claimants, how- 

 ever, maintain that force and fraud intervened in the permit in ques- 

 tion. 



It is important to bear in mind the two versions suggested by the 

 above mentioned incident. 



