424 AVES ISLAND. 



The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to offer to Mr. de 

 Briceno a renewed assurance of his very high consideration. 



LEWIS CASS. 

 Senor Don Manuel de Briceno, &c. 



Mr. Cass to Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Relationz. 



Department of State, 



Washington, May 10, 1858. 



Sir: The departure of Mr. de Briceno, late special envoy from the 

 government of Venezuela, without having accomplished, during his 

 residence here, any adjustment of the Aves Island reclamation, which 

 was understood to be the particular object of his mission, devolves 

 upon me the duty of communicating to your excellency the reply 

 which is due to the note of Senor Jacinto G-utierrez to this department 

 of the 31st October last, in respect to that claim. 



Notwithstanding the mature consideration given to that note, as 

 well as to the explanations and statements of Mr. de Briceno, the 

 result has been only to confirm the views of this government in rela- 

 tion to the liability of Venezuela to make reparation for the wrongs 

 our citizens have sustained. Your excellency will receive herewith 

 copies of the correspondence which has passed between this depart- 

 ment and Mr. de Briceno, which will inform you of the precise con- 

 dition of the claim. A list of the inclosures is subjoined. 



The case is now, by direction of the President, referred back to the 

 government of Venezuela, in the expectation that the present enlight- 

 ened and patriotic administration of that republic will not fail to 

 cooperate in the speedy and harmonious termination of a question 

 which has already encountered too much delay, and embarrassed too 

 long the relations of both republics. If the instruction of this depart- 

 ment to the Minister of the United States in Caraccas of the 31st 

 August last, a copy of which was placed in the hands of Mr. Briceno, 

 who doubtless communicated it to his government, has not been 

 carried into effect, it has been partly because of the hopeful results 

 looked for from the special mission of Mr. Briceno, and, since the 

 change of government, partly from the anticipation entertained of an 

 early settlement of the case by the existing authorities of Venezuela. 



The minister of the United States will be fully instructed to com- 

 municate with your excellency on this subject, and I repeat the confi- 

 dent belief of the President that, the question of liability being 

 admitted, there will be no serious difficulty in arranging the details 

 of a satisfactory adjustment either at Caraccas or Washington. 

 I avail myself, &c., 



LEWIS CASS. 



His Ex'cy The Minister for Foreign Kelations, 



Of the Bepublic of Venezuela. 



