AYES ISLAND. 425 



List of Inclosicres. 



A.— Mr. Cass to Mr. de Briceno— February 22, 1858. 

 B.— Mr. Briceno to Mr, Cass— February 24, 1858. 

 C— Mr. Cass to Mr. Briceno— February 26, 1858. 

 D.— Mr. Briceno to Mr. Cass— February 21, 1858. 

 E.— Mr. Cass to Mr. Briceno— March 4, 1858. 

 F.— Mr. Briceno to Mr. Cass— March 8, 1858. 

 G. — Same to same — April T, 1858. 

 H. — Same to same — April 25, 1858. 

 I.— Mr. Cass to Mr. Briceno— April 27, 1858. 



M)\ Cass to Mr. Fames. 



No. 60.] Department of State, 



Washington, May 10, 1858. 



Sir : Herewith I transmit an open letter addressed to the minister 

 of relations of Venezuela, covering copies of the correspondence, which 

 has passed between the department and Mr. Briceno, the special 

 minister from Venezuela, in relation to the Aves Island claim of 

 Shelton and. others, the settlement of which was understood to be the 

 principal object of Mr. Briceno's mission. From these papers, which 

 you are requested to deliver, you will perceive that no perceptible ad- 

 vance has been made towards an adjustment of the claim referred to. 

 In receiving the special minister from Venezuela as an act of courtesy 

 due to a friendly State, it was far from the expectation of the President 

 that this government would be invited to proceed to a discussion of 

 the Aves Island question ab initio, instead of receiving propositions 

 for an equitable adjustment of the claims involved, upon the grounds 

 which for three years the United States have maintained in respect to 

 the liability of Venezuela to atone for the grievous wrong done to our 

 citizens and our flag. 



It was not without surprise, then, that this government received Mr. 

 Gutierrez's note of 31st October last, which elaborately defended Vene- 

 zuela's title to the Aves Island, and denied to the claimants any indem- 

 nification for all their losses and damages. 



Due consideration, however, has been given to the arguments and 

 statements of Mr. Gutierrez, not merely upon their own merits, but 

 in the light of the verbal conferences held with Mr. Briceno; but this 

 renewed consideration of the subject has not, in any degree, modified 

 the previous views of this government with reference to the Aves claim. 

 The President perceives no reason for changing a decision which was 

 only arrived at after sufficient investigation. 



