432 AVES ISLAND. 



In this case the people were successful in their eiforts to establish a 

 just and honest government. On the 15th day of March Monagas 

 was constrained to resign. General Castro's government was organ- 

 ized, then became, and from that time continued to be, the established 

 de facto government of the republic of Venezuela. Monagas acqui- 

 esced in and — though this was not necessary to give rightful authority 

 to the new government — sanctioned its existence. The established 

 principle to govern the conduct of the diplomatic representative of the 

 United States of America in such case, is strongly exemplified in the 

 memorable instance of the expulsion of Charles X and the accession of 

 Louis Philippe to the throne of France, by the course of Mr. Rives, 

 our minister there ; and later, by the course of Mr. Rush, in the last 

 named monarch's expulsion, and the inauguration of the temporary 

 French republic ; and still later, in the overthrow of the republic and 

 the inauguration of the present empire, which last incident it was my 

 fortune to witness as a functionary of our legation there ; and upon 

 being advised of which change, the government of the United States 

 expressly instructed Mr. Rives to regard the government de facto as 

 the rightful government. 



In the recent case in Venezuela, General Castro having the govern- 

 ment reins placed in his hands, was not the result of a merely tempo- 

 rary ebullition of popular feeling. Every foreign representative in 

 Venezuela was well apprised of the universally extended popular sen- 

 timent in that country in favor of the overthrow of Monagas and the 

 organization of a new government. Such was the remarkable una- 

 nimity of the popular voice on this subject, that the unparalleled 

 spectacle is exhibited of the revolution being entirely successful, with- 

 out the necessity of shedding a drop of blood, though large bodies of 

 armed citizens were engaged in it. Monagas himself and his parti- 

 sans, cowed under his convictions on this point_, yielded up imme- 

 diately office and power. 



After the abnegation by Monagas of his office, made to the Congress 

 of the republic then in session, and of which resignation the foreign 

 representatives in Caraccas were apprised, he was escorted by them, 

 or a portion of them, to the residence of the French charge d'affaires, 

 and placed therein as an asylum, with Giuseppi, his son-in-law, 

 Gutierrez, his minister of foreign relations, and others in a like cate- 

 gory, and the flags of the different foreign legations, that of the 

 United States included, hung out from the house to prevent ingress 

 by the new authorities into it. 



Immediately thereafter. General Castro's government was organized 

 and established, and recognized by the foreign representatives there 

 as the government de facto, and subsequently the almost unanimous 

 voice of the republic hath confirmed its authority. 



After it was thus organized, the new government decided that the 

 public interests and public justice demanded the arrest for trial of the 

 persons above named for their numerous crimes whilst in power, and 

 if convicted, that they should be compelled to disgorge their ill-gotten 

 plunder, a portion of which had also extended over it, as above de- 

 scribed, the embassadorial immunity, or alleged privilege of asylum. 



The publications inclosed, if true, exhibit the ridiculous spectacle 



