The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-10-23
IMPORTANT VENEZUELAN DOCUMENT.
Manifesto Of the General in Chief,
Jose Antonio Paez.

jose ANTONIO Pd6Zs
NV country groans under the sword of the assassin
of her national representatives Venezuelan blood has
run upon fields Of battle some of the leaders In
the Of independence wandering about in exile
and hundreds OF families are seeking asylum in
foreign lands. Upon my feeble shoulders weighs the
born /; and must render to them an account of my
conduct, and submit It, likewise to the judgment Of
these are the for publishing the present mani
festo in which am compelled to speak Of myself not
for the self praise but to relate facts Of my
public hfe facts recorded in my countrys history
In the year 1910 enrolled myself under the banners
of the army which to achieve the emancipation Of
my country from its ancient rulers Although then
quite youth at once perceived that the iberating
army ought in all its actions to show itself worthy of
its glorious title. Our mission the country,
and every exertion establish and consolidate
q civil government. This principle has guided me
SnsI ossyns and vhsn and i win be
Colombia was dissolved in $780, by the will of the
several peoples who composedi An act of the govern
ment Of that time fastened the execution Of project
which had manifested itself from the time of the pub
location Of the Constitution of 1921 The convention
of Ocaha having been dissolved and the hopes Of the
republic having been thus disappointed the Liberator
expressed desire that the nation should freely de-
for the " separation of Colombia % The people in
verted with the honorable title of Provisional Chief
Of the state and endeav9red to conduct myself in
constituent Congress, which met at Valencia its
pectsble and enlightened members carefully selected
by the Provinces adopted the Constitution Of the
puoic and on me devolved the honor Of ordering it
10 be published and obeyed.
The work OF that convention has obtained the appro
baton Of the liberal world 1t has also met with
opposition was natural expect this opposition to
are to those Of the majority Of
the nation For the drst time, compelled to pub.
To s.asS wen I that owing
Greet exercise OF the influence with which my fellow
citizens favored me. that the constituent Congress
was not interrupted in the performance of its solemn
duties. A portion Of the army, not sufficiently well
informed Of the nature Of their rights and duties
nnnll mt AIxy A.
the abolition Of military privileges, and obliged
TO appeal to the patriotism Of these brave men, and
suished me, to prevent scandal and allow the repre-
sentavss OF the people freely to pursue the course
they had traced out | succeeded In dispellng the
etorm but the spirit Of rebellion continued to produce
bad effects.
In 1881 called to the Presidency, and shortly
after having taken possession of it. compelled
take the field to put down military rebellion With
out bloodshsd succeeded in re. establishing order,
and the head Of the conspiracy, General Jose Tadeo
Monagas returned to lis home, protected by pardon
which granted him in the Vale de Ia Pascua. There
ring the first constitutional period but without serious
consequences to the republic.
The nation selected for their first magistrate, in
1886, the eminent citizen Doctor jose Vargas. As n
civiien whose past life had been most honorable he
afforded an ample guaranty to. the nation that the
partially; but another military conspiracy came again
to destroy these fstterng hopes, The government
Army, at the head Of which obliged to 20 into
the interior Of the eastern part of veneua and on
second
time Cen. Jose Tsdeo Monagas, the leader OF the re-
belion and secured him the possession of his militia
Cabelo surrendered the last ohment Of the dis
the misfortapes Of that year.
was . difficult one, AMI most delicate. On the
hand, was obliged restrain the military who for
geul Of their duty turned against their country the
which she had confded to them her defe nee
and on the other hand, endeavored to temper the
ardent z-ai of the friends of the constitution Placed
in the midst of these cOutendiug I
only to perform the office of conciliator. Ii con-
demned the exactions Of some military men, still
epdesvored, on all occasions tighten their suferngs
and to attract to them the public regard, calling to
mind their former services in the cause of indepen
which recommended That those who had hem sxi.ed
should be restored to their country be inco.
AZ Preside conferred them posts of honor and
Of trust AM as chief Of the army, called them around
me IN the trials Of the sS%ntry Some Of them have
Others, who have never been reconced to our iust.
tutions, have always excited and 70 nted sedons
though threatening destruction 10 the land of their
BY to votes Of my fellow citizens again assumed
the administrator Of the State in 1880. During this
and my administration was a peaceful one. II was
assiduously and laborousy devoted to the intellectual
and ria a%S Of the the
only to add, that omitted nothing to improve the
situstion of the country Great reforms were under
taken and carried into effect Without requiring
army preserved internal peace and carefully cultivat
ed and enlarged foreign relations, being persuaded
that this friendly intercourse would procure suit
able rank in the great family of nations. On this
point was persevering new people, and of scant
population necessarily requires the support of more
advanced nations; and it was with satisfaction saw
Venezuela recommending herself for her habits OF
moderation and fraternity in the estimation Of those
foreigner who acquired residence within her territorya
How this conduct was to the republic, Ia
proved By the progress Of Its agriculture
UP to 1866 progress which our faithful statistical
data do not permit us to doubt.
In order to complete our relations with friendly
powers, devoted In part my most earnest ate uton To
the settlement IF our foreign debt and had the salts
faction to accomplish it, This act of justice,
deferred by reason of the circumstances which
rounded Colombia, and subsequently, Venezuela.
Those individuals who had opportuney aided us in
gaining our independence had perfect right to de-