The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-16
Secretary of State.
Affairs OF Venezuela.
n. TAYLOR,
BY the President:
JOAN Nj. CLAYTON,

| Secretary OF State.
Affairs OF Venezuela.
| Venezuela is country possessing richness Of
soil, salubrity Of climate, and equabty of tempera.
ture, not excelled in any part of the world She
has the freest of free constitutions to live under po-
litically. With these advantages, her population
ought rapidly to increase; her people ought to be
happy and prosperous, and her government mild
and paternal in its home policy, while potent to
sist aggression from abroad That such is not her
condition is owing, we believe, TO causes which
merit the serious consideration of many of our self
styled philanthropiss in this country at the pres
ent time, who, while theorizing most beautifully,
shut their eyes to the practical results which their
theories every where evolve when put to the test
| actual experiment.
| The secret of the unhappy condition of Vene-
zuela is the bitterness growing out of the antipa
thy of the races inhabting that country. The
white or European race. comprising Spanards and
| their descendants, and some French and other Eu-
| ropean stock, is a minority distinguished for
wealth and intelligence, and not nconsiderable in
point of numbers; but by far the larger class of
the population is Of mixed blood-that
is to say, composed of mulattoes, quatroons,
and mestees, (of Indian or white CROSSE and a
number Of unaduterated negroes. The latter
have political equality but social inequality an
inequality which must exist wherever the two
races are compelled TO live together. The rea-
sonabe consequence of this state of things is
| seen in the political disorders of the country and
| the failure Of the people to avail themselves
| OF the natural advantages with which Heaven
has blessed their land We have not time or
| space to extend these reflections, which have
| been elected by reading the following protest
| (Which we copy from the New York Herald adj
dressed by General PACE, who is now prisoner at
Cumana, to the President of the Republic of vene-
| zuela, General MoNAGAs:
TO his EIceIency General Jose Monagas Chief of
the present administration of the Republic:
Sin: Imprisoned in this fortress, and oppressed by
| the executors of your most orders, / am
notwithstanding, still the general in chief of
the armies OF Colombia and Venezuela, and still the
same who obtained from the Congress of our coun-
try, recompense for his services the title of IL
lustrious Citizen.
My duty towards my country-the calls of the
peopleacomPelled me to take up arms in Februa-
ry of lS4S. 1t was then my opinion, and it is now
that the assassination of the representatives of the
people, perpetrated the oath of January of that
| year, was unjusti6able. My political creed is set
forth in the documents which have published since
that period.
Persuaded that ! had done all that my public
duties required, and DESTROYS of putting an end 10
the war which was devastating the country, APP
proved the compact of the 18th of last August
compact entered into, agreeably TO my instruc-
| tons, between the chief of my general staff and
General Jose Laurencio Silva, the chief of your
| army. What has since transpired, you well know
| You disapproved that compact, which caused me to
lay down my arms in perfect confidence; YOU
| seized upon the persons of myself and of my com
| panons in arms; and when we were found unarmed
the most horrible acts Of revenge perpetrated
upon US. Let our entry into Valencia on the after
noon of the 18th Of August, bear eloquent testimony
| of my assertion. The Governor, joaquin Herrera,
glutted in his work of revenge, and crowned IL by
II me and Nf
companions. j remember those days of horror with
| a noble pride. The passions of the times cannot
deprive me OF the consideration which my services
/ TO the republic have deserved. have trodden, and
still continue TO tread. the path travelled by emf.
| nent men, whom an impartial and enlightened
/ world acknowledges the most jealous defenders
OF the rights OF humanity; as the real friends Of
| shat justice and morality which ought to preside
over the destinies OF nations; the most perfect
friends Of the people, for whose welfare every good
government should labor necessarily.
| The compact of the 18th August, signed AT Ma
capo- Abajo, or Monagas, has been rejected by YOU
This, however, cannot be sufficient to quiet your
| conscience. The fact Is before an enlightened
world. Az present, can only protest, as do pro-
| test, in the most unqualified manner against the
violation Of that compact.
| have been led from prison 10 prison. until at
last have been brought to this fortress where il
seems ] am 10 be made TO drain the cum az NV suf
| ferings. hope, however, that Divine Providence
will not deprive me Of the strength with which il
has favored me up TO this time, enable me 70 re-
| sist 50 many outrages.
Confined TO very narrow apartment, without
4 being allowed the least exercise-with a sentinel
always in sight-with an officer always by my side
at the hours OF taking fooddenicd the privilege OF
communicating with my family, 0or am not
permitted to write 70 or receive letters from them)-
deprived, finally Of the comforts which the visits Of
| some OF my feliow-citizcns offered me, il scems
that the termination Of my life is eagerly sought.
Humanity and civilization must raise their pow
erful voices against such cruel treatment. With
out being prisoner OF war, find myself impris-
\ oned. j submit 10 force, and ] know well what
may be my fate; but ought not 70 pass in
silence acts which degrade and villify my country
ought to protest, and do protest, against such
| traordinary and grievous outragcs.
After having, by decree, RENTED the judicial
trial 10 which you supposed was liable, by what
| right am detained prisoner, and iIl-trcated az
ann Though my expulsion has been decreed, I
| am detained, with most garing injusticc-an in
justice which IL heightened by the means employed
| 70 keep me confined condemned TO the horrid pun
shment Of silence and solitude. Is, perchance, the
| safe custody Of one man incompatible with what IL
due 70 the dignity Of MANI Can not be considered
safely secured without being tormentedl Read
sir, the pages Of history, and you will learn how
persons Of my character have been treated in similar
| cases.
have, sir, no favor to ask Of YOU no grace 10 i'm
plore. My sole object, have already said, is to
protest against the horrors through which am
made TO pass. You may continue 10 act may
best seem 70 you but hope by this protest 10 fur
nish one more proof Of how much esteem my per-
1
duties Which owe to the republic whose des-
TIMES have presided
Cumana, in the fortress Of San Antonio, the 5th
/ February, 1850. JOSE A. PAEZ.
GESrLEnES, holding the situation Of Senators and
Representative ofmy country:
| Permit me TO engage your attention for n
mcnt with the reading ofthe annexed protest, which
have addressed 10 the supreme chief Of the repub-
lie, and which request you may be pleased TO order
10 be registered in your archives.
/ n which shave
thought myself obliged 10 draw up, and 10 sane
ton with my name; TO give, perhaps the last proof
Of my love for the republic, and my respect for all
/ owe TO it. JOSE A. PAEZ.
CuMANA, in the fortress Of San Antonio. Febru.
airy 8, 1850.
| "OHi CARRY ME BAcK."-The Charleston Ns,rs
Of the 10Th instant, says;
owe are informed that slave, the property of
Edwin DeLeon, esq, of Columbia, returned volun-
tarily yesterday in the schooner Ellen Goldsbo-
| rough, from Baltimore, after being absent from
the service Of his master for nine months This