New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-10-29

ing OF sadness and disappointment which may be
more easily mHgined than explained
YOU Messrs Editors and the whole world know
the bloody and heart-rendiug scene exhibited on
the gath OF January 1913, in the capital of the Re
public 1t was witnessed by all the Foreign Min
listers and Consuls, by natives and foreigners gen
orally, and many descriptions have been published
to the world, by impartial spectators and by some
OF the very members Of that unfortunate Congress.
! find in your valued paper OF the 2sth February,
1913, description of the event from q friend OF
YOURS of whom you say that L" he acaS mercantile
friend al LQgudyrG, UhOSe long residence IN the
c0nnfrV qualified Inn TO gre Just opinion IN
latt0n to its affairs" In letter addsessed to you,
this friend Of yours, and competent Judge, under
date of the 2sth January, 1915 describes the hor-
rors of the oath and attributes them directly to
President Monagas and his soldiers. He says
" The Constitution and lacs are tranplcd 1tnder
Eost b4 the President tch0Se duty It icas 10 guard
and Untold Mem and the Representatives. Of the
country hare been driven from. their seats ond e.
ther Murdered BY a brutal and terocions soldtcrB
or compelled to sanction By their cotes the tcn OF
despot norc unSc1HpuloaS than a Sdrags chtejtGlnY
These words, gentlemen, are not mine they are
used by Judge, unknown to me- and whom you
consider SO well qualified to give a Just opinion.
1t will be sufficient for me to say that Caracas,
the capital, when Congress met, was occupied by
an armed force, and that the 23d January ls4s,
the day where Congress assembled, the House OF
Representatives passed resolution to transfer
the sittings of Congress to Puerto Cabello, where
they might deliberate with greater freedom and
more safety On the following day the intorma-
ton or euposicion of the Provincial Deputation
against the President. was read in the House. and
il was referred to the Standing Committee on In
fractions OF the Constitution and the Laws. On
that same day, and before any further action could
be taken, the House was invaded by the armed
militia of reserve, who fired upon the repre-
sentatves of the people, killed and wounded sew
eral of them, and dispersed the House. 1t must
be observed here that the Constitution of Ven
ezuela, article 50, provides that as soon as the
House determines that there is cause to put the
party accused on his trial, he is lpSo tacto sus-
nended from office. Ofcourse President Monagas
found it dangerous to wait the further action OF
the House.
On the same oath January, l64s, Gen Jose 7.
Monagas wrote and sent letter to me, ascrlblng
the horrid deed to the people of Caracas, and ask
ing nv advice. On the goth, at Calabozo on my
way TO New. Granada received the first intorma-
ton of the horrid and appalling crime committed
against the sovereignty of the people. saw my
countrys liberties, which had for eighteen years
been constantly endeayorng to protect against
military aggression, Frustrated at one 0Io" uhaer
the rod of military despot. received the letter
of Monagas, and on the 31st January replied to
him by letter, giving him to understand that
well understood the nature and origin OF the
crime In answer to his request to aid him with
my advice, wrote:
mir gGe SBo qn a o
for many your which regarded as beng clearly
against the Constitution propose NAT you wltnaraS ~,
Houses change their sings TO another place. as one
House has already resolved in order that they may de-
berate dispGssonaey and freely upon the state OF the nc
public"
On the 25th, Gen. Monagas published an ad-
dress or circular, in which he termed the occur
renee of the oath, ga scandalous and lamenta6ie
crime" One year afterward, in ls49 q Congress
assembled under the influence of the bayonets-
passed law declaring the gath January glorious
day, and day Of festivities and relolclngs, and
Monecag signed the law On the 25th January,
le4s, Gen Monagas compelled the members OF
Congress to meet again. The next day, the 10th,
Congress was comprised by an armed force, ana
Monagas himself went into the building pending
their deliberations and watched the members.-
On that day, and under such circumstances, on
motion of one of the partizans, Congress passed
q law pardoning oil political crimes committed
since 1880!
Several members of Congress who escaped the
butchery, and the still more dreaded and awful
presence of the tyrant protested against the usurp
alton and the coercion under which Congress was
kept, and published their written protests to the
world. have now before me some OF these pub
lished, printed protests; those of the Hon. Pedro
j. Arellano, Rafael Losada, A. NJ Soteldo, men,
bers of the House of Representatives, and the
Honorable Francisco Carrera, Senator. There are
now living in the city Of NewYork five OF the
members of the House of Representatives in l848.
and they can attest if have here stated the truth
or misrepresented any Of the occurrences OF l848.
determined at once to take up arms at all
risks in defense of the Constitution, and issued
my address to the nation on the 4th February
1s48, avowing this determination AS the news
Il tbo
the people rose up in arms. The Cantons OF Cal
abozo, of Chaguaramas, of Orituco, of San Fer
nando de Apure; the Provinces OF Merida, Mar
acaybo, Truio and Coro declared at once against
the usurpation OF Monagas, as soon as the news
reached them, and they called upon and author
lied me to defend the institutions OF the country
Congress, surrounded by bayonets, under the intu-
cnce and fear OF Monagas, passed an act, declar
ing me rebel. The war commenced. Monagas
had large armed force under pay, composed both
of the standing, or permanent army and the
militia Of reSe1re. The people Mt large were
armed system OF embargo OF the property OF
those who took up arms was put in force by Gen.
Monagas; the prisons were crowded by hundreds
of citizens. Terror took the place OF patriotism,
and the liberties OF Venezuela succumbed in
spite of my efforts and those of many brave and
patriotic citizens.
have, Gentlemen, made concise narration of
all the prominent acts of my political life for the
last 25 years, and trust that the documentary
and historic proofs I have here presented may be
considered by an intelligent people sufficient
yindication
will now, in conclusion, make few briefre
marks. Either the majority of the Congress of
ls48 were my friends and partizans, or they were
the friends and partizans OF Monagas; or thirdly,
they were impartial and Indifferent. If the ma
jority were friendly to me, how came they to de-
clare me rebel? If they were friendly to Mon
agas, or impartial and Indifferent, why did not
General Monagas follow the reasonable and peace,
ful advice gave him, when he consulted me, and
submit to the trial before lawful and impartial
tribunal?
the Constitution and laws of ones country when
n despot has murdered and dispersed the national
representatives and tramped the Constitution IN
der foot or must there be an unqualified subns-