The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-27
FIRST EDITION
VENEZUELA.
The CIaims Of American Citize,Rs o. An en-
sl0uRht upon the United States and the Com-
mission for their Adjustment.

The Claims Of American Citize,ss o. Am en-
slaught upon the United States and the Conn
missicn for their Adjustment.
FROM La Opinion N0ciondl, of Carascas, Vene-
zuela of March 10, we translate the following
article which explains the character of some of
the claims of citizens of the United States upon
the Venezuelan Government and also shows the
bitter animosity of the Venezuelans on the sub
ject aud the spirit which has prompted their
Government TO repudiate the award Of the Com
mission
The name ol this distinguished citizen (Mr.
Viliafane) ought TO be written in the catalogue
of the VeneZUelans who have served their coun-
try with unalloyed honesty. faithfulness intelli-
gence and patriotism. Such has been the single
consoatOry reflection that we have made on
finishing the perusal of the report given to the
Government upon the acts OF the mixed COM
mission appointed to decide and settle the
North American claims against Venezuela. The
mixed commission was composed of Mr.. Villa
fame, the Commissioner of the Republic; OF
Mr.. Talmage, the Commissioner of the
United States, and of Mr.. j. n. Machado,
Jr., as umpire, appointed by the Russian Minister
at Washington. When Mr.. Machado was APP
pointed umpire by the Minister of q neutral
power, nobody could explain to himself the
motive of his election. Time has taken upon
itself to reveal that such appointment was the
work of some intrigue on the part OF Mr.. Tai
mage. or of the American interests involved,
from the moral responsibility of which the
Russian Minister became free, since he consulted,
as to the appointment, with our representative
at Washington, Mr.. Florencio Rivas, and
intrigue, the Court of Equity was consti-
tuted with three judges, two of whom
had at the outset prejudged the question The
glory of defending with good reasons his coun-
try's rights, and of wrestling against the deplo-
rable errors of his own fellow -countryman fell
to the lot of Mr.. Villafane. If, in this struggle,
the republic has come out losing two millions
of pesos, to Mr.. Nillafane is due exclusively that
fho pliatfn hncf ufars md
for monetary loss, that time may repair there
has been obtained in exchange moral victory,
to wit:-The satisfaction at the Republic having
come out triumphant, through the immaculate
and heroic conduct of its own commissioner,
from contest, rather from snare, trea-
cherously prepared against its impoverished
treasury, in the name of the Government of the
United States, of that great Government which
in front of its pompous motto America for
Americans, pretends to save us from European
rapacity at the same time that it allows us to
fall into the wicked clutches of its own special
agents What has transpired in this business is
extraordinarily shameful for the Government of
the United States and If we make. for justice sake
an exception of the gentlemanly Pruyn, Minister
ad interim of that Republic in this city, whose
hands we believe to be completely clean, the
other American agents in this iniquitous affair
have deserved, in an analogous case, in their
own country, the indiction of popular justice.
For no greater crime are denquents in the
land of Washington eXemplarily punished BY
virtue of the awards of the Commission the
Venezuelan Treasury has become constituted
debtor to the Government of the United States
of North America for 81, 253, ,310'30, almost two
millions of our money.
OF this sum there were allowed by the Com
mission, $459, 1880; and by the umpire, Mr..
j. n. Machado, S194, 122: total Sl.253 310'30.
The claims allowed were forty-nine. OF these
there were awarded by the Commission thirty
seven and the umpire awarded twelve, among
them the following
$3.50, 900, in favor of Messrs. Beales, Mobiles
& Garrison, for the nullity of two contracts
made by them with the Dictatorship to bring
out immigrants and establish line of steam
ships.
81, 500, in favor of W. Miller for a slap upon
his face given by Mr.. L. Malaussena. who was
not punished by the Government of Venezuela.
$102, 600, in favor OF the widow and heirs of
Captain Clark, in part cost of two ships captured
in time of Colombia and paid years ago by Nene-
zuela. -f-
$35 O00 in favor OF Seth briggs, because the
tribunals had not sanctioned demand intended
by him in 1856 against the heirs of General
Marino.
$141, 900, in favor Of the widow aud nelrs OF
w. e. Willet for hire damages and losses occa-
stoned on the I'd August, 1863, On his house
being occupied.
$252, ,S14, in favor of Jacob Idlcr for contracts
made by him with commissioners Of Colombia,
some of them as far back as 1917.
The foregoing explanation will relieve us
from making any further remarks a. to the Ds-
ture of the claims.