The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-29
THE VENEZUELAN CLAIMS.

inc in reference TO the commission for the ad-
,ustrdent of the claims of certain citizens of the
United States upon the Venezuelan Govern
ment- .,t-,-t.
With pleasure we insert below the letter that
Mr. Florencio Rivas has had the Kindness TO
address us with reference TO his Intervention in
the appointment of the umpire who formed part
OF the North American mixed commission. Ihe
explanations that Mr.. Riyas gives are, IN our
Judgment completely satisfactory and have lett,
beyond doubt thoroughly proved the good faith
with which he proceeded in this business, and of
which we never harbored the slightest doubt
Messrs Editors of La Opinion NdciOadL:-
In the columns of No. 40 of your enlightened
ionrnal find in the article headed 'Mr. Villa
fame and the North American Claims" the follow
inc paragraph:-"When Mr. Machado was
apponted 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.. lal-
mage or of the American interests involved,
from the moral responsibility of which the
Russian Minister became free, since he consulted,
az to the appointment, with our Representative
at Washington, Mr.. FloTencio Rivas, and OBJ
tanned his approval" The dignity OF my charac-
fer and that of the Office which had the honor
TO discharge, obliges me TO give statement OF
the facts that occurred in this affair nsomuch as
il has any connection with my person. BY the
convention entered into between the Govern
ment of Venezuela and the United States OF
America the Russian Minister was left in absolute
liberty to make the election OF the umpire
who was to decide in case of any disagreement
between the Venezuelan and American Com
missioners As soon as / was informed that he
had acceded to make the election OF the umpire
who was to decide in the American claims, ]
addressed said Ambassador the following note,
of which have taken copy from the files OF
our Foreign Relations
.'WAsHINGToN Feb I, 1S6s.-The undersigned.
Charge dAaires dd interim Of the United States OF
Venezuela near this Government, mas the nonor 10
salute his EXcellency, Baron Edward Stoeckl, Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of his
Majesty the Emperor of Russia near the Cablnet0i
Washington, and to state to him his having already
given his acquiescence in making the appointment
OF the arbter who will have to decide in case of any
disagreement between the Venezuelan and Anglo
American Commissioners; as expressed i'll the con-
yenton entered into between the United States OF
Venezuela and the United States of America. the
22d Of April, 1866, and with the contents of which
he is duly acquainted You might perhaps desire to
have information OF other persons Of my country
besides the VeneZuelans you know residing in this
country where they are distinguished for their
acknowledged abilities. honesty, and respectability-
indspensable qualifications i'm conducting suitably
unerrngly and uprighty, the interests of both par
ties in the important position of umpire. | beg, in
the first place. TO suggest to you the members OF the
and residing in Caracas The English and the
Spanish Ministers, the Consul General Of Denmark
with the exception merely of f. ID. c.
Rolandus, Consul General of the Neither
lands, who, having been already rejected
out Of the list of these candidates, without any poss
bIty Of his again being any more thought Of have
the honor then, to present the names OF those Vene
Zuelan gentlemen, to whom have already referred
residing in that capital, and who present all the
qualifications that could be desired to enable them
to ably ill the post OF umpire as well for their
knowedged good Judgment and intelligence, know
ledge and integrity as for their well-established re-
spectablity which give them distinguished rank in
the Venezuelan community. Herewith are their
names:-Dr. Nicanor Borges, DR.. Mariana de Bri-
ceno Licdo Juan Pablo Rojas Paul, DR.. Angel Maria
Alamo, DR.. WencesaO UTutia, General Francisco
Meja, and General Gabriel Ochoa. There is no
doubt, sir, that for reasons which will not escape
your clear Judgment the election Of person residing
in Caracas, the capital of the republic, would GER
tajnly be more convenient in order to facilitate the
labors OF the Commission Far from me the idea of
wishing for any motive to pretend to influence In the
least the decision of your impartial judgement in this
important business. But ought rather to express
that am prompted solely by the desire to SEEK by all
the means within my reach light and success in the
election Of the umpire which you are competenty
authorized to determine, and which, l doubt not, you
will accomplish to the satisfaction of both countries
81 avail myself OF the present occasion to offer you
the assurances of my highest consideration and
gard, with which have the honor to subscribe myself
your most obedlent servant,
''FLoRENCIO RIvAs."
The candidates recommended having been re-
ccted by the Russian Minister, assigning as the
reason his not being able to acquiesce in making
that election in person that he did not know;
and on adding that, without n knowledge of our
men and of our country, ii was very difficult for
him, II not impossible, to accept any of citi-
zens then presented him the names of some of
the Venezuelans residing in that republic, and of
merchants who had lived among us, of whom,
on account of the ties of gratitude that united
them TO the nation that had enriched them, i'm
partiality and justice in their decisions were cer-
tainly to be expected, and they were likewise
rejected, alleging therefor the same reason The
only Venezuelan whom the Minister knew per-
sOnally was Mr.. Ramon Paez; and in respect
10 Mr.. j. n. Machado, he informed me
that he had heard him spoken of in honorable
terms in Baltimore. Between Mr.. PaeZ, whom /
nave known for many years. and M. MdchddO
,ohom l did not kno,o nor do | know yet,
would have, without hesitating, recon-
mended the former; but the instructions |
mad received from the Government did not per-
init me to accept him. What Venezuelan could
now have wayered one single instant between the
recommendation of Mr. Machado, son of this
country a compatriot of ours, and the American
candidates recommended by Mr. Seward, more
or less interested in those claims? Much less
L VINO, after having repaired to the city of
baltimore, obtained there unfortunately, reports
favorable to Mr.. Machado, and whom Qt is
now compulsory to say) the respect for pro-
plty that his father enjoyed in this community
recommended him beyond measure At last, |
resigned myself in that emergency, with up
rlght heart and prompted by the instincts of
duty. Reason and justice never err. 1t was also
authoritative in the Ambassador to make the
electlon by the convention entered into, /
could only nterpose my kind offices. | must
frankly confess that ! deemed, as all then
aeemed, the election advantageous to Venezue-
IAN interests Nothing was more natural. Ny
astonlshment is equal only to my disappoint-
HenJ The monstrous awards of that Commits
sion ought TO fill every Venezuelan with indigna'
tlon and all Just and honest men. Were TO bC
placed again in an identical position, would act
penetrate into the secret alterations of the soul
such iniquitOus decisions will be an eternal an(
shameful protest against the sentiment of jus
tiee, the voice of conscience, and the duties due