New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-20
THE VENEZUELAN CLAIMS.
DIPLOMACY WITH WEAKER NATIONS.
sEcRETARY BAYARp's RIDICULOUS CoURsE-REvE.
LATIoSs OF THE OFFICIAL CORNERSTONE.
ENCE-ArrEMPTs TO COEhCE
rHE VENEZUELAN
MINISTER.
YBY rrLreRAr2ro THE rRrBuNE.l

rue VENEZUELAN
.MINIsTER.
yBY TELEGRAM 70 TRIBuNE.1
WASHINGTON, Hay 19-In January last the
Senate passed resolution requesting the CORE
spondence and other information in relation to
the Claims Convention Of December 8, 1885, be-
tween the United States and Venezuela This
resolution adopted in open session on March
22. The President transmitted to the Senate
new treaty with Venezuela which had been signed
on the fifteenth of that month, and which is now
under consideration in executive session. The
other day tho President sent to the Senate the
correspondence called for under the resolution Of
January, but requested that in view Of the
change Of circumstances the correspondence be
treated as confidential documents"
The matter Of these Venezuela claims Is an old
one 1t would hardly call for notice at the
present time were it not for the hectoring manner
which Secretary Bayard is again displaying in his
dealings with weaker nation II is not necessary
for the present purpose to go into the merits OF
the claims BY many well-informed people who
have given the subject attention for the last twenty
years they have been pronounced outrageous
fraudulent in character and honeycombed with per-
Jury Among those who were foremost in condem-
nation of these claims awarded by the Venezuela
Claims Commission in 1868 was The New-Yorll
Times" Said that organ Of the Administration in
an editorial Of December 30, 1885:
The proceedings OF the original commission have been
upon the record of our dealings with foreign
nations miserable work OF the old commission should
be undone speedily that the memory Of may fade as
soon ss possible from the minds of those who know how
shameful 1t was The old commission ended It's abors IN
1S6S. In twentyfour cases awards were rendered In
OF the United States claims the whole amount being
el25S81o. In January last this Nation had received
from Venezuela and had paid Of claims s177 $780,
Venezuela attacks the awards in cases amounting to
s7o4122 few months after the termination OF the CON-
MISSIONS labors her representatives, submitted TO our
Government proof fraud had been committed From
time 10 time the charges affecting the commission had
been investigated by Congressional committees Again
and again reports submitted showing that these
charges were Again ana again has the shameful cor
rupton OF the commission been ofncialy exposed
And so on through nearly an entire column Now
&c would be supposed that the claims thus charac-
terzed by the Administration organ w9ufu 5 ho'
find in Secretary Bayard a champion and defender
But such seems to be the case. venezuela, lor
reasons which 10 is not necessary to refer 10 at
present failed to ratify the new treaty concluded
in December 1885. Suffice it to say that the
Minister of Venezuela in Washington objected TO
two articles of that treaty In the correspondence
which is now before the Senate as confidential
matter Senior j. A Olavarria, is found as saying
regarding this delay on the part OF Venezuela TO
ratify the treaty:
If on the part OF the United by author
ativc voice representatives in Congress and in the
National Executive IL has been solemply recognized
that the labor OF that unucky Mahadada) Commission
was nothing tissue OF infamous fasleations I'M
heard OF all the world. how can believe that Tor
the sole reason justified delay which, although 1t
may prejudice American citizens also preudces FAR more
the nation which represent the Executive OF this
powerful nation is about to sanction an act which
Of alone would be the most absolute denial Oh
those principles Of equity for which all his acts hitherto
have been distinguished No, most excellent SIT on
the contrary let US Jointly seek the SATISFACTORY souon
which Justice and the hight demand In this most peculiar
ase that stands Of Its antecedens SET
ting aside everything that even siiShdy, may be
cause OF doubt and false interpretations which may I'M
pair in the degree the justice bare justice accord
ing to which must be pronounced the decisions OF the
new mixed Commission.
Now here was most extraordinary aeIlanu
made by Mr. Bayard in the language. whlen ne
,,robably thought IL was safe to use toward weak
i,atiop. but which, in all likelihood and TO Judge
from his performances in the Fisheries matter ne
would never have ventured TO employ 70 to"a sha
q nation like England. In the letter 10 inc
Venezuelan Minister, which also is part Oh t6e COLI
fdential correspondence now before the oense,
Secretary Bayard says:
s,nee your return TO THIS country about month ago.
have been anxousy awaiting information that your Gov
eminent given you instructions OF the new conVeh
ton II is nearly year since tho une stpua1oi py
the two Governments that instrument for the
Of rsncaons elapsed and by Its attitude OF patent
expectancy during all that period this Government mas
shown good will toward that Of Venezuela ana nsy adA
forbearanoe Although / deeply deprecate the necessity
Of this communication 1t is my cuty to inform YOU as
hereby have do that any further delay VIII
be deemed by President Incompatible Win iuhef
continuance efforts anXicusy made b. TINS Gov
ernmeut TO effect arrangement and Will require re-
the provisions Of the treaty OF 1856 for the s
faction OF claims OF American citizens which were al
1usted under convention. The time for the rease
bling Of Congress close at hand and as 10 will then
become the duty Executive To communicate to thit
body the status Of affairs with Venezuela 1t Ia n9oe
sary that should speedily receive from you any site
ent you might advisable TO make 10 the premises
On behalf your Government and which may enable him
10 make such the situation now
renders necessary.
When 1t is taken into consideration that at the
time when Secretary Bayard wrote these words,
the Red Top conference. at which the Presidents
free-trade message outlined ana pracucaHy
agreed upon, was thing Of the past, and that
Secretary Bayard knew that there was no intention
whatever on the part OF Mr.. Cleveland TO dls-
charge the duty OF communicating 90 that CODY
congress the status OF our Affairs with Vene-
zucla" when this il taken into consideration, the
dupiicity and assertions Of Secretary Bayard be-
come positively ludicrous.