Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-03-12
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria ssnette]
WASHINGTON, March y.

matte history. Two years ago III OS'o
her last. General Crespo, who nau
headed a successful revolution in Ven,
eznela entered the city OF Caracas and
US ct once made president OF the re
,u,biic. Within a few days alter MS
successful entry and while the domes'
tic affairs OF the country were IN an uh'
settled condition, a conference Was
hold consisting of the French, Belgian,
Snauish and German ministers to de-
eide what action they should take re-
gariing the damages which the citi-
ms of their several countries had re-
ceiyed as a result Of the revolution.
The Italian minister was asked to be
present, but declined to attend. The
conference was secret. 1t was decid-
ed that. as the representatives of the
foregoing countries, they should call
upon the president of the new republic,
General Crespo, to submit the claims OF
their citizens to an international com
mission. This conclusion was not in
keeping with the Venezuelan law
which is that a country shall not
be responsible for losses sustained
BY foreigners residing within its boup-
diaries, which have resulted from a
revolution. The minutes ofthe confer
ence show that the diplomatic quar-
tette which composed it had INDUCED
in strong criticism of Venezuela
and that their structure upon
the domestic and foreign policy OF
the government were very severe. A
copy of the proceedings was furnished
to the Italian minister who at once
forwarded it to Rome. Meanwhile
General Crespo took up the claims of
the citizens of these countries and adj
Indicated them. In January last, the
minutes of the conference above refer
red to were published in the Italian
Green book. A copy of the book was
forwarded to Caracas. President
Crespo was indignant at the comments
made at the conference and be immedi-
ately ordered that the French and Bel
gian mi listers, who were the only two
of the original auartette then residing
in Venezuela, should be given
their passports. Dispatches contain
the Information that French
man-of-war has been ordered 10
La Guayra to receive the French
minister, NJ. Ripert Mont Clair. The
Belgian minister will accompany his
French colleague. The French govern
ment in retaliation for the dismissal OF
Mont Clair, on Saturday last sent DR..
Fortoul his passports. DR.. Fortoul is
$50 the Venezuelan representative
Switzerland. He is now at
Berne, where he will probably re-
main until diplomatic relations
between France and Venezuela
have been restored. Dismissal of the
diplomatic representatives from the two
countries cannot result in war, or
trouble of serious nature, inasmuch as
all governments reserve the right to rid
themselves of the diplomatic represen
tatives of other governments who are
p-rson8 non grata.
The announcement that Attorney
General Olney, Hon. James G. Carter
aud Hon. Joseph II. Choate, of New
York, would address the Supreme
Court upon the income tax law, attract
ed an attendance upon the session ofthe
Supreme Court of the United States to.
day that far exceeded the capacity OF
me accommodations of the chamber
Within the rail sat number of attor-
neys and members of Congress who
have not previously attended upon the
case. Among them were Senator
Chandler, of New Hampshire; Senator
Lindsay, of Kentucky, and ex-Solicitor
General John Goode, of Virginia. There
was but little delay in entering upon
the progress of the argument, the only
preceding incident being the introduce
ton to the court of w. H. Hart, col.
ored man, as candidate for practitiou-
er at the bar, by ex-senator Edmunds.
Before Attorney General Olney, woo
was the first speaker, entered upon hi:
argument, Chief Justice Fuller notified
him that he might proceed with
out regard to any limitation Of
time, as the period for argument
had been extended by the court.
Attorney General Olney devoted his
argument on the part of the United
States to the constitutional question
which the several plaintiffs alleged to
be involved in the cases presented. Nc
Lime, he thought, need be expended i'll
discussing the averments that the in-
come tax law was an invasion of vested
rights and took property without due
process of law. Suppose it to be true
that the income tax law undertook to
ascertain the incomes of citizens by
methods which were not only disagree
able but were infringemeDts of personal
rights. The consequence would be not
that the law was void, but that the hot
ly-denounced inquisitorial methods
could not be resorted to.
The court listened to the Attorney
General with undated interest and did
not interrupt his address. AS he was
sitting down, however, Mr.. Justice Gray
inquired if he had an opinion of the
declaration that an income tax is an
excise, duty or import.
The Attorney General.-'I do not
think it necessary to decide that
question"
Justice Gray.-"You believe it may
be tax, and yet not direct tax?"
Mr.. Olney.-"Yes."
The Acknowledgement spoke not
quite an hour, and was followed by
Hon. James G. Carter, who was the last
speaker in the argument to support the
tax. He stated in the outset that he
appeared for the Continental Trust
Company, which had instructed him. to
admit and plead the constitutionality
of the law. That was admitted in the
demurrer to the complaint of Mr.. Hyde,
its stakeholder. and was admitted ont