The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-20
VenezueIas Minister Thinks
Gsrmanys Representative
Should be More Polite
FULL TEXT OF LETTER
WHICH CAUSED RUPTURE
Insists That Affair Should Not Be Con-
sidered as Interior Legislation,
But on the Lines of inter-
national Agreement.

Caracas, December 19.--The correspon-
dent here of the Associated Press has OBJ
tanned copy of the answer made by the
Venezuelan government to the German
note addressed to Lopez Beralt, Venezue-
Ian minister of foreign affairs, by Herr
von Pilgrim -Baltazzi the German envoy.
1t Is dated Caracas, December I. This
answer was transmitted by the foreign
office to Herr Won Pilgrim-Baltazzi on
December 9, the Sth inst. being a feast
day. 1t is signed by Lopez Beralt, and is
as follows:
Caracas, December 0, 1902.
ITO the Hon. Won Pilgrim -Baltazzi:
"Sir-on the afternoon OF the 7th inst,
a feast day, an employe of the German
legation called at my private residence
for the purpose of delivering a note from
you of that date. Courtes alone caused
me to accept this note under such cir
cumstances.
'1 think it is necessary before stating
the purposes and desires of the federal ex-
ecutive to refer to certain points in the
first portion of your note which are sub
JeCI u li6 AOlC with tAAC vi
of the case. The argument which the
Venezuelan government recited IN its COM
munication of May 9, in which exception
was taken to all the doctrine set forth
In the preceding correspondence is cited
in the ssid aote as the only argument
of the venezuelan government diplomatic
interference in matters of a certain ma
4t,tc In, ha
dunn of March, 1901, this argument is
based upon the highest principles of in
ternational law.
Government Surprised.
1.-THE Venezuelan government perceives
with the utmost surprise that you at
tribute to 1t a desire to consider this point
only in. the light OF interior legislation. BY
citing in our note of May OF this year
the twentieth article of the treaty of
amity commerce and navigation between
the German government and the republic
of Colombia of the 23d of July, 1892, our
only desirS was to add another proof to
those already brought forward with re-
gard to the assent Of the imperial gov
ernment to this same doctrine as main
tanned by Venezuela. Certain cases are
now cited as precedents to enter into d.
plomatic relations to effect a settlement.
These cases explain themselves. The
payment of certain credits relating to re-
mote epocfis were adjusted with France,
and the doctrine maintained by Venezu-
ella was then respected. In the convention
concluded with Spain in 1898 there ap-
pears simple effect of circumstances
analogous to those which determine what
you yourself call the agreement of the
9Th of February 1896, between the Ger
man minister at Caracas ana the Vene-
zuelan minister of finance The said
agreement referred to claims which pre-
viously had been classified by the proper
junta, and in this agreement the validity
of the executive degree which provided
regulations for the examination and pay
ment of said claims is recognized, and
said claims were satisfied In accordance
with the law on the subject
Your observation with regard to the
strict limitation of time in which pro-
ceedings are to be brought before the
junta are entirely wanting in force ow-
ing to the operation of the general law
establishing means to take measures
against this government.
Morality of Judges.
Regarding the morality of the judges,
it is not possible to admit the partiality
attributed to them by the imperial lega-
tion. The Venezuelan government be-
lieves that the act of congress which your
note qualities as nugatory to be In con-
sonance with the principles of equity, and
that being retroactive it tends further to
smooth over the difficulties.
1.-The Venezuelan government Is unable
to discover in It's correspondence a single
sentence offensive in tone. The desire
of this government. Notwithstanding the
fact that throughout this correspondence
1t has noted the expression OF opinions
little friendly to this republic, is to ascer-
tain which sentences contain the slightest
offence to the imperial government, in Or
der to explain the same with the utmost
with regard to the publication of the
note of March s, 1901, marked 'confiden-
tial,' this note lost its confidential char
acter through the publication of a
by the German ambassador
to the United States In which was in
the note in question. The Ven
ezulan government is also surprized at
the assertion that it's memorandum of Au-
gust IL was conceived in offensive terms.
The government thinks 1t can be seen
that the said document contains only a
of the opinions expressed by
the German ambassador to the United
States with a consequent defense made in
a strictly judicial manner and in the mod
crate tone which is our legitimate right.
Must Adhere to Form.
II now have to express the opinion
and attitude of the Venezuelan govern
ment with regard to your final deductions
and concerning the motives which led you
to present them In the name of the gov
ernment of the German emperor. 1t has
been decided that since the proper junta
is already installed, procedure cannot be
dilatory or differ from the form prescrib-
ed by international law, 1t Is only neces-
sary to call your attention to the abnor-
NAL circumstances which have paralyzed
any course of action relating to these
matters in which the interests of Ger
man subjects are involved be arbitrated.
In order that this be done, 1t becomes
necessary that declaration be made:
If the claims under consideration are
just, the federal executive, as the repre-
sentative of an honorable and cultured
hastened to give assurance
that as such they will be examined. The
treatment with the interested parties
we will facilitate hasten or end in tho