Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-15

decree do not constitute a guaranty fol
a just solution of those claims.
AS has been repeatedly said 10 th-
Venezuelan government. firstly. claims
anterior 10 the sd of May. 1899 (Which II
the date Of the rising headed by the pres
ent president of the reDublic). are exciud
ed, while Venezuela will naturally have
, TO answer for the acts in forming gov
ernments. Secondly, all diplomatic inter-
vention against revolutions or by com
mission, we must exclude, anneal to the
federal high court being alone permit
ted
I'm spite Of this, however. as has
been seen, there were some cases where
| Judicial employees depended on the Vene-
| has arisen they have been deprived Of
| their Offices without Formally.
| FINALLY. the payment Of any claims
| winch commission might allow was to
| be effected with certificates of a new debt
| of the revolution to be created Tor that
purpose, which. from what has been seen
| hitherto, would scarcely have value. IN
! fact the procedure employed by the Ven
ezuelan government has not led TO a sat
isfactory solution of the claims.
In particular, the few German claims
which would be presented to the commits
sion have been, In part, unseemly re-
| fused. in part reduced, evidently in an ar.
| bitrary manner. and even the recognized
claims have not been paid. but the injured
4 parties have been asked TO submit 10 a
| project of law to be submitted to Con-
gress.
After the failure Of several attempts
/ TO induce the government of the republic
| to modify the decree in said points, the
! imperial government has been obliged IT.
| self TO examine its subjects claims and
| Immediately present TO the Venezuelan
J government those which were found JUS
/ tilted.
ut is true that afterward the Venezue-
| Ian government raised the possibility Of
! obtaining a favorable solution by Con
eress. bat the law which was sanctioned
| by Congress at the beginning of the year
! only repeats the insignificant provisions
| of the decree of Jan. a. 1891. Besides i
| only comprises claims which could not be.
| duly presented 10 commission.
| Afterwards the Venezuelan govern
! ment conducted its correspondence in all
almost offensive tone. and finally publish
We're some marked confidential without
! the consent Of the imperial government.
| accompanying them with memorandum
| cOuched in offensive terms.
| In spite of the sincerity of the desire
which animateS the imperial government
! to maintain existing good relations vita
Venezuela, and although far from desir
/ ing not to respect the sovereignty OF the
| republic or TO interTneddle in its interior
! institutions, it can only see in the pro
| ceedings employed by the Venezuelan
| government an intention to deny to the
| German claims the settlement due them
! in conformity with international law.
! 1t, therefore believes itself obliged to
contribute in definite manner to their
government has consequently instructed
| me 20 pray the Venezuelan government
| to satisfy without delay the German
credits, which, according to my note Of
| the 31st of December last, amount 10
1.1iS.Sl5 bolivars 81 centimes (about $50
900.
Furthermore. the manner in which
German claims consequent on the war
have been treated by the government of
the republic has led the imperial govern
ment to think that other claims of its
subjects against the republic also stand
in need of support. To arrive at a juSt
consequent On the present civil war and
the credits. of German houses occasioned
by the construction OF the slaughter
| house al Caracas and the amount due
the Great Venezuelan Railroad for inter
est and amoritzat ton scrip of the per
cent Venezuelan loan Of 1895, which were
delivered in redemption of a guaranty OF
interest, must be considered in the same
| light.
by order Of the imperial government.
! / have to ask the Venezuelan govern
ment to make declaration Immediately
that il recognizes in principal the correct
ness of these demands. and is willing to
accept the decision of mixed commits
sion with the object Of having them de-
termined and assured in all their details.
rhe imperial government hopes the
government of the republic Will satisfs
the just demands of Germany and not
oblige the imperial government Itself 10
enforce their satisfaction. At the same
time The imperial government thinks ii
should not omit of mention that it has
been informed by the British government
OF its claims against Venezuela. the
two governments have agreed TO proceed
jointly to obtain satisfaction Of ali de-
mandS.
Won Pilgrim-Ba
German Charge d'Affaires.
The above documents have not been
made public in Venezuela.