Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-13

ernment refused the demands of the i'm
perial government relative to the payment
of German claims arising out of the civil
wars of 1893 to 1900, and to support their
refusal referred to arguments already put
forward The imperial government, even
after examining these arguments anew, co
not think they can consider them satlSIac-
tory. The government of the republic argue
in the first place that owing to the interior
legislation of the country, 1t is not posslole
to arrange the claims of foreigners arising
from the wars by the diplomatic course,
thus asserting the doctrine that diplomatic
intervention Is excluded by interior legisia-
ton.
Not Upheld by international Law.
THAT doctrine Is not in conformity with
international law, since the question OF
judging whether such Intervention Is ad-
missable must be appreciated not according
to the dispositions of the interior legisla-
tion, but in accordance with the principles
of international law. The Venezuelan gov
ernment, with the object of making DEM
onstration of diplomatic defense, claim that
this is inadmiSsble and rely on the tWen-
tieth article of the treaty of amity, COM
merce and navigation between the imperial
government and the republic of COLOMBIA
of July %, 1892.
This argument is wanting in efficiency,
firstly because the treaty is valid only be-
tween the German empire and Columbia
and because section ) of said articles puts
no obstacle in the way of q diplomatic de-
fense against German claims arising cut of
acts committed by the Colombian govern
ment or its organs. Likewise, the afflrma
tons of the Venezuelan government are not
correct that foreign claims consequent en-
Venezuelan civil wars have never been ar
ranged by diplomatic course, for, besides
like arrangements which Venezuela con-
cluGed with France in 1850 and with Spain
in 1898, a formal agreement was signed
February 6, 1896. between the German
m if1f SfGr fNn Il h..
minister, at the order of their respective
governments, for the arrangement of the
German claims consequent on the civil
war of 1892 Nor can Importance be given
TO the other objection of the Venezuelan
government, that diplomatic defenss of the
present claims is nadvisable because an
adequate road to a settlement is open by
the decree Of January 81 1901, since the
proceedings provided for by the decree do
not constitute q guaranty for a just So
luton Of those claims.
Claims Against Castro's Regime Ex-
cluded
AS has been repeatedly said to the
Venezuelan government, firstly claims an
terror to May 20, 1899 (Which is the date of
the rising headed by the present president
of the republic), are excluded.
The imperial government has instruct ed
me to pray the Venezuelan government to
satisfy without delay the German credits,
which, according to my note of the 31st of
December last, amount to HISS bolivars
81 centimes. Furthermore, the manner in
which German claims consequent on the
war have been treated by the government
Of the republic has led the imperial gov
ernment to think that other claims of its
subjects against the republic stand in need
of support.
To arrive at Just conclusion, therefore,
German claims consequent on the present
civil war and the credits of German houses
occasioned by the construction of the
slaughter house at Caracas and the amount
due the great Venezuelan railroad for in
terest and amortization scrip of the per
cent Venezuelan loan of 1896, which were
delivered in redemption of a guaranty of
interest, must be considered in the same
light.
by order of the imperial government l
have to ask the Venezuelan government to
make a declaration Immediately that 1t rec
ognizes in principle the correctness of these
demands and Is willing to accept the deci-
sion of a mixed commission with the OBJ
ject OF hiving them determined and assured
in all their details.
Slgned) won PILGRIM BALTAZZI
German Charge d'Affaires"
The above documents have not been made
public in Venezuela.