No. 326.
Mr. Carter
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Caracas, January 11, 1882.
(Received January 27.)
No. 60.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that, in
accordance with instructions received from the Department of State, I, in a
personal interview with the minister of exterior relations of Venezuela, on
December 28, 1881, suggested the desirableness of a congress of the
independent states of North and South America, with the view of devising
some method by which controversies, arising among them from any cause, could
be satisfactorily adjusted otherwise than by a resort to force, so as to
avert the evils of war, and informed him that I had received a communication
upon this subject from the Secretary of State, which I was instructed to
read to him. He promptly replied, that such a measure was in harmony with
the policy of Venezuela heretofore, and that he had no doubt that the
president of the republic would heartily cooperate in such a movement. On
the 29th of December ultimo I read the dispatch of Mr. Secretary Blaine, No.
18, of November 29, to the minister of exterior relations, and the same day
addressed a communication to him covering a copy of dispatch No. 18, and
formally, in the name of the President of the United States, invited the
president of the republic to designate two commissioners, who should
represent Venezuela in the proposed peace congress. Under authorization of
department No. 19, I indicated, in the copy of No. 18 furnished the
minister, November 22, 1882, as the day upon which the congress would
convene. On December 30 ultimo I submitted to the minister the practical
suggestions relative to the conduct of the congress contained in department
dispatch No. 20, and at his request, on January 2, I embodied these
suggestions in a letter. Of my own motion I intimated that it would be
expedient that at least one of the commissioners should understand the
English language, to which he responded that both of the representatives of
Venezuela should be familiar with the English language, and that the
appointments would be made in part with reference to this end. On January 7
instant I received from the minister of exterior relations a reply to my
communication of December 29 ultimo, in which he recites the objects and
character of the congress as outlined in the dispatch of Secretary Blaine,
No. 18, and my communication of December 29, transmitting said dispatch,
refers to the efforts of Venezuela heretofore, by similar measures but on a
more limited scale, to adjust controversies between the Spanish-American
republics; refers specially to the efforts of the liberator, Bolivar, to
harmonize these communities by the congress of Panama convened in 1825,
which received the warm commendations of His Excellency President John
[Page 528]
Q. Adams; commends most heartily
the disinterested and successful efforts of the United States to compose
honorably and by peaceful agencies difficulties heretofore arising betweeu
the Spanish-American republics, and the liberal, equal, and just terms upon
which she now asks the co-operation of all the independent American states
in perfecting this work of peace and fraternity, and concludes by declaring
that the President of Venezuela accepts with pleasure the invitation of His
Excellency the President of the United States, and will, in due time,
designate two commissioners, furnished with needful powers and instructions,
who shall represent Venezuela in the peace congress to convene at Washington
City, November 22, 1882. On the same day and of the same date I received
from the minister a communication in response to my letter of January 2
instant, in which he expresses approval of the practical suggestions
submitted, and commends the liberality and thoughtfulness of the Government
of the United States in undertaking to furnish a suitable hall for the
meeting of the commissioners, and at its own expense to provide for all the
material requirements of the Congress. I inclose a copy of my letter of
December 29 ultimo, and a copy and translation of the response thereto by
the minister of exterior relations; a copy of my letter of January 2
instant, and copy and translation of the reply of the minister thereto; also
a copy of my letter of January 9 instant, in reply to the two
communications, herein referred to, of the minister of exterior
relations.
The enthusiasm and earnestness with which this humane measure of the
Government of the United States., has been met by this government is most
gratifying, and the sincerity of the feeling and purpose manifested by them
cannot be questioned.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No, 60.]
Mr. Carter to Mr.
Seijas.
Legation of the United States,
Caracas, December 29,
1881.
Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency
that the President of the United States of America contemplates the
formation and convention of a peace congress, to he composed of two
commissioners from each of the independent states of North and South
America, and to convene in Washington, the capital of the United States,
on November 22, 1882, for the purpose of devising and adopting some
feasible method, other than a resort to force, for the adjustment of the
controversies that may arise from questions of boundary or other causes
between the independent political communities of the Western Hemisphere,
or between different sections or fractions of said communities, so as to
avert the miseries and burdens of war.
The character and objects of the proposed congress are explicitly,
forcibly, and frankly set forth in the letter of the honorable Secretary
of State, read to your excellency by me, and a copy of which, at your
solicitation, is herewith furnished you.
The ends sought are so beneficent in their nature and so paramount in
their importance; the conditions of co-operation between the parties in
interest so equal and honorable; and the methods of action suggested so
in accord with the spirit of a liberal and advanced civilization, as to
commend in the judgment of the President this humane and philanthropic
movement to the favorable consideration and sympathy of all the
independent governments of the two continents. I now, in the name of the
President of the United States of America, have the honor, through you,
to invite His Excellency the President of the United States of Venezuela
to designate two commissioners provided with the powers and instructions
necessary in the premises, who shall represent the Republic of Venezuela
in the peace congress to convene in the place and at the time herein
indicated, and I respectfully solicit as early a response to this
communication as may be compatible with the gravity and importance of
the subject with which it deals.
I have the honor, &c.,
[Page 529]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
60.—Translation]
Mr. Seijas to Mr.
Carter.
Caracas, January 7,
1882.
Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency
that I received and have submitted to the consideration of the President
of the Republic the note of your legation of 29th ultimo, in which you
state that the President of the United States of America proposes the
formation and convention of a peace congress that shall be composed of
all the independent states of North and South America, to be convened at
Washington on the 22d of November, 1882, with the object of devising and
adopting some feasible means, other than the appeal to force, for the
adjustment of the controversies that may arise from questions of
boundaries or other causes between the independent political communities
of the Western Hemisphere, or between different factions or sections of
the same, in order to avert the miseries and burdens of war.
Your excellency refers for the explanation of the nature and objects of
the proposed congress to the letter of his excellency Mr. Blaine,
Secretary of State, that you inclosed to me and had read, to me
before.
After the illustrious American had heard the reading of both
communications, he expressed the opinion that the project portrayed in
them was grand and worthy of being accepted with enthusiasm by all the
Spanish American republics, for this idea is the line of their wishes,
and coincides with the one that inspired Bolivar in the formation of the
congress of Panama, so warmly applauded by the President of the United
States, Mr. John Quincy Adams.
It is certainly a source of satisfaction that the first republic of the
world—loyal to her noble antecedents—in view of the growing tendency of
these countries to look to arbitration, and not to arms, for the
solution of international difficulties, and to consider her as their
friend and mediator, should, after having interposed on various
occasions her good offices, and succeeded in preventing conflicts, or in
putting an end to those exist ant, without pretensions of dictatorship
and solely as a proof of common friendship, inspired only by
considerations of philanthropy and civilization, take charge of a matter
which concerns mainly the other countries of the western continent, and
should utilize the great influence derived from her immense progress and
wealth to prevent the horrible calamities of wars between brethren, and
should consent to preside over the deliberations of a peace congress
that proposes to devise the means of ending future disagreements without
an appeal to war and its terrible legacies.
And this satisfaction increases when contemplating the United States
acting in a manner that saves the independence and other attributes of
sovereignty, and especially the equality between her and the nations by
which the congress is to be formed, and offering to employ all her
influence in harmonizing whatever antagonism of interest may exist
between the states which answer to this call, and even assuming the
expenses for the inauguration of the congress, interpreting and
publishing of its acts, &c., as your excellency has informed me in
your note of later date.
So exalted a conception bears with it the assurance of its accomplishment
by the influence of the government which undertakes to carry it into
effect. So there is sufficient ground to hope that on this occasion the
efforts for the suppression of war between the countries of the American
continent will not be frustrated. If this is attained the example will
extend its influence to the other hemisphere, and the world will behold
the disappearance of this calamity, and established in its place, for
the comfort of humanity and as an evident mark of progress, practices of
love for life and the properties of men linked by fraternal
intercourse.
It is designed to put in practice the same idea that was in the
Venezuelan mind when, after the 19th of April of 1810, and as a heroic
cry proclaiming the independence, they repeated the words “hail to free
America.”
It is that provision which the immortal Bolivar, when in the midst of a
war to the death, addressed to the Argentines, when he invited them to a
fraternal embrace on top of the Andes, in the center of the continent,
on the day of the last victory.
It is that thought which Bolivar conceived as the complement of the work
of independence and for the realization of which he convoked in 1825 the
Congress of Panama. It is finally the luminous design for which,
afterwards, other continental congresses were convened; among them, the
one of Lima of 1864, at which Venezuela assisted.
The President of the republic, which has had occasions for appreciating
the goodwill and mediation of the United States in her behalf, and which
hopes all from the solid and permanent peace between the countries of
America, accepts with pleasure the invitation to the peace congress at
Washington, and in due time he will designate the two commissioners for
Venezuela, providing them with the needful powers and instructions.
I renew to your excellency, &c.,
[Page 530]
[Inclosure 3 in No. 60.]
Mr. Carter to Mr.
Seijas.
Legation of the United States,
Caracas, January 2,
1882.
Sir: Referring to my recent communication
covering and transmitting to your excellency No. 18 of the Department of
State, relative to the peace congress proposed to he held under the
auspices of the United States Government at Washington, November 22,
1882, I am authorized to say that the Government of the United States
will undertake to supply a suitable hall for the meetings of the
commissioners, and will, at its own expense, meet all the material
requirements of the congress—providing for reporting and interpreting
the proceedings, and printing the resultant protocols in Spanish and
English, for the use of all parties, and also for secretaries, clerks,
and copyists in both languages, so that the invited countries will incur
no expense except for the maintenance of their own commissioners.
I have the honor, &c.,
[Inclosure 4 in No.
60.—Translation.]
Mr. Seijas to Mr.
Carter.
Caracas, January 7,
1882.
Sir: By the communication of your excellency of
the 2d instant, the government is informed that in reference to the
peace congress at Washington, proposed by the United States, the
President has resolved to undertake the providing of a suitable hall for
the meetings of the commissioners, and to cover all the expenses for the
material ends needful—for editing and interpreting of the acts and
printing of the protocols in Spanish and English; also the remuneration
for the secretaries, clerks, and copyists so that the countries invited
will incur no liability except the maintenance of their own
commissioners.
Complying with the orders of the President, I give thanks, through the
honorable medium of your excellency, to the Government of the United
States, which, with the purpose of facilitating the convention of the
congress and the attainment of its humane ends, wishes to meet alone,
expenses incumbent upon all the interested parties.
I renew to your excellency, &c.,
[Inclosure 5 in No. 60.]
Mr. Carter to Mr.
Seijas.
Legation of the United States,
Caracas, January 9,
1882.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of the communication of your excellency of January 7th instant,
in which you express, in behalf of His Excellency the President of the
republic, hearty approval of the proposed peace congress of the
independent states of America, to be convened in Washington City,
November 22, 1882, and inform me of his acceptance of the invitation
tendered by His Excellency the President of the United States to
designate two commissioners who shall represent the United States of
Venezuela in said congress.
I have also the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the communication of
your excellency of January 7th instant, in which you express
satisfaction with the suggestions relative to certain practical details
in the conduct of the congress, submitted by me in my letter of January
2d instant. The frank, liberal, and appreciative spirit in which the
Government of Venezuela has met this effort of the Government of the
United States, in the interest of humanity and our common national
brotherhood, is most honorable and gives earnest of most gratifying
results. I shall, with great satisfaction, communicate to my government
the views expressed by your excellency on this grand theme, and the
favorable consideration given by His Excellency the President of the
republic to the invitation that I have, in behalf of the President of
the United States, extended to him.
I renew to your excellency, &c.,
