courteously asking (See inclosure A.) Some days after dressed a note to the minister of foreign relations It is one of the mental vices of this people that they either cannot or will not perceive the limitations and modifications that necessarily exist with respect to almost all general rules. The Opinion Nacional, nominally free and independent, nevertheless is completely subject to the dictamen of the President, and echoes his opinion and wishes upon all political subjects. I am, &c., [Inclosure A.] Mr. Pile to Mr. Blanco. WM. A. PILE. No. 62.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SIR: The Opinion Nacional of Saturday, the 31st ultimo, No. 1262, contains what purports to be the message of His Excellency President Guzman Blanco to the Congress of the United States of Venezuela in extraordinary session. It is my duty as minister resident of the United States of America to translate and transmit this important document to my Government, and as it is possible that the message, and correlative events may gravely affect the relations between the two countries, I am most anxious that there shall be no more error in the copy transmitted. I have the honor, therefore, to ask your excellency if the copy herewith transmitted is correct, and if it should not be, will your excellency do me the favor to make the necessary corrections on the margin? I have the pleasure to offer to your excellency the assurrances of my very distinguished consideration. WILLIAM A. PILE. [Inclosure B.-Translation.] Mr. Blanco to Mr. Pile. CARACAS, June 6, 1873. In answer to the note of your excellency, the 4th ultimo, No. 62, I have the honor to inform you that the publication in the Opinion Nacional, No. 1262, to which you refer, is a faithful copy of the message of His Excellency the President of the republic to the Congress of the nation, dated 28th of last month. I therefore return to your excellency the printed slips that accompanied your note. I reiterate to your excellency the assurances of my very distinguished consideration. JESUS MA. BLANCO. [Inclosure C.-Translation.] Mr. Blanco to Mr. Pile. CARACAS, June 9, 1873. Having already complied with a consideration of courtesy, by informing your excellency that the publication in the Opinion Nacional, No. 1262, strictly agreed with the message of His Excellency the President of the republic, sent to the Congress of the nation on the 28th of last month, I comply to-day with the duty of informing your excellency, in order to avoid that the two cited notes might serve as a precedent that would authorize in the future an inquiry of the same kind, that the government of the republic, in accordance with the provisions of public law and internationa usages, including those of the United States of the North, professes the principle that the messages, reports, memorials, and other documents of exclusive communication between the jurisdictional powers of the republic are of its exclusive competence and in no case will be submitted to foreign inquisition. For a similar reason I am obliged to inform your excellency that the publications of the free press of the country neither can be the cause of diplomatic inquiry or reclamation, as they are neither of an official nor private nature. I hope that your excellency will see in these declarations a new proof of the desire to avoid all misunderstanding (dualidad de intelegencia) that might in the future unfavorably affect the reciprocal friendship of the two governments. I reiterate to your excellency the assurances of my very distinguished consideration. JESUS MA, BLANCO. [Inclesure D.] No. 66.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SIR: The note of your excellency, dated the 9th instant, has been received and considered with careful and respectful attention. The correctness of the doctrine announced therein, "that the messages, reports, and memorials, and other documents of exclusive communication between the jurisdictional powers of a nation, are of its exclusive competencia, is not denied, but I am unable to perceive that there is any thing in my note of the 4th instant that in the slightest manner infringes upon this doctrine. No question was raised, suggested, or entertained as to the character or propriety of the message. That is a matter of the "exclusive competency" of His Excellency the President of the republic. But, as your excellency doubtless very well understands, where there is subsequent and "correlative" action or "events" affecting the international relations of a govern ment, these public documents become a legitimate and important subject of consideration, not for the purpose of inquisicion estrana, but as proper sources of information in determining the nature and character of the governmental action which they may have produced or influenced. The correctness of this doctrine is fully recognized in the message to which these notes refer, and it was in this sense alone that I considered it my duty to translate and transmit it to my Government, and this alone was the motive of my respectful request as to the correctness of the copy referred to, so courteously complied with by your excellency in your note dated June 6, and for which my acknowledgments are respectfully made. The representative of a people that publish more than five thousand independent newspapers and magazines need not be informed that such publications are not subject "á inquisicion ni reclamacion diplomatica.” I have neither made nor thought of making any diplomatic reclamation as to such publications. In relation to this matter, however, it may be remarked that the practice of transmitting such publications by diplomatic agents to their governments, not as matter of reclamation but as sources of information as to the feelings and convictions of the peoples and nations where they are published, is quite general, and sanctioned by the usages of modern diplomacy. I hope your excellency will perceive in these declarations an equal desire with that you are pleased to manifest to avoid all causes of misunderstanding or "dualidad de intelligencia" in the cultivation of the reciprocal friendship of both countries. I have the pleasure to offer to your excellency the assurances of my high consideration. WILLIAM A. PILE. OPINIONS OF THE HEADS OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS, AND OTHER PAPERS, RELATING TO EXPATRIATION, NATURALIZATION, AND CHANGE OF ALLEGIANCE. LIST OF PAPERS. No. 496. Letter from the President to the principal officer in each of the No. 497. The Secretary of State to the President, answer to No. 496. No. 503. The Secretary of the Interior to the President, answer to No. 496... No. 505. Mr. Bancroft to Mr. Fish, reply to No. 504. Page. 1185 1186 1193 1210 1211 1215 1216 1219 1224 1224 No. 506. Mr. Marsh to Mr. Fish, reply to No. 504 1228 No. 507. Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish, reply to No. 504. 1231 No. 50. Report of a commission appointed by the Queen of Great Britain for 1232 the commissioners 1242 Memorandum by Mr. Vernon Harcourt, one of the commissioners 1243 APPENDIX No. I.-Naturalization and Allegiance. Memorandum by Mr. 1248 [N. B.-The Italics in this list indicate the papers added by order of the Secretary of State to Lord Tenderden's list.] |