FACTS

[2328] SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES; | OR | DOCUMENTS | RELATING TO THE PROCEEDINGS WHICH HAVE RECENTLY | TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN | THE REPRESENTATIVES | OF GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE, | AND | THE GOVERNMENT | OF THE REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA.

LONDON: | PRINTED BY RICHARD CLAY, BREAD STREET HILL. | 1858.

21 x 13 cms. viii pp. 112 pp. Letras redondas y cursivas. A línea tirada. Textos en inglés. Signs.: [s.s.]4-A4-O4.

[Pág. I]: Portada ut supra. V. en bl. Págs. [iii]-viii: FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES | PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The question raised by the diplomatic agents of Great Britain and of France against the Venezuelan Government being now settled, so that any wish to influence the decision of public opinion in favour of that country cannot be supposed, it is certainly time to add to the first series of documents already published in this country the second series which completes it; especially now that the facts which have occurred have become so well known that they speak sufficiently for themselves, without the addition of any comment or explanation. This collection, taken as a whole, shows still more completely that nothing was farther from the intention of the Venezuelan Government than to attribute to those of England or of France - the most powerful nations with whom it is in friendly intercourse, and towards whom, as towards all others, it has always observed a duly considerate conduct - the insult offered by their diplomatic agents, under most unfortunate circumstances, and prompted doubtless by feelings of hostility, which had certainly not originated either with the Government or the population of Venezuela. || As will be seen further, a question about the right of asylum was the point which first gave a pretext for proceedings which very soon became as unbecoming as they were unprovoked. This question, like all of that nature, might have been easily and speedily settled, had not its difficulties been complicated by the efforts of persons of a certain rank, who could not have been expected to return with notorious abuse of power the attentions which they had so lavishly received from a population more hospitable towards foreigners, perhaps, than any other. A promise - a simple promise (sponsio), the fulfilment of which could not be doubted, as it as made in the name of the Government, was raised to the dignity of a protocol as if this act imposed any reciprocal obligation; and, as one false step leads to another, this served as a pretext for putting forward claims totally irrelevant and unconnected with the assumed obligation in questions, and for inventing offences which had not been even thought of. || From this, the diplomatic agents of the aforesaid Powers took occasion to address most angry notes to the Venezuelan Government, placing it in the necessity of maintaining with proper firmness its own dignity by refuting them; from this also, as well as from the absence of just reason with which the discussion was carried on, arose, on the part of these agents, the worst of all abuses, - that of material power against weakness; and they placed themselves at last in a state of actual conflict with a friendly and inoffensive people, by blockading its ports, capturing its vessels, and treating the crews as if they had been engaged in some traffic forbidden by the laws of civilisation. One of the ships was even sunk during the blockade; and altogether the most painful part of such hostile proceedings was that they happened just at the time when they gave the greatest support to the seditious opponents of the legal order of things which had only then begun to be re-established in Venezuela, thanks to a political change without parallel in the revolutions of South America, and perhaps also in those of the whole world, since it was brought about without shedding a single drop of blood! showing thus clearly that it was the act of a nation rising in a body against its oppressors. But even these latter were not altogether without partisans, as can well be imagined from the means which they had at their command, thanks to the wealth which they had amassed at the expense of the nation’s toil! It was not without a feeling of national indignation that these men were heard to proclaim without shame, that they had actually reckoned on the support of the blockading squadrons to carry out their nefarious designs; the realization of which could have had, among other baneful effects, that of destroying one of the principal object of the national rising, which was the re-establishment of the eternal credit of the State, and towards which the first steps had already been taken. What reasons the perturbators of public peace had for making such assertions can best be explained by themselves. It is sufficient at present to state that such was the fact, and that this is ascertained from documents. || But Providence did not allow their iniquity to succeed, and manifested its power, in this instance, by saving Venezuela from the very brink of the precipice; displaying, it before the world as amply justified, after having been so unbecomingly treated by the diplomatic agents of two nations, whose rulers have judged it very differently. =: LONDON, 1858. [Pág. 1]: (Portadilla) DOCUMENTS. V. en bl. Págs. [3]-110: DOCUMENTS. Págs. [111-112]: bl.

BN RV 53.

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