No. 255.] Mr. Blaine to Mr. Lincoln. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR Referring to previous correspondence concerning the Venezue copies of recent communications* from our minister at Caracas and lan boundary question, I transmit to you herewith, for your information, from the minister of Venezuela at this capital on the subject. I also inclose a copy of my instruction to you by telegraph of the 1st instant to use your good offices with Her Britannic Majesty's minister for foreign affairs to bring about a resumption of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Venezuela as a preliminary step toward negotiations for arbitrating the boundary question. The recital contained in Mr. Scruggs's No. 98 of the 25th ultimo shows the embarrassments caused by Gen. Guzman Blanco's abrupt termination of diplomatic relations and the difficulty in the way of effecting negotiations on the basis of the status quo or of arbitrating the whole question. It is neverthless desired that you shall do all you can consistently with our attitude of impartial friendliness to induce some accord between the contestants by which the merits of the controversy may be fairly ascertained and the rights of each party justly confirmed. The neutral position of this Government does not comport with any expression of opinion on the part of this Department as to what those rights are, but it is evident that the shifting footing on which the British poundary question has rested for several years past is an obstacle to such a correct appreciation of the nature and grounds of her claim as would alone warrant the formation of any opinion. Inclosing for the files of your legation a copy of Senate document No. 226, first session, Fiftieth Congress, which relates to the Venezue lan boundary question, I am, etc., JAMES G. BLAINE. No. 264.] Mr. Blaine to Mr. Lincoln. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I inclose herewith a copy of a dispatch from our minister at Caracas concerning the Venezuelan boundary dispute. You will observe that the sketch map which accompanies Mr. Scruggs's dispatch indicates an extreme boundary considerably to the westward of the line claimed in the colonial office list map for 1890 and the two preceding years. I am, etc., *For inclosures, see under Venezuela. JAMES G. BLAINE. † For inclosure, see dispatch No. 100 from the United States minister to Venezuela, dated May 3, 1890. No. 267.] Mr. Blaine to Mr. Lincoln. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Your dispatch No. 229 of the 5th instant, concerning your interview with Lord Salisbury with reference to the resumption of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Venezuela, has been received. The substance of your dispatch has been communicated to the Venezuelan minister at this capital and a copy thereof transmitted to our minister at Caracas for his information. I am, etc., JAMES G. BLAINE. No. 270.] Mr. Blaine to Mr. Lincoln. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I transmit to you herewith for your information a translation of a note from the minister of Venezuela at this capital concerning the Venezuelan boundary question. The statements of the Venezuelan minister are interesting from the historical point of view, especially in regard to the shifting nature of the British contention; but, as the essential elements of the determination of the problem are matters of record, there should be no diffi culty in reaching a just conclusion on the merits, and, in the expectation of such a result, it is proper to refrain from any prejudgment of opinion on the merits of the British contention. I am, etc., JAMES G. BLAINE. No. 249.] Mr. Lincoln to Mr. Blaine. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, May 28, 1890. (Received June 5.) SIR Referring to your instruction numbered 255 of the 6th instant and to my dispatch numbered 229 of 5th instant, I have the honor to inclose herewith the copy of a note which I have just received from the Marquis of Salisbury relative to Venezuela in reply to mine of the 5th of this month, a copy of which was forwarded to you in my dispatch above mentioned. I have, etc., [Inclosure in No. 249.] ROBERT T. LINCOLN. The Marquis of Salisbury to Mr. Lincoln. FOREIGN OFFICE, May 26, 1890. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 5th instant, stating that you had been instructed by your Government to tender to Her Majesty's Government the earnest good offices of the United States, with a view of bringing ⚫ For inclosure see note of May 20, 1890, from the minister from Venezuela. about a resumption of the interrupted diplomatic relations between Her Majesty's Government and that of Venezuela as a preliminary step towards negotiations for the amicable settlement by arbitration of the long-standing questions respecting the boundary line between Venezuela and British Guiana. Her Majesty's Government are very sensible of the friendly feelings which have prompted this offer on the part of the United States Government. They are, however, at the present moment in communication with the Venezuelan minister in Paris, who has been authorized to express the desire of his Government for the renewal of diplomatic relations and to discuss the conditions on which it may be effected. The rupture of relations was, as your Government is aware, the act of Venezuela, and Her Majesty's Government had undoubtedly reason to complain of the manner in which it was effected. But they are quite willing to put this part of the question aside, and their only desire is that the renewal of friendly intercourse should be accompanied by arrangements for the settlement of the several questions at issue. I have stated to Señor Urbaneja the terms on which Her Majesty's Government consider that such a settlement might be made, and am now awaiting the reply of the Venezuelan Government, to whom he has doubtless communicated my proposals. Her Majesty's Government would wish to have the opportunity of examining that reply, and ascertaining what prospect it would afford of an adjustment of existing differences, before considering the expediency of having recourse to the good offices of a third party. I may mention that, in so far as regards the frontier between British Guiana and Venezuela, I have informed Señor Urbaneja of the willingness of Her Majesty's Government to abandon certain portions of the claim which they believe themselves entitled in strict right to make and to submit other portions to arbitration, reserving only that territory as to which they believe their rights admit of no reasonable doubt. If this offer is met by the Venezuelan Government in a corresponding spirit, there should be no insuperable difficulty in arriving at a solution. But public opinion is, unfortunately, much excited on the subject in Venezuela, and the facts of the case are strangely misunderstood. I have, etc., Mr. Lincoln to Mr. Blaine. SALISBURY. No. 267.] [Extract.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, June 25, 1890. (Received July 7.) SIR: I have the honor to acquaint you that, having received on the 20th instant your telegraphic instruction, I requested Señor Pulido to meet me with a view to suggesting his presentation at a time when I could say he was prepared to present to Her Majesty's Government the reply to the recent note to Señor Urbaneja. Señor Pulido called upon me on Saturday, the 21st instant, and informed me that on the previous day he had formally notified Sir Thomas Sanderson, assistant undersecretary of state for foreign affairs (by whom the note to Señor Urbaneja was signed), of his mission and requested an appointment to present his credentials and the response of Venezuela. He was, however, still desirous that I should arrange to present him to Lord Salisbury, and I accordingly, at an interview yesterday, stated to His Lordship the substance of your instruction. He replied that Señor Pulido was already in negotiation with Sir Thomas Sanderson, but that it would be quite agreeable to have me present Señor Pulido to himself; and it was therefore arranged that I should do so to-day. In pursuance of the appointment made, I therefore made the presentation to-day. The interview was brief, and the conversation between Lord Salisbury and Señor Pulido referred only in general terms to the pending controversy, the hope being expressed by both in the most courteous manner that some satisfactory arrangement would soon be reached. With the understanding that Señor Pulido should continue his negotiations with Sir Thomas Sanderson, the interview terminated. Señor Pulido expressed to me his warm gratification upon my official action with respect to himself. I have, etc., ROBERT T. LINCOLN. No. 276.] Mr. Lincoln to Mr. Blaine. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, July 9, 1890. (Received July 22.) SIR Referring to your instruction No. 251 of April 30 last, in relation to the status of Mr. H. C. Quinby (whose name, up to this moment, has, in the body of all papers, including those presented by himself, been spelled Quimby), I have the honor to acquaint you that to-day Mr. Quinby called at the legation to make a formal request for a passport, and, using the same application paper which had been filled up under his direction at Liverpool in February last, with certain changes made upon my suggestion, with his entire concurrence, in order to exhibit the facts of the case with brief precision, he completed an application, of which a copy is inclosed. I thereupon informed him that I did not consider it within my instructions to issue a passport to a citizen of the United States whose domicile, while conducting an entirely local business, had been maintained in England for 34 years, he expressing without reservation the intention of never returning to the United States to resume the duties of citizenship there. In giving him my reasons for the refusal, I was careful to inform him that it involved no expression of opinion on my part as to his status as a citizen of the United States if he should at any time resume his residence therein. I also informed him that, if he so desired, I would transmit his application to the Department of State; but he declined this and requested permission to take it away with him, for the express purpose of hav ing it presented directly to the Department, instead of through the legation. I acceded to his request, keeping a duplicate original application for the files of the legation. It is proper to add that our interview was entirely pleasant, his feeling in the matter being well indicated by a letter of his published in the Boston Post of April 23, 1890, of which he was good enough to hand me a copy, herewith inclosed. I, Henry Clay Quinby, a native and loyal citizen of the United States, hereby ap ply to the legation of the United States at London for a passport for myself, accompanied by my wife, Marion Grey Quinby née Newell. I solemnly swear that I was born at Westbrook, in the State of Maine, on or about the 24th day of April, 1831; that my father was a native citizen of the United States; that I am domiciled in England, my present residence being at Liverpool, England, where I follow the occupation of dentist; that I took up my domicile in England in the year 1856, and that upon my last visit I left the United States in July, 1889, and am now sojourning at Liverpool; that I intend never to return to the United States with the purpose of residing and perfornring the duties of citizenship therein; and that I desire the passport for the purpose of travel, and that I own taxable property in the State of Minnesota. Oath of allegiance. Further, I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, so help me God. H. C. QUINBY. Sworn to before me, this 9th day of July, 1890. [SEAL.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES AT LONDON. Description of applicant. Age, 58 years; stature, 5 feet 6 inches, English; forehead, low; eyes, blae; nose, small, straight; mouth, small; chin, covered with beard; hair, brown gray; complexion, light ruddy; face, round, full. Identification. FEBRUARY 13, 1890. I hereby certify that I know the above-named Henry Clay Quinby personally, and know him to be a native-born citizen of the United States, and that the facts stated in his affidavit are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. A. G. INGLIS. I certify that the above identification is satisfactory to me.. [SEAL.] THOS. H. SHERMAN, [Inclosure 2 in No. 276.-Boston Post, Wednesday morning, April 23, 1890.] To the Editor of the Post: THE AMERICAN CITIZEN ABROAD. SIR: I have been under the impression all my life that a man who had been born and educated in the United States and grown up there to early manhood might venture to go abroad and live abroad for any length of time without losing his nationality, unless he chose to do so and by his own act become a subject of some other nation; but it seems that this is not the view taken by the State Department at Washington. I am an American. My ancestors emigrated to New England in 1630, and I have no doubt they had their full share of the struggles and hardships which all those early colonists had to endure, and which made their country dear to them when, surely against their will, they fought for and obtained their independence. I was born in New England, and lived there until some years after I came of age, and then for business purposes I came to England, and, with an occasional visit to the United States, I have lived here since 1856; but, although there have been inducements to do so, I have never made myself a British subject, preferring to retain my citizenship and rights as an American. A few weeks ago my wife and I proposed a trip to northern Italy by way of Paris, Basle, and the St. Gothard, and, as the Germans in their wisdom have prohibited the crossing of their frontier from France directly into Germany without the production of a passport, it became necessary for me to procure one of those important documents in order to make the journey in that direction. In my ignorance I certainly did not suppose that I should have any other difficulty about obtaining a passport than that of identifying myself. Therefore, in going to the consul to get the necessary papers I took with me a friend who was known at the consulate and who had known me for about 25 years, and, under oath, he vouched for my being the man 1 represented myself to be. The consul's duty was simply to fill up certain papers stating the place and date of my birth, my height, the color of my hair and eyes, the |