No. 665.
Mr. Baker
to Mr. Evarts.
Caracas, September 2, 1880. (Received September 23.)
Sir: It is worthy of notice that a political idea, contemplating alliance or confederation with other American governments, has place in the constitution of Venezuela. Article 119 of the constitution reads, as I translate, “The national executive will treat with the governments of America on compacts of alliance or of confederation.”
In reference to this article of the constitution, the executive has recently [Page 1039] put forth a decree appointing a commission in order to study the matter, with direction that “the commission will occupy itself preferably in elaborating a report towards confederation between the sections which constituted the old Colombia”; and that “the commission will equally present a report towards the confederation or towards the alliance of all the nations of South America.”
The so-called old Colombia was composed of the present states of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. It was short-lived. The union was formed in 1819; Venezuela seceded in 1829, and Ecuador in 1830. The sum of the stated areas of these three countries is 1, 155,352 square miles, which is a tolerable approach to one-third of the total territorial area of the United States, and their present joint population may be about 6,000,000.
In view of existing physical, moral, and political conditions, I should judge that the reuniting of these three States—especially in tolerable order, harmony, and observance of central laws—is a considerable way off. The idea, however, appears to be a good and commendable one, as looking towards social development and the practice of larger political conceptions.
I inclose herewith a copy of the decree referred to, as it appears in the Gaceta Oficial of the 26th ultimo, together with a translation thereof.
I am, &c.,