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Document 5830 ANDREW JOHNSON Directing the U.S. Seal to his proclamation of a treaty re: claims against politically unstable Venezuela. Partly Printed Presidential Warrant signed: "Andrew Johnson" as 17th U.S. President, 1p, 8x10. Washington, 1867 May 29. In full: "I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of State [William H. Seward] to affix the Seal of the United States to my Proclamation of the Convention concluded between the United States and Venezuela on the 25th April 1866, dated this day and signed by me and for so doing this shall be his warrant." Throughout the 19th century, South American countries, which had come through great political turmoil, had confiscated the property of American citizens visiting and or living in them. Claims commissions were subsequently established between the U.S. and the respective government to settle claims of violated U.S. citizens. For example, President Johnson's predecessor, Abraham Lincoln, announced in his December 6, 1864 message to Congress, the settlement of a claim of $130,000 with Venezuela in favor of four U.S. citizens who were ship owners and merchants doing business there. They had been forced to leave their assets in that country. However Venezuela, at the time of this document, was in transition. On June 5, 1866, President Johnson sent the following message "To the Senate of the United States: I transmit to the Senate for its consideration, with a view to ratification, a convention between the United States and the republic of Venezuela, on the subject of the claims of citizens of the United States upon the government of that republic, which convention was signed by the plenipotentiaries of the parties at the city of Caracas, on the 25th of April last." On July 5, 1866, the following resolution was placed on the floor of the U.S. Senate: "Resolved (two-thirds of the Senators present concurring), That the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of the convention between the United States and the Republic of Venezuela relative to claims upon the Government of that Republic, signed on the 25th of April, 1866. The Senate, by unanimous consent, proceeded to consider the said resolution; and on the question to agree thereto, it was determined unanimously in the affirmative." On July 20, 1867, the Congress passed "An Act to carry into Effect the Convention with the Republic of Venezuela for the Adjustment of Claims of Citizens of the United States on the Government of that Republic". This act provided for the members of a commission to be appointed pursuant to the provisions of the Convention to facilitate the claims against Venezuela. From President Johnson's State of the Union address, delivered in writing to Speaker of the House (and Vice President-elect) Schuyler Colfax on December 9, 1868: "The convention created by treaty between the United States and Venezuela in July, 1865, for the mutual adjustment of claims, has been held and its decisions have been received at the Department of State. The heretofore recognized government of the United States of Venezuela has been subverted. A provisional government having been instituted under circumstances which promise durability, it has been formally recognized." Liberal Juan Crisóstomo Falcón was President of Venezuela when the treaty was signed. Conservatives led by José Tadeo Monagas took over the government in June 1868 and, despite what Johnson said in his State of the Union, civil war followed. General Antonio Guzmán Blanco rallied the Liberals to his cause. He overthrew the Conservatives and assumed power in 1870, stabilizing the government with a new Constitution in 1872, serving until 1877. Lightly creased. Lightly shaded at folds. Fingerprint ink smudges touch the "nd" in Andrew and some parts of the date. Overall, fine condition. SEE IF DOCUMENT 5830 IS FOR SALE RIGHT NOW!!
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