No. 337.
Mr. Baker
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Caracas, August 29, 1882. (Received September 14.)
Sir: I have the honor to send herewith, as accompaniments, two copies of the Gaceta Oficial, of July 19, 1882, containing a decree of the President, of date September 3, 1881, and a programme for the celebration of the 24th day of July, 1883—the centennial birthday of Bolivar. The decree indicates that all the Spanish-American republics, the Republic of the United States, the French Republic, the Swiss Confederation, Great Britain, and other nations, will be invited to take part in the celebration. Among various other acts of the proposed procedure, I will note that the 31st day of July is set apart—as I translate from the programme—for:
The inauguration of a monumental statue to George Washington, the father of the great people who founded in the New World the republic which is the model of the Spanish-American nations.
Here is certainly a fine recognition of our Washington and our country.
When the matter shall be brought to my attention by the minister of exterior relations I will communicate further in the premises.
I am, &c.,