Sellor Castro, the President of Venezuela, has been per- forming
a part in a comedy which has greatly perplexed the diplomatists. He announced his resignation to the Venezuelan Congress on March 21st in a " high-falutin' " Message, m which he declares that foreigners without any claim but force fell upon Venezuela, " trampling underfoot reason and justice, to the detriment of civilisation and the beautiful conquests of right." Congress unanimously requested him to withdraw his resignation, and after another coy refusal, he complied on the 25th inst. with their request. It seems to be conceded that his motive must have been a bad one, but as to the President's precise object even the Americans can offer no guess. His resignation would not have broken off the negotiations, nor greatly facilitated his own departure for Europe, while such a method of obtaining a vote of confidence is at all events a risky one. The incident is to Europeans a hopeless puzzle, the only reasonable solution being that Senior Castro has secretly extracted certain terms from his own party by a threat of leaving them to the mercy of their opponents.
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