AVES ISLAND, 79 



lence and insult to the first injur}^, and that insult extends as well to 

 the federal government of the United States as the outrage does to 

 Mr. Shelton. 



6th. That the conduct of the Venezuelan government was prompted 

 by a combination of speculators, partly resident in the United States, 

 including prominent politicians claiming to have influence, and for 

 the purpose of subserving their own selfish interests at Mr. Shelton's 

 expense. 



7th. That the combination has been enabled by sinister courses and 

 contrivances to satisfy the Venezuelan officials that the government of 

 the United States was not disposed to interfere for or sustain Mr. 

 Shelton, and that in fact the government of the United States desired 

 the favorable action of the Venezuelan government towards them, the 

 said combination of speculators. It is worthy of note that the present 

 Venezuelan officials denounce the first agreement, to carry out which 

 Mr. Shelton was ejected, made by the influence of predecessors as a 

 fraud obtained by nefarious courses by all parties, and hence the pre- 

 tended new contract, though really founded on the first so repudiated. 



8th. That chiefly through the instrumentality and influence of Mr. 

 Eames, the United States minister at Venezuela, the Venezuelan gov- 

 ernment has been induced to take such favoi'able action for such spec- 

 ulators, and give them a new contract for guano in Caribbean Islands, 

 under which, by authority of the Venezuelan government, the guano 

 on Shelton's Isle is rapidly being taken away in fraud of Mr. Shelton's 

 rights, and, as some concerned in the combination boast, it will all be 

 taken before he can get redress. 



9th, That while this act of fraud was being perpetrated, the United 

 States minister utterly and inexcusably neglected to enforce the claim 

 of Mr. Shelton, and manifested lukewarmness if not hostility to it. 



10th. That a person named Pickerill, dispatched by said combina- 

 tion to Venezuela to perpetrate the arrangements mentioned, was 

 greatly facilitated in so doing by his being, iis it were, clothed with an 

 official character as charged with public dispatches, one of which was 

 instructions to Mr. Eames to further Mr.. Pickerill' s views to a certain 

 extent, but not to allow anything to be done to militate against the 

 claim or rights involved in Shelton's Isle. 



11th. That from these various circumstances and others, and the 

 fact that some of those concerned in the combination referred to boast 

 that their political influence in Congress and at Washington and else- 

 where, was sufficient to sustain them against Mr. Shelton, and that he 

 could get nothing done for him. have created with Mr. Shelton and 

 his friends a total want of confidence in Mr. Eames, and it may be 

 added, a conviction that he is connected too intimately in feeling, if 

 not otherwise, with those opposed to Mr. Shelton, and who have sought 

 to wrong and injure him. 



12th. That the Mr. Pickerill above named has ceased to be the agent 

 of said combination, but has sought to ^et the control of Mr. Shelton's 

 claim as agent, for a fee of half, which has been denied him, though 

 he was profuse in his assurances of powerful political aid in both 

 countries. The refusal of Mr. Shelton was for the reason that he 



