98 AVES ISLAND. 



foundation in right ; and whereas our vessels and agents and seamen 

 and workmen aforesaid^ were driven away from said island by an 

 armed force of said government, which hath from thence kept us from 

 the use and occupation of said island and guano, and hath kept posses- 

 sion thereof in defiance of right ; and whereas we have (in January, 

 1855,) applied to the Secretary of State of the United States for the 

 interposition of the federal government of said United States, of which 

 we are citizens, for the maintenance and protection of our just rights 

 to said "Shelton's Isle," and to the guano thereon accruing and de- 

 rived as aforesaid, and also for our redress and indemnity for our 

 losses and for our damages sustained by reason of the outrages and 

 wrongs of the Venezuelan government, as aforesaid : Now, therefore, 

 we do hereby constitute and appoint Henry Shelton Sanford, Esq.^ as 

 our true and lawful attorney to prosecute and defend for us, and in 

 our behalf, our right and interest to and in said island and said guano, 

 and to represent us to and before the government of the United States, 

 or the government of Venezuela, or elsewhere and otherwise as may 

 be necessary. And to compromise and compound for, demand and 

 receive our claims for redress, indemnification, and damages sustained 

 in the premises, and also for loss of said guano, false freights, demur- 

 rages, damages on charters, loss of outfits, fixtures, wharves, boats, 

 cabins or huts, houses and other property in the premises, and all 

 other damages arising in consequence thereof in anywise whatsoever. 

 And we hereby vest in our said attorney full and ample powers in the 

 premises to do and perform all such acts as we might do and perform 

 in relation to the aforesaid premises and to our said claims as if per- 

 sonally present. Giving him power to make arrangements to send an 

 agent to Venezuela, if deemed by him advisable, in order to make a 

 more speedy adjustment of the matter ; to substitute the powers herein 

 delegated to him to one or more attorneys under him, giving to him 

 and his substitutes full and adequate power and authority to grant 

 releases in our behalf on receiving satisfaction ; to compromise and 

 adjust the same in any way he may deem expedient ; and in case any 

 clause of amplification should be deemed necessary in this our power 

 to said Henry Shelton Sanford, Esq., or his substitutes, to give validity 

 to his acts in our behalf, we hereby grant the same and ratify all the 

 acts he may do in our behalf in reference to the said claim and its 

 adjustment. 



Given under our hands and seals, this 21st day of January^ 1856. 



GEO. K. SAMPSON. 

 LEWIS W. TAPPAN. 

 PHILO S. SHELTON. 



SEAL.] 

 SEAL.] 

 SEAL.] 



Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of- 



A. L. Frothingham, 



F. W. Eeynolds. 

 Witnesses to P. S. S. — 



Benj. L. Massitt, 



C. A. Stetson. 



