AVES ISLAND. 131 



of right or title to tlie said isle or the guano thereon ; and her only 

 pretenses in justification for the forcible expulsion of your memo- 

 rialist's workmen and agent therefrom, and for despoiling him of 

 his property, are, that your memorialist's agent was not a commis- 

 sioned officer of the United States, authorized to hoist the flag of the 

 United States thereon and occupy the same ; and a fraudulent paper 

 in Spanish, alleged by it to admit the title of Venezuela, procured by 

 misrepresentation, crime, and violence, by the officers of Venezuela from 

 the agent of your memorialist, though said agent was without author- 

 ity to sign the same. And your memorialist annexes hereto a sketch 

 showing the location of said Shelton's Isle with reference to several 

 of the West India Islands and to the coast of Venezuela, by which it 

 will be seen that said isle is more than three hundred and fifty miles 

 from the latter, whilst it is less than half the distance from several of 

 the former ; and, being separated from it by the open sea, Venezuela 

 has no claim upon the ground of contiguity or being appurtenant. 



8. That your memorialist claims that, until otherwise declared by 

 a law of the United States, he was and is entitled, as the discoverer of 

 said desert and desolate guano rock called Shelton's Isle, to the exclu- 

 sive use of the guano thereon and of said isle, in virtue of said dis- 

 covery and his possession aforesaid, the soveignty and jurisdiction 

 thereof being vested thereby in the United States; but that your 

 memorialist is informed that his claim to said exclusive ownership of 

 said guano and said isle is contested, and alleged to be invalid, unless 

 the federal government of the United States do recognize the same 

 and vest said ownership in him by joint resolution or act of Congress 

 to that effect. 



Therefore, your memorialist, humbly but confidently relying upon 

 the just and liberal protection and aid of Congress, prays that such 

 resolution or act may be passed for the benefit of himself^ and associ- 

 ates, specially referring to said isle, and confirming the right of your 

 memorialist and his associates thereto, provided your honorable bodies 

 may deem such action requisite to confirm said right; or that such 

 other action may be had in the premises to obtain and secure your 

 memorialist justice, as to the wisdom of your honorable bodies may 

 seem meet. 



And your memorialist, as in duty bound, will ever pray. 



PHILO S. SHELTON, for self and others, 

 By H. S. SANFORD, Attorney in fact. 



Derby, Connecticut, April 19, 1856. 



Mr. Marcy to Mr. Sanford. 



Department of State, 



Washington i May 1, 1856. 

 Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of 

 the 19th ultimo, with the inclosed copy of Mr. Shelton's memorial to 

 Congress. 



I am, sir, &c., W. L. MARCY, 



Henry S. Sanford, Esq., 



Derby, Connecticut. 



