282 AVES ISLAND. 



those whom they considered as disturbers of their lawful possessions. 

 Notwithstanding this, they complied with the summons ; and this 

 proves that the consciousness of their duty was more powerful than the 

 conviction of their indisputable superiority. Their departure was vol- 

 untary, rather than enforced. Mr. Eames has no doubt vieAved it in 

 this light, since, up to this moment, he has confined his reclamation 

 to the payment of an indemnity, and not to the requirements of an 

 evacuation and surrender of the island, which he would have demanded 

 in the case of a violent and illegal spoliation. 



On the other hand, we must take in consideration the fact, that con- 

 temporaneously with the deliberation on the note of the 31st of March, 

 one of the most laborious of Congresses was in session, and one so be- 

 cause its duties turned upon no less an object than the reformation of 

 the institutions and of the general laws, which were to be shaped in 

 harmony with the- alterations made in the organic law. All of these 

 demanded tKe unceasing and undivided attention of the Executive 

 power. One of the points on which his action was most applied and 

 concentrated, was the treaty concluded in the course of the preceding 

 year between the two countries, which but for such action, would have 

 evidently been disapproved from the very incipiency of the debates, so 

 great were the objections by which it was combatted, so great the op- 

 position raised against it, so deep and various the parliamentary strat- 

 agems devised by its antagonists for the purpose of preventing its 

 acceptance. And it is to be observed that whilst its success was 

 wrapped in uncertainty, namely, until the day of the adjournment of 

 Congress, on the 20th of May, when with the resolution of adjourn- 

 ment the decree of approval was passed, Mr. Eames, though without 

 any exception as to day or time, however inopportune, he had frequent 

 access to the Department of Foreign Eelations never denied to his 

 expressed wishes, urged no action on the Aves question, a decision on 

 which he afterwards insisted on in a summary and peremptory manner. 



The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to tender to his 

 excellency the Secretary of State of the United States, the assurances 

 of his distinguished consideration. 



JACINTO GRJTIEEEEZ. 



The Secretary of State op the United States. 



Mr. Sanford to Mr. Cass. 



La Union, San Salvador, 



September 29, 1857. 

 Sir: I desire to send to Boston immediately a copy of the power of 

 attorney in my favor of P. S. Shelton and Sampson & Tappan in the 

 Aves Island case, a copy which duly collated is on the files of the de- 

 partment, the original of which is not at this moment in my possession. 



