Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-20
THE LoBOs ISLANDS QUESTION.

Having understood that a settlement had been
made between the Department of State and the Pc
ruyian Minister of the Lobos difficulty, we have
made inquiry in the proper quarter, and have re-
ceiyed the following authentic information to the
nature of the arrangement.
1t will be recollected that Mr.. WEBSTER, in his
letter OF the 2lst of August which was laid before
Congress and has been extensively published, in
formed the Peruvian Charge d'Afaires that the
United States would still consider the question Of
the Lobos Islands an open one and give full con-
sideration to any arguments or facts which might
be adduced to show the possession and occupancy of
those islands by Peru; that Mr.. CLAY, our Charge
at Lima, should be written to for information and
that in the mean time the order of the 5th of June,
by which Commodore McCAuLEY was directed to pro-
tect American vessels in taking guano from the Lobos
islands, should be suspended, which was done on the
oath Of August Communications were received
from Mr. CLAY in advance Of the dispatches sent
him for that purpose; and the arrival of the
Peruvian Envoy, Mr.. J. J. DE OsMA, an able note
was addressed by him to Mr.. WEBSTER, in support
of the claims of his Government. Further commu-
nications of the greatest Importance have from time
to time been received from Mr.. CLAY, and through
him from the Peruvian Government at Lima.
The subject having been fully reconsidered, and
the arguments and facts derived from the sources
just mentioned, and from various other quarters,
having been duly weighed, the PRESIDENT came to
the conclusion, which was unanimously concurred
in by the Cabinet, that it was just and proper to
withdraw the objections taken by the late Secretary
of State to the rights of Peru, and to acknowledge
unreservedly her sovereignty over the Guano Islands
on her coast and in her possession. 1t would have
been in the Presidents power to stipulate, as the
condition of this acknowledgment that Peru should
make liberal provision for the American vessels
chartered under the order of the 5th of June but,
having made up his mind that the title of Peru
was clear, and that it had been hastily questioned
by the United States, it seemed to him right to
make the acknowledgment voluntarily and without
condition
tits but just to Peru say that the confidence thus
reposed in her Government has not been disappointed
1t was already known, from a communication of
the Minister of Foreign Affairs to Mr.. Clay, that
hthe Government of Peru was willing to freight on
her own account the American vessels chartered for
guano, and that notification to this effect ad-
dressed to American vessels in the Pacific had been
published by Mr.. Clay The Peruvian Minister at
Washington has given effect to this intention of his
Government. He has addressed a note to the Sec
rotary of State, in which he engages that the Pc
ruvian Government WILL its own account, freight
at twenty dollars per ton all the vessels which left
the United States for the Lobos Islands between the
9th of June and the 18th of August that the Pc
ruvian Government will buy at fair price the i'm
PIGMENTS and utensils carried out by these vessels
be used in procuring guano and that vessels in the
Pacific chartered under orders sent before the 25th
of August, and which could not be countermanded,
shall be included in the arrangement on condition
of reporting to the agents of the Peruvian Govern
ment in the United States before the 1st of Janu
AIRY, 1858.
Such on both sides is the substance of the terms
on which this embarrassing affair has been disposed
of; to the advantage, we have no doubt, of thu
parties interested and the honor of the two Govern
ments
As our readers may regard the information giver
above as authentic, we feel at liberty to congratu
late the Government on so speedy an adjustment Of
a matter which seemed pregnant with difficulty
but which has yielded to the frank and direct man
ner in which the Administration has met and
treated it.