Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-06-25
WASHINGTON NEWS AID GOSSIP.

HsShINuiVA tCfD htp UOoNi.
Shelton's Ialand.-The Mr. Shelton, of Bos
ton, Mass. the importer of Mexican guano,
Who vas sent of, bag and baggage, from AYES
isl3nd, in the Caribbean sea, by the Ve1eIus.
Ian Government. is now here urging the Presi-
dent and Secretary Of State to taia active mea-
sures to place him again on the island named
above, (which has Of late been called by his
name0 and to procure for him the damages he
claims 70 have sustained a. the hands of the
Venezuelan officials. The island, It will be
remen red ID barren shosl in the Caribbean
sea, son we hundred miles from tho Vene-
zuelan coast, about mile square, and without
fresh water on it, and wa certainly dsrelict,
under the letter and spirit Of the law of ma
sieas, until Mr. Skeletons enterprise led him
to sp nd large amount OF money to render
its treasures-some twenty or thirty thousand
tons of guano, remarkably rich in phosphate
of lime-available to the sgricultura lists Of
this country. He sent out laborers to dig and
load it, with provisions and water, 30, and
had loaded and sent off several cargoes, when
a Venezuelan schooner of war dispossessed his
operatives. This was doubtless done under q
bargain with Philadelphia company, who
promised Venesuela 5000 600 and royalty Of
81 PEI ton for being put into possession By that
power, with q further agreement to defend
themselves il possession and the sovereignty
Of Venezuela over the island, but who, for
reasons best known to themselves did not pay
the 5000, GOO through their agent il Philadel
phis, as per agreement-that persSn having
failed 10 cash the draft.
The case, we are incliosd to believe is COIN.
plicated By claims to the island put forth re
Gently by both England and France, neither
of whom, if We are not mistaken, car show he
least apology for title to it, this government
having met their respective claims by de
rnanding the production of the titles on which
they are based. We believe, also, that the
Philadelphia company are urging on the
President and Secretary Of State the propriety
Of holding the Venezuelan government re
| sponsible for alleged lssses on their part,
growing out of the alleged failure Of Vene
Ecela to carry out the stipuiaticus Of the con-
| tract under which she dispossessed Shelton.
Our sympathies, from tho best information
within our reach at this time, are warmly
With Mr.. Shelton, because all the world knows
him for man Of great enterprise, who has
materially benefited his country by bringing
into the United States markets large quaint
ties IF Mexican guano, which, bu, Tor his OK.
ertiCDs, hight have remained through ali time
unavailable for agriculture We hope thers-
fore, that the President and Secretary of State
will find it within their power to prosecute
bis clain with prOmptness and vigor, and also
to rein.tate him in possession of the so vslua-
Bile island or sboal
ihs sasua Ia Grands Affair-Nr Thonp-
'on, the late American Vice Consul or Con,ular
Agent at Sagus la Grande, Cuba, is Low in
this city, at Willard's He comes, We hear,
10 lay his case before the Government That
49, his claim for damages to his business, prop
erty, and person, sustained at the and, of the
Spanish authorities In the affair mentioned
above. We take it for granted that they will
DC rated at high figure, az it is Said that he
claim: TO have lost much, pecuniarily, by the
treatment he received ct the hands of the &C.
ionial authorities. One not az fat at Wash.
| lDgton has little idea Of the rumber and ez.
tent of such claims, which are annually laid
before the authorities of our country, to be
urged by them on foreign Governments They
are generally we'll founded, though they rare
ly fail to be greatly exaggerated. Our cOun,
trymen, md even our officials abroad are
moEs subject to abuse by the authorities of
weak Governments that respect neither the
rights Of their own citizens or others, when
they think they may assail them salty, than
are those Of si;hcr France or England, because
of tbs comparative weakness Of our naval
force, and also because our Government has
until very recently, been exceedingly slow to
contend, abroad, for all the rights Of all its
citizens and representatives; a characteristic
incident to our early policy of isolation, which
is now, However, giving way to the necessities
Of our 60 rapidly increasing commerce in all
directions
The Maine Liquor Law in New York We
nave private advices to- day, On which We rely.
satisfying US that Mayor Wood has determined
to be guided by the construction put On the
liquor lew by the counsel Of the corporation
Of New Yoik, who Is OF opinion that it a. no
application whatever on the sale Of imported
liquOrs-sO there will be just as much liquor
as ever drankin New York aftsr the 4th prox
and perhaps little more, flor spite.)
We, arc now, happily, exempt from all fear
Of violent commOtion or collision in Wash.
ington over the Maine liquor law. friend
won't into Know Nothing lodge not long
stree, where he saw the lion and the lamb
lying down together, !. .. Brother Ulysses in
the chair, supported on either side BY two
jolly good fellows-Andy H., End our clever
fat fellow citizen who holds ont on cornsr of
Seventh and L streets
lecapitated We have every reason to be-
live that an order went from the Treasury
Department some days ago, for tn. removal
from the Mobile Custom Bouss NJ Gan A