The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-07

House ofReprcscntatives.

THRTYJTHIRD CONGRESS-.
SECOND SESSION.
House Representatives.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1866.
Mr.. MAXWELL, (dem.) Of Fla, asked but did not OBJ
tain leave to offer resolution calling the President
of the United States to furnish the House with the mum
ber Of persons holding situations In the departments
designating those appointed since March the 4th 1853
stating the number OF foreign birth.
Mr.. READY offered joint resolution which was
passed excluding the public printers and superintendent
OF public printing from the benefit of the resolution
passed at the last session giving extra compensation
the employees Of the legislative department Of the
Mr.. CInGMAN asked the unanimous consent of the
House to make personal explanation. 1t is due to
make IT, There is q statement in some Of the news
papers relative to the remarks of the gentleman Of vr-
ginia, Mr. Bayly the Chairman ohe Committee on For
egn Affairs the other day, upon the question of offer
ing the mediation Of this country to the European
powers engaged in war, which, IT has gone cut,
bers OF the committee. / wish TO state that
when the committee, two three weeks ago,
port the mediation proposition, the circumstance
alluded to by Mr.. Bayly not known TO the members
OF that committed In point Of fact II made known
20 me- as well as TO the gentleman only the very day
previous to my speaking the subject This fact ought
10 be understood because the members Of the commit
tee would not probably have acted as they did with
knowledge Of the circumstance. l say further, that
when that mmunication made | informed the
gentleman Virginia that in Difference to the nforma-
fion received it would not be necessary for him to
call the committee to reconsider the subject for would
w the right for as mt to on the sub
in my Judgment change at all the proprety Of making
the movement suggested But for reasons which 1t is
mot proper for to state, decline taking steps at
this time. This much desire to be understood in JUS
tice to the opinions Of the committee and to myself
The House then went into Committee on Private Bills
passing seventeen of them.
Adjourned to Tuesday.
Our Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 80, 1854.
The Anneyation Of the Galapagos Group-Ihe
Run,or of Treaty for them Faise-The Source of
the RHmor-Guano Spec1iatrs--W What these
Islands are Worth GaluaniS,ng Guano Stock
Doings in Congress- United States Supreme
Court.
Il seems to be generally conceded here that the
rumored treaty with this government for the pur.
chase Of the Galapagos Islands IL q humbug. Gen.
Gushing and Secretary Dobbin say that they know
nothing of it, and never heard OF 1t till they read 1t
In the public prints. The Consul General Of Ecus-
dor, Mr. Palmer, whose position gives him the right
to be informed Of any such negotiations as those
published, has never had word from his govern
ment upon this subject. The crcums .ances of the
case seem to indicate that this rumor is put in cir
culation by company of spectators, whose object
is to turn penny or relieve themselves from an
improbable enterprise, by this false report. Some
three years ago, Mr.. Palmer, acting under in
structions from the proper authorities Of his gov.
ernment advertised the most valuable Of the Gala
pagos group-the st. Charles-to lease for q term
of years. He never succeeded in disposag OF the
Island in this way, bat his publishing 1t called the
attention of the public especially to its deposits of
guano, and since that time company Of spectators
have been organized for the importation and traffic
this deposit. 1t is reported that Senator BENZ amin
United States Senator from Louisiana is interested
in this company. Whether this is SO or not, can.
not say. only know that he is now iu far-oT
Southern climes, instead of attending to his dntes
aa Senator at Washington, expressly eDgag ged in
this very gusno speculation, and not acting either
in any public capacity or as the agent OF ths gov
ernment. Mr.. White, the American representative
in Perm Is also suspected OF being deeply Interested
In this guano company. This speculative org lniza-
tion, IL seems has not turned out so well as was
at first expected, and the shares of the company If
brought into the market without some special spe-
cifc, would probably go about as well uoder the
hammer of the anctioneer, as Crystal Psla,e sto *
In its old age Like the object Of nv com 2aris,n,
the Guano Company wanted gavanizing TO make
the stock CO. and the first step tais was the
circulation Of the report that the Galapagos Island.
are about TO be annexed to the United States, and
by this means give them fictitious value for the
raising of the guano stock. Accordingly the Pana-
ma papers come. out with flaming articlas anuounc
ing to the world the important and special news
that the Galapagos group are about TO become a
part and portion Of the American Union. Mr..
White suspected Of furnishing these very articles
Mind you, the Quito papers, the papers at the seat
Of the Peruvian government which above all
others were the most likely to know Of such
treaty being on foot as this, are all quiet
npon the subje'.; 81 Is II possible 20 .ss = that we
group, aud the government Of whom we purchase
are ignorant Of lsuch action, even in Its capital Is
it likely that the Washington representatives Of the
foreign government with which we treat, and
fhrouOh whOm that government carries neQO-
tiations with u.s. would be entirely ignorant Of any
such proceeding Yet so 1t would seem in this
case for none OF the Peruvian representatives here
know anything about treaty between this govern
ment and Peru for the Galapagos group, other than
what has appeared in the newspapers. To discuss
the benefits Of annexation, the acquisition of this
Islands is entirely barren. not Affording even
spring Of water in the whole Of them to quench the
thirst Of their vsiters. They lay directly under
the equator, and consequently very difficult to be
worked. Not single bird, even, nov inhabits
them, the aquatic bird which made the de-
posits of guano having disappeared, 1t is sup
posed. centuries ago; and objection. last bat
home, cheaper, better and more fertilizing in its
quality. To sum the story all up, then, from the
facts which have set forth, the report Of the Ga
hgagos annexation Is only ahumbug "a bait put out
70 catch gudgeonsl by White, Benj.min Co., who
wish to dispose Of their stock in the guano trade.
Let the Panama papers print this treaiy-bogus or
not is immaterial-let the press generally catch
up tne rumor and spread " 70 the world, ana IN the
excitement Of valuable acquisitions OF territory
inexhaustIble deposits Of Ruanc-rcher than Cali
fornia gold mines-a perfect Eden, and all that
the guano stock will sell well In Downing as well
as Wall street This Is the correct story and all the
truth there is In the Galapagos snnexion.
TheIYIouse met to-day, butiwas in session for about
half an hour only, and then adjourned till Tuesday
next. On Tuesday: senstor Badger calls up in the
Senate his bill for the increase Of the pay
Of members Of Congress. Nothing Of partf
cular importance was done today in the House.
In the Supreme Court yesterday, the suit Of
Charles n. AcElsr, administrator and permanent
trustee Of Lyde Goodwin, appellant, against George