The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-05-13
ALTA VRLA.

lie Specfai w washington correspondence
of the Chicago Times, thus writes concern
ing this Guano Island, that seems to have
raised somewhat Of a lnuss in the Impeach-
ment Farce Of the Rump:
And this, very naturally, brings us to the
Alta Vela case. Some time since, charg-
ed that Logan and Others had gone into
this case, aud had promised Judge Blacks
son to put it through for him. Wits Shat
fer, Buffers late chiefof-staff, is Blacks
hired agent in the case, and the go-between,
or lobbyist, who is depended upon to fix
the members Of both houses in the interest
of the parties who claim the island. But
there was conspiracy, also, in it to get
Mr.. Johnson's lawyer away from him, in
order to have the president at an advan-
tage in the impeachment trial. The fol
lowing paper, signed as below, gives the
opinion that the United States government
has clear right to jurisdiction over Alta
Vela:
WASHINGTON. March 9, 1868.
/" Col. j. w. SHAFFER, Washington, D. g..
| "DEAR S1R-In answer to your question
relating to the validity ofthe claim Of the
| United States to the jurisdiction over the
island Of Alta Vela, upon considerable con-
sideration Of the subject, | am clearly Of
opinion that, under the claim Of the Uni
ted States, its citizens have the exclusive
right to take guano there. This is clearly
indisputable, both by the law of nations
and our municipal law. have never been
able to understand why the executive did
net long since assert the rights of the gov
ernment, ard sustain the rightsul claims of
its citizens to the possession of the island,
in the most forcible manner consistent with
the dignity and honor of the nation.
81 am, yours truly, B F. BUTLER.
81 concur in the opinion above express
ed by Gen. Butler, JOHN A. LOGAN.
! And we concur:
| al. A--GARF1ELD, THAD. STEVENS,
"W. Fl. KooNTz, j. G. BLAINE,
| "W. MooRHEAD, JNo. A. BINGHAM
i Another evidence of what is constantly
going on in this city, is the fact that the
names of these congressman are subscribed
to such document, and the fact has, o.
course, led to the very natural suspicion, i
not conclusion, that they are all interested
in the claim. This paper was inclosed BY
Judge Black in letter to the president
aud, when Black found the president anvil
d ling to interfere, as desired, in the Alts
J, Vela contest, he sent letter to Mr.. John
son Withdrawing his connection with tn
defence in the impeachment trial. The pa
per it will be seen, is dated March 9, tn
day the writ Of summons of Impeachment
: was served on Mr.. johnson. The pape
was filed with Mr.. johnson March L.
three days after articles of Impeachment
] were read in the senate. On the 10Th Q
; March, four days before the trial repnlarl
!, commenced, Judge Bland wrote letter t.
y the president, declining to serve as counse
: From a which it would appear as il tn
d gentlemen who signed this paper though
e they had presented the president the alte.
e native Of refusing their claim, which woul
deprive him Of one Of the ablest lawyers i
D the United States as his counsel, or ola
+ proving it, which, though it might hay
J. secured him the counsel, at the same tim
would place very handsome thingin the
t hands and the hands Of their friends. 'Th
0 |claim is estimated to be worth over ST
= 600 900. This Alta Vela business smell
0 mork Iii conspiracy to extort the equi'
IS alent Of money from the president. under
vi virtual threat, than does his removal I
e Stanton smell of a conspiracy to subvel
II the government. Let the people be Il
!. judges.