What did Millard Filmore negotiate with Peru?

Answer 1

In 1852 the United States and Peru were seriously close to armed conflict and all this fuss was over guano, large deposits of bird feces. Just before and immediately following the American Civil War, Agriculturists in the United States were seeking an effective fertilizer to reverse decades of exhaustive farming practices. This is where guano comes in. Experimented with in the 1840s, by US and UK enthusiasts, the restorative properties of guano were introduced to North America and it was even said that it was "worth its weight in gold." While this is not exactly true, it demonstrates North American farmer's views of the substance.

However as with any "miracle" substance, when demand is much greater than supply, conflict inevitably results. The Peruvian monopoly of guano exportation from the Lobos Islands (~30 miles off the coast of Peru) was a sore spot for some in the United States, as the island's contents were being held as a reserve by the Peruvian government. It was at this point that Secretary of State Daniel Webster authorized the protection of a group of "guano-preneurs" who wished to harvest the islands resources. It was this breach of Peruvian sovereignty that caused the conflict with Peru and would ultimately necessitate the intervention of President Fillmore.