The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-11 00:00:00

S IT 11
SPIRIT of the PUBLIC ..19tRif '' ij:
HERALD.—Mr. Webster has spokin aCiatil..seetre'Se4;-• '
L field. He is answerable for much nee4l6llSinfrailit.t.lt46, „2.4
gerous excitement, when he tells a pdreular andienete—.4'
We
v‘ht,oei
reereacsiatsanhjanehsojsstteuyers,tsea
eydenotaahiathtms the matter of the fisheries - '27 t')e-1
inuhienhnh-foeroorNnetohsreltehpA .. hel....nav
British administrators for many wakefulnessyears past.
course
better h e
things
from o n this
one
:o1;6112"M. ourrs r r -
Webster
wnheconszi'snnlnot
He is one of those whom Dante
nodoesfsmcmraiulseceela7imits taolltathkee
Weonly had
am ex-
pectedos t
eloquent speaker, but who has
inspirationA n d y e t_imost
his place among the foremost
oos f:t , his liona
assurede ve
occhirhe
e andtas,
will
di l statelyil
He
Di gran autoritii Li for eagm
soonrbaivain' ti
.''
discover,
law, nor reason, on which to stand. Wbatndotehserhfacts,
the ground he has so rashly seized, he has
o f the E ngl i - h Government?
unTd:aptutheedyp
rhea:::
iso' violated aeetfetdialye
treaty. No ! and he cannot say se. TDe most clear and
a
Indibputublv, and let us add,
last treaty, the treaty on which this whole ques-
tion depends, not only sanctioa what they do, but
would justify much more than they intend or wish to
effect. Does he allege that, without violating the
provisions of the convention of the 20th of October,
1818, her Msjesty'e present Secretary of Stare for
Foreign Affairs has strained in any d.gree their im-
port ? Not even this is advanced. Is the complaint
that those provisions have been put in force without
necessity, and with harshness ? Something like this
is hinted. We shall soon see with what truth ; and,
brief as shall be our remarks, we can promise to dissi-
pate a whole cloud of misrepresentations. But, first,
let us say one word respecting the most vehement of
Mr. Webster's accusations. He protests against the
English Government because they have now put
upon the treaty in question an interpretation differ-
ent from that which Lord Aberdeen adopted in
1845. This is at variance with all the facts of the
case. Lord Aberdeen interpreted the treaty pre-
cisely as it is now interpreted by her Majesty's
Government; and, what is more, Mr. Everett and
the American Government, as we can show, then
accepted this same, and still, in all respects, un-
changed interpretation. On the 20th of October,
1818, the two Governments agreed, and signed the
treaty, that all along her Majesty's open coasts in
America the Americans should be allowed to take
fish at a distance from the land not less than three
dby virbtynelaowf,
marine miles. Within that distance, even on the
open coasts, the possessors of the settlement had
thispro-
prietorship
treaty expressly. Then came the question of the
international
rightter r territory o rgye n
e a
" bays, harbours, creeks, and inlets." From these
generally, and jurisdiction,
an
(with the exception of some distinctly and categori-
cally named, from Cape Ray to the Rameau Islands,
and from Cape Ray to Quirpon Islands, and even
these under certain restrictions), the American
fishermen were clearly prohibited by the convention.
Stress of weather and other extraneous exigencies were
allowed as excuse for intrusion. This being so, then
arose the question of the Bay of Fundy. The Ame-
ricanssueexsaut,eanlasnai
dvner
de
crablrdaaeimtsmeiinett
dtt
admitted
libertyrltti
omhoaiktt,
ootffhti
three
jahu
regfieheeham charactertahbreianryee,, itmw of
iitlthewhseiansfhritoghsmhOe
remark
ketdh theat t
h e requestedadvantage,iemandthis
isas
pi
permission.
.fl am
the coast on either band. ord Aberdeen, in 1844,
permission,
as
—not as a right, but as a perm We may here
as the grant of it, guarded by
reservation of, the law and right to withhold and to
withdraw it, wholly overthrow the argument
supposed " right by prescription" as against
the of a
ad-
mitted force of the treaty, for if, indeed, there then
existed a " prescriptive" and suffered possession, of
thirty years standing (as stated by Mr. Webster),
why accept it as a concession, why not protest
against it as a favour? But it is urged that it was
harsh suddenly to withdraw this leave. It is
not withdrawn. The American fishermen can
still pursue, and have not for one instant
been checked in pursuing, their avocations
in the British waters of the Bay of Fundy.
What of this American smack that has been seised ?
It was seized in that part of the Bay of Fundy where
the Americans were never allowed to fish at all—
namely, within musket shot of the British coast.
Much has been said of the duty incumbent on her
Majesty's Secretary for Foreign Affairs to have given
notice of the measures he was about to adopt. Notice
of what measures? Here is the mistake. Notice,
indeed, was given. Yet is there no change of policy
whatever, cf which a notice might be necessary.
There is merely a change from the supposed protec-
tion and inzeintenance of the undoubted rights of our
poor fishermen, to the actual protection and mainte-
nance of those rights. There is no change except
from culpable inaction to the performance of an
avowed and bounden duty. Is it necessary tor anew
Government to give notice that it intends to respect
treaties, to enforce all clear rights, and to discharge
its most sacred obligations ? Nevertheless, notice was
given to the United States Government in June last
that, for the purpose of securing to our fishermen
what remained to them of their indisputable
rights, after Lord Aberdeen's concessions, an
additional naval force (the former one
being inadequate), would be stationed in
those seas. Were the squadron twenty times
as numerous, the American fishermen will not
to prevented, even in the Bay of Fundy, from filling
their nets, provided they do so within three miles'
distance from the coast, and not under the very sha-
dow of our countrymen's homes. For such a mere
measure of police no notice was needful, though a
notice was actually given. When the French in-
crease their naval force in the British Channel for the
protection of their fishermen, they neither give a no-
tice to us, nor are we so foolishly jealous as to expect
it. Every state disposes as it pleases of its navy, and
moves it from station to station in full freedom,
without notice to other Governments. No new duty
whatever is to be performed by our ships on the
shores of our British American colonies. An old ser-
vice is to be discharged more efficientle than the force
already there was able to accomplish. tit the same
time it is to be observed that our fleet, though in-
creased, is not greater than that which she French
maintain on their own fisheries ; nor is it Anworthy
of notice that the French, against whom, 01 rather,
towards whom we have adopted the self-same mea-
sures, have evinced no such susceptibility as that
which Mr. Webster is endeavouring to excite among
our kinsmen of the United States. We must, in cone
eluding, say a word on the subject of the necessity
of these measures, and of the conditions of the
fishery, as they affect the two nations. The English
fish in the Bay of Fundb • ht. The Americans
y rig
fendly
take fish there by courtesy, and in virtue Since 1845
permission granted to a friendly state.
the two nations have dropped their _
nets into these
conditions ; and,
waters, side by side, under dissimilar coad
advantages. 'The
we may add, with very dissimila
English fishermen, who bad
carries his fish to the neighbouring
and there is compelled tohpeae'
The American brings to
otf same a
to the produce,
arighti American market,
duty of 20 per cent.
port fish which he
the liberality of the Go-
-1 has taken only in virtue
etitor, and receives a large
I vernment of his conivrbich
the welcomed intruder
bounty, the bounty
derived from the duty which the
gains being actuallys
Thus there is a double ac-
rightful posiessof P:e:iste the value of the produce to
tion in force to ne
tryPmen have a right, secured by the
which our cou:aies ;
and
a double cause at the same
most formal L
e station to enhance the price of the commo-
time in c'rhefch his rival has access only by courtesy,
dities to w
of the country to which he belongs who
the coaFteser
rso signally injured. Mr. Webster
is la
this manner -
American fishermen shall be protected
that the
says
knok and line, and bob and sinker." We also hays
"""
a 3 in those and the ,
bermen
and we want no more for them, and we have long
been content with much less than fair play for " their
hook and line, and bob and sinker."

THE ELECTRIC TELEGRA,PII.—We are glad to
learn that posts are now being put down for the erection of
the telegraph between Glasgow and Ayr. Communication
by this means between Ardrossan and the metropolis of the
west will, it is expected, be completed in about two months,
and between Ayr and those towns shortly after.—North Bri-
tish Mail.

Dlt. NEWMAN.—A correspondent says that a cir-
cular letter from Cardinal Wiseman was read on Sunday a
all the Roman Catholic chapels in London, requesting the
congregations to contribute towards the expenses of th
late trial. The means to be used for carrying out this ob-
ject are left to the discretion of the priests, and in most
places a collection will be made after each of the servicese_f!
next Sunday. The letter states that Dr. Newroan's
•x-
-penes amount to 7,500/., and that of this 2,5001. has bee's
already collected.
I\lr. T. C. Granger, Q.C., which took Pinthe representa -
DURHAM (CITY).—In consequence of the death of
'York on Thursday last, there is a vacancy 1
Thursday, and there
the Temple Church, London, nest tion of this city. DlNGranger's remains *II
until after that
of the Marquis of Lon-
be interred in
Protectionist candidate at the
PMartnYlL W. Fenwick,
Nevviellnbte;
bnuotaLc toirvde
Asdteoplis,htusalteNn,.abßyen,eitnner
lastlon Lon-
donderry,
election,an dwtihlle
again defeated himself.oa,errr9
ward in the Liberal
of South South Hill, will be bro
defeated by Mr. Atherton by some
terest. Lord A. Vane waslast
election, and the contest will
three or four votes at the
influential electors put them-
Grey, but in con-
selves in communicsataiWith
arrangements the Right Hon. Baronet
.so mes After
ir
Gtheeorgdeeath of Mr. Granger
nlsseeaqcsueskesnnacoreiNlyyonf bpinereavvicolaiuosrshnet:onimonnie
put in nomination, otherwise the
declined having h
new Ca-
NEW issued by the Postmaster-General, which came into
gulation s
po
I.oreerniscescußreEtGouhLimlT.
ioN._By a
sintge
week,b all letters posted in the United .
dom, or w
must either have a stamp thereon, or be sent
kingdonf,
oi
ounl di
liashtshativne
the
metropolitan district for places in
ey being allowed.
id, no prepayment by means of mon , . lifying the
unpaid,
imp
This new regulation will have the effect of s
collection of
ouiehil accounts, and also of keeping theactual
the POSt-Offict au-
the revenue more directly in the hands of ,
_.
seat
awt
au-
thorities at St. Martin'a-le-Grancl thAA I).wre