The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-07-03

! article was coupled another'by which, Il was
agreed that the subjects of Great-Britain
should have, at all times, free access from the
British territories, by land or inland navigation,
! into the territories of the United States to the
river Mississippi, with their goods and eiTectt,
| in order to enjoy the navigation of that river
! ms secured by the treaty of peace, and by the
/ treaty Of commerce of 1874. And it was
J further agreed, that the subjects of Great
Britain should have free access TO all the wa
tiers and rivers falling into the western side of
| the Mississippi, and TO the navigation of the
said river. A change in the British ministry
! produced a suspension Of this negotiation, and
1t was not afterwards resumed. A letter from
the then Secretary of State to Messrs. Mon
roe and PincSney, is quoted by Mr.. Adams, to
show the opinion Of President Jefferson on the
subject. This letter permits the Commission
ers to stipulate for the access by British sub
| jects by land OF inland navigation from the
BntishGerritories, through the territories of the
United States, to the river Mississippi, with
| their goods and effects, such articles having
| paid all the duties, within the custom-house
| regulations, applicable to goods and effects of
| the citizens Of the United States. Access
through the territory of the .United States to
the waters running into the western side of
granted to British subjects.
Such was the state of things at the COM
! mencement of the war of l8l2, and when the
question again come up for adjustment at
Client. In the conference between the com
missioners of both nations at Client, on the
| 18th of August, 1914, the British claimed !,
new h,'e, from Lake Superiour to the NIissisip-
| pi, and the navigation of that river. To this
n mis- n.eHf OH cd n
manti,,g a cession of the territory. The Brit
ish commissioners disclaimed demanding u
cession Of territory, and asserted that their OBJ
| ject was to bring the subject of the line into
discussion, ami stating that they would accedc
90 the boundary being fixed by line from the
lake of the woods to the Mississippi. On the
| 10th of Nov. 1914, the American ministers
sent the first project of treaty 10 the British
commissioners, which contained no article re-
lating either to the fisheries or the Mississippi,
but was accompanied by note stating that
the American government did not consider the
fishing liberties as forfeited by the war, and
that they would remain in full force without
any new grant to confirm them.
This project of treaty offered tie bounda-
ry line proposed IN 1907, q line north or south
to lat. 40, and westward on that parallel as
tar as the territories of tie two countries tx-
tended, saying nothing about the Mississippi.
The British c,epted as the boundary the 80 h
| parallel OF latitude westward from the Lake of
the Woods, but added to Tie article stipala-
ton that British subjects should have access
from the British territories through the terrific
ries OF the United States to the river Missisip.
pI, and enjoy the free navigation Of that river
1t was to meet this demand that the Americ AN
MINISTERS proposed striking out the whole of
tins addition Of the British, and substituting
the article confirming the American right TO
the fisheries and the British right TO the navi-
CATION OF the Mississippi. Two days before
Offering this article they received instructions
from Washington authorizing them to conclude
treaty on the basis of the status ante bclllint
including the fisheries on one side, and the
navigation OF the Mississippi on the other. At
the same time that they offered this stipulation
| they proposed, if more acceptable to the Brit
| ISL, total omission of both subjects, leaving
! them for future adjustment. This was finally
| agreed upon, but not till after the British had
f, proposed an article, that after the peace the
| parties should negotiate the terms on which
| the United States should again enjoy the fish
| ing liberties in consideration Of fair equiva-
| lent to be granted by tte United States for
| such liberty. This the Ameriean n4ission con-
sidered as amounting to surrender of the
fishing liberty and accordingly promptly re-
| jecte,t the propc.al.
| Mr.. Adams says, in perusing ehheWversion
| of Mr.. Russcll's letter, he q cannot but re-
feet with gratitude TO Provide nee, on the
| slender thread by which the rights Of this ma
ton to the fisheries were in fact suspended at
the negotiation of Client. Had the majority
concugred with him Mr.. RUSSELL in his opin-
ion OF the total abrogation of the treaty OF
1913, by the mere fact Of the wzE, the fisher
! les in the Cuff of St. Lawrence, on the coast
| OF Labrador, and 10 an indefinite extent from
, the Island of Newfoundland, were lost TO the
! Emitted States forever, or at least till the in
dignant energy of the nation should have re-
covered by conquest, the rights thus surren-
dered to usurpaton.n
The question respecting the fisheries was f.
naliy settled by convention of the Goth OF
| October, 1873, by which the United States re-
nounce forever that part Of the Gshing liberties
which they enjoyed or claimed in those pacts
>ot The exclusive jurisdiction ofBritish Provin-
ces within three marine miles of the shores,
and IN return acquired an enlarged liberty OF
fishing and drying fish within the other parts
of the british Jurisdiction forever By the
/, same convention, adds Mr.. Adams, the A0,h
| parallel Of latitude was fixed on as the boun-
Diary, and neither the navigation of the Missi-
sippi nor access to it was asked in return.
| These are conclusive facts-facts ap-
Pealing not to the prejudiccs OF the jeaI-
ousies, but 10 the sound sense and sober
Judgment Of men. Without yielding at
adj to Mr.. Russell in my s'trust in God
and the valour Of the West" | have an
| equal trust in the same Divine BEING. as