New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-17
THE FISHERIES.
SPEECH OF WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
IN THE U. 8. SENATE, AUGUST IA, 1859.

T..
arrested on Thursday last, question had just
arisen whether the Executive administration had
been censured here for it's conduct in regard to
this subject.
The honorable Senator from Virginia, Mr.. Ma
SOM Chairman of the Committee on Foreign he
atoms, when addressing the Senate. remarked
that il the President had done his duty, the whole
naval force of the country had been already sent
into the Northeastern seas to protect the rg"eso
American fishermen against British cannon. Inc
honorable Senator from Maine Mr. u AhLlN Tue
honorable and distinguished Senator from M'ch'-
gan [Mr. Cas-. ! and the honorable Senator from
Arkansas Mr. BoRLAND, declared that tney iuiy
concurred IN all that had been said by the honora-
lie Senator from Virginia.
Now II is quite certain that the whole naval
co,ce ofthe country has not even yet been sent
;n,o those seas and | suppose 1t equally certain
that at that time more had been sent there.
the honorable Senator from Arkansas Mr.
BoRIANDl expressed astonlshnent and regret
that the President had not, without call, sent
here all the information which he possessed. lie
complaned that the Secretary OF state had treat
cd the subject wrongly in what has been called
his proclamation that it " cast doubts on the
right Of the fishermen Abiding 10 the rnmored
negotiation at Dir. Websteis country residence,
he declared his opinion that the place was III
chosen ard indeed That negotiation there, or even
here under the circumstances ought to be repro
bated altogether. The honorable Senator from
Connecticut lMr. ToUCNl asked what was the
meaning OF the notice published by the secretary
of State-wss il designed TO induce our fishermen
to retire from their pursuits; 70 invite us to surren
der the RE hts secured to us bN the convention OF
1877 The honora lie Senator was plea,ed - express
bs or Ow that he could have confidence In tue ad
mnislaiion and also on oyinlon that Il needed TO be
prorpted The honorable aud esteemed Senator troH
Louisiana M SotLE) eas more cautious blt even he
complained that Ct rights In the I'd
"blually been torn away "iu the midst OF tue most
profound peace" and when Ensiand vas necessarily
receiving most profuse tokens and manifestations OF
copdesceps!on and was allowed to turn TO her own adj
vantage and profit the good will INDUCED ward u by
Nicaragua, and had been allowed TO Introduce her
bankers into Treasury agents in The payment OF
our debt 10 Mexico These, said the Senator, vi re-
peat IL again, are strange unes indeed" Again that
Senator areu. d. that Mr Webster had erred when ne
seid in THO notice published by him, that 1t was Al
oversight in the American Government to have made
large concession to Great Britain in the Convention OF
lsls' Further, the honorable Senator said
We may for ausht we know, have negotiated away by
treaty branch oftur revenue with the hope that we would
se the roaming on but the lion still roars II scans and
will roar until he fghtens out OF those bounds the par
cpaon in ch acquired by original 1ccupation j. not
Otherwise which we retained az cumulative element OF
cur separate existence nation which s,lf cnId
wie, which hold under or favor OF
the highest sanctions OF the laws OF n'ons for 10 the an
euege redeemed gOtOTs who signed the Con-
Of 1918, ours right which cannot exclusively be-
long or he granted ny any nation Sir ask It OF YOU
would that he attitude becoming THIS great country Bat
believe not in these rumors cannot have escaped that
wise and GIFTED person who holds the SEALS OF tho
State whose mind and exalted patriotism equal
to any enesencies that negotiate under sarh crcur-
spects be- sink in tie dust what Of PRIDE what OF
dignity what Cf homer have grown to In the rapid
race which we rad been running since we became
nation"
dsclam the idea, that these structures mpue wan.
ofuatrotism or Of fidelity 10 the administration bur,
when taken together with the facts which they assume
they seem 10 Import censure OF this effect ana
extept VIZ: that her Britannia mejestys Government
has recently Get up anew construction Of the conven-
ton Of lSS, By which II proposes now to draw lines
from chief headand to chief headsnd and thus 10 es
clude American fishermen from the Bays OF Fundy,
Chaleur and Mlsnachl, and also from the Straits OF
Northumberland, and the Gu. OF Censo all Of which
have hitherto been enjoyed by our fishermen and that
her Britannia Meesty's Government has sent large
naval Into those waters to enforce that new con-
.,rucop md has 80 attempted to bring u to negotiate
That the Executive has not acted with sufficient promp
mes; and decision, has no. properly resented Insult
ar an irdgnlIy received and has already negotiated
or may be negotiating, about to negotiste In the
presence Of that naval force, in derogaton If the
Interest or diouity honor of the United States, and
that rt at Britain has been embodened and rendered
thus psOient by previCus diplomatic trunphs the
present Administration.
Sir take leave 10 say tia. there is presumption,
violent presumption against the soundness and the
ustuess of all such There Is want of firm.
Of boldness In asserting American nga,s hsre
or in the House of Representatives. Experience has
thowp, that the Executive department has generally
been quite IS firm sud as bold as Congress Sir, tho
Fisheries commercial interest By peculiar ii iel
lily In guarding such Interests this AID naistaton las
desorve6y gained the confidence Of the commercial
clssseF the Conservative classes Of the Country Tao
fisheries practically aud peculiarly Northern in.
terest Ia the geographical bal tnce they we're once
10 pt at.ai.n Al
The President of the UDited States and the Secretary
of State are Northern men Eacn beSao aud when nc
shall have closed his public career, each H rest la the
associations OF the North.
More than ths, the fisheries are an Interest OF the
States OF Massachusetts, and aue which practically
undivided and nseparable In commercial fortunss
The Secretary OF State whose department this prop
eTly belongs Is OF Msssachusetts-isit too mach
10 say the MAN Of NAssACHUsETrsi The ocean, with
its fisheries washes the shore of the farm which nc
dwsls. Nay, Sir, ne is an angler himself, told
and Of course he Is good one tor he ia not half half
In anything he tlls the sea, and fear his principal
hsrvests gathered upon t-are gathered with the
line, and not with the sickle. There ia strong pre-
sumption that the Secretary would be faithful 70 an in
terest TO himself and the constituency - whom
he chief owes the org public life which he enjoyed
distin guished artist OF country earic1ei our
academies with national painting. 1t represe0, the
Secretary OF State defending the hOlOr and fame OF
Massachusetts against the elolQence OF an eminent
orator Of South Carolina, Mr. hlyne That 10 a hsfo!c
piece Jet honorable Senators here take care
co NOT provoke tne RItlst 10 prOddc5 comic ,unt3F
part. In which the Senators from hrkaoBas and out
,iana Mr. Borland aud Mr.. S,u'6l may be presented
In the act Of saving Massachusetts from dcso'atlDn
brought through the timdity Of own her chosen
srd honored statesmen. Such picture might enter
into and intercsting series OF political iliustra
tons TO DO entitled 1.-THE vsgares Of a Presidential
Election"
Mr. President the state,man thus impeached for
want Of bCldpess and rmneEs In defending his coun
tIy's maritime tights, Is he who replied 20 Great
Britain when Claiming for the lsst Il oc the rlgat to
"search" American vessels. ." The ocean Is the
sptere OF The law OF nations" Every vessel GA the
is by that law under the protection of the Ia
Of her own nation" "Thc practice of inoressing
setmsu from American vessels cannot hereafter be al
lowed to tase place" In every Tegularly.d1cu.
menied American merchant vessel, the who uavi.
gate It will lind their protection in the isg which Is
over them"
Sir, the statesman thus impeached f,r being unrsli-
ale in defending the interests OF Massachusetts IL no
Who In The memorable debate TO which have referred
achieved his triumph with the words:
shall enter on no encoa'um upon Massachusetts She