The daily union., 1852-08-07

What the number OF lives, the number of TONS and the
value OF vessels would be, if could get correct es
mates from all the ports il is impossible tell but this
table exhibits at single glance the great hazard which is
experienced by fishermen in the pursuit of their law
ful calling The life OF fisherman is not only one which
deprves him OF the comforts of hone but a constant
OF disaster and danger More severe toll is endured
by none He abors harder and obtains a smaller return
than is afforded in any other branch of industry
have thus briefly, Mr. President, called the attention
of the Senate to the importance of these fisheries as the
great aud fountain OF commercial and naval
prosperity. and the great fountain and OF the
mercial and naval prosperity OF every maritime nation
that has existed. Thus hastily have presented as far
as have been able, the amount the value of our fish
cries. the number OF men employed and the productions
OF these hsheres-a showing their importance, and i'm
posing upon US the obligation TO maintain the Just rights
OF our ishermen and TO sustain them in what properly
belongs 10 them.
A few more words, sir and shall have done and in
these few words shall invite the attention Of the Senate
the character OF the whom are called upon to
protect whose interests are involved, whose rights
invaded, and who here to Call upon us to stand by
them they have stood by the flag their country in the
day and hour OF trial and peril.
These come here and claim OF us the protection
which nation TO them; and it is a pro,ec-
ton that we must give TO them shall be failhless
to the trust reposed in We have induced them TO
embark their all upon this perous enterprise We have
induced them by bountes, and encouraged them for
commercial and maritime purposes TO pass their lives
upon the stormy ocean and there, sir il is-in sunshine
and in storm-that they following that vocation
which fits them Tor, or makes them the best the
world produce Our government has given 10 them
just right TO protection by insisting, from the treaty OF
l7S3 and from the treaty of 1Sls and by The principles
of international law, that they have right to fish within
those waters. But it is said that they are now TO be
prohibited; and sir, If their vessels are 10 be sezed
they be excluded from those waters-f their yes
sells TO be conhscaed-hen this immense amount OF
property, thus invested, will become useless and leave
them want and beggary, prison in foreign jals
Many of them, indeed have embarked their all in the
enterprise In the great majority OF these fisheries
are conducted by who own the vessels in small
shares, who have the ability to own the whole
vessel. Few instances be found where a single
fishing vessel is owned BY single individual They are
divided into very small fractions They are built they
are sailed, they conducted by the men who own
them in fractional parts
We shall need these men hereafter we shall need
them have needed them to fight battles upon
the ocean and upon the lakes God grant, sir that the
time may come when the supremacy OF our com.
merce upon the shall be tested by the force of
arms. Still, Judging from the past-and we know that
the past is "phllosophy teaching by examp,e"-ws may
suppose that that supremacy is always TO be main
tanned by peaceful and quiet movements We should be
prepared when that struggle shall arrive 10 thai
moment And when that time shall come. il is the Amer
lean fisherman who TO hight your battles; it s your
American fisherman who 10 to hight them as he fought
them 10 the OF 1872 Then, when the British gov
eminent threatened TO sweep little but gallant navy
from the bosom OF the ocean sink il in its vortex and
70 annihale our commerce. II was the fishermen from
and all along coast, who rallied with
patriotic hearts and with ready hands sustain the
and stripes OF country And by their prowess
that Great Britain made 10 feel the force of free
mans arm whenever welded in holy cause. When
the cross OF ST George down the and
stripes we were indebted mainly them for that victory
We shall be fathless TO the that has been reposce
in us " we do not sustain and stand by what their
legal, their International, and their treaty rights Why
sif, IN that war of 1912 captured from the British
more than 2,300 sail OF vessels, mounting than
5000 guns; we captured SO -ofwar, mounting $50
cannon and took in all about 10000 prisoners OF
The American loss was, three frgates--the Cbesa-
peake the Essex and The President six briggs and four.
een small vessels, two sloops and gun boat making
n All twenty-five And by the admiralty report OF Great
Britain 10 the House of Commons, IT stated that 407
American merchantmen captured or destroyed BY
he BRUSH, and 20,960 taken prisoners OF war
Now sm, not only all your naval battles proper
ough mainly by your fishermen, but the greater portion
of the commercial vessels OF Great Britain captured
BY these very men, We do not desire 10 train every
nan Tor naval purposes into the navy that would require
thousands OF dollars, while training in the fisheries would
'ost not single dollar IL IL for these reasons addi
non 10 the duty OF government TO protect The rights
of every citizen everywhere, and at all times, that
are TO sustain them and protect them in their rights II
We do our duty faithfully by them, shall find them.
Shen tse calls OF common country made upon
hem, rallying TO support that flag to which they now
ook Tor support cannot doubt that they to be pro-
ected, nor can doubt that any branch of this govern
ts duty Though not in the language Of diplomacy or
egsauon, yet 10 appropriate 10 his occasion for 10
ay that shall do what has been said BY the individual