The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-24
THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
FRIoAY, July %, 1852,
SENATE.

reported back the House bill making apPropria.
ttuns for he support OF the military academy
with eundry amendments. The bill was then
IA ken up, and the amendments concurred In. The
bill was ordered to 4 third reading
Subsequently the bill was further amended by
adding thereto an additional section, appropriat-
ing 5 so 900 for the per diem and mileage Of Sena.
tor ;; that item having been accidentally omitted
in the enrolment OF the Deficiency bill.
The bill was then passed
THE BaiTIsH AMERICAN FIsHERIEs.
Mr.. MASON offered the following resolution:
ResOired That the Presidcn Of the United 81 ates
be requested 10 communicate TO the senate, II IN
his opinion not incompatible with the pubic IN
terests all correspondence on file in the Executive
Departments with the government Of England or
its diploma attic since the convention
between the United States and Great Britain, Il
October 20, ISIS, touching The hshcries on the
coast, Of the British possessions IN North America
and the rights Of citz+ns OF the United States en-
gagged in such fisheries as ecured By ssid conven
ou And that the President be also requt steu, un'
der like Limitation, to infOm the Senate whether any
OF the naval forces of the United States have been
trdf red 10 the sens adjacent 10 the British possrs-
sions in North America, to protect the righ's o!
American fishermen under said convention OF
1918, since the receipt OF the intelligence that
largo and unusual British naval to &C had btcn
ordered there to enforce certain alleged rights o!
Great Britain under said convention.
MIR. MASON said
Mr. President: have thought it my duty,
considering the present aspect OF affairs, far as
they are communicated to Us by the public jour
malls, to submit this resolution, and ask that 1t be
considered immediately. We are lnf rmeu unoi-
fcaly, but in a manner clearly indicating that il
is rect, that the British government has recon
~ asserted rights under the convention OF ISIS i'll
e..,ion to the fisheries OF the North which, whe-
tn .r they exist or not they suffered from 1918 to
ISL to pass without question and alter le4t,
Wien the question WAS mooted as 10 the respective
rights Of British subjects and American citzens
under the treaty OF 1918, they still suffered to re
main in statu quo.
Sir, the British government know we'll that very
large and important interests are embarked by
citizens Of the United States in these fisheries
They know that the harbors and coasts and seas
off their possessions in North America swarm at
stated seasons Of the year-and this, as am in
formed, ia one of those seasons-with these hshIng
vessels Yet sud denly, without notice Of any kind,
we are informed from the public journals, and
semi officially by q sort Of proclamation from the
Secretary Of Stale, that very large British naval
force has been ordered into those seas Tor the pur
pose of enforcing al the mouth OF the cannon tie
construction which Great Britain has now recent
ly determined 10 place on that convention.
Now sir, had supposed in this CIVILIZED age,
and between two such countries as those OF Great
Britain and the United States, that were II the
purpose Of England to revive her construction Of
this convention, and require that 1t should be en-
forced, comfy, ordinary comfy. natural cour'
tesy, would have required that notice should have
been given of that determination on the part Of
Great Britain But, sir, when no such notice Il
given, " hen, on the contrary, the hrst Information
which reaches ID that Great Britain has or.
purpose Of enforcing this alleged right, know
Ia what light it may stnke other Senators, but
it strikes me as far higher offence than breach
OF national courtesy-as one OF insult and lndgni-
~ 10 the whole American people.
This morning in the first paper took up from
the North saw extracted from one Of the British
coiLn.al newspapers, printed al ST. Johns, in New
Bruno wick, a formal statement oi the actual naval
force oroered by Great Britain into tbase seas.
Il consists Of the Cumberland, n seventy-gun
ship, m,nsaaed by Sir G. +. Seymour, ~h9, ]
believe, ia a British admiral commanding on tie
West India station; and then follows an tnunera'
ton OF steam vessels, sloops-of. war, and schoon'
ers to the number OF nineteen, ordered to reIdcz-
vous there Immediately, and with the utmost
despatch. For what purpose! 10 enforce az once,
and without notice to this Government, SO far as
am informed, (and yet We have some information
through the quasi proc amaton OF the Secretary OF
State,) at the mouth of the cannon, the coEstruc-
ton which the British government places on that
convention. do not know what view has been
taken by the President OF this extraordinary move.
mcnt; but ] think do know what the American
people would demand OF the Executive under SUE
circumstances. II there be official or satisfactory
information to the Exec ulve that this extraordna
ry naval armament has been ordered by Great
Britain into the North American seas for the
purpose OF executing iBsantcr the construction
which Great Britain places on the convention, ]
cay the American people will demand Of their
Executive that all the naval force OF the Eoine
station shall be ordered there instantly 10 protect
the American fishermen.
Sir, We have been told by the poet who most
deeply read the human heart. that "froD the net
tie danger we pluck the flower safety" and il ]
may he told that there 10 danger OF collision.
would answer at once there is no danger. Bot if
there were. il becomes the Executive Immediately
to resent the. which On only be looked on as an
indignity and insuit TO the nation. have no fears
NJ. President, that wlr is to follow the apparent
collision which has taken PLACE between the two
governments; but confess feel deeply the indig-
nifty that has been put upon the American people
in ordering the British squadron into those seas
xt,lth nd I he nf ~
people ri hit, they Will demand that like iorce
shall be instant cent there in order that the rights
Of our people may be protected. Sir, do not pro-
fees the power 10 construe the purpose On the part
Of the British government. but I was very much
Impressed by despatch which saw in one OF the
late papers, but which unfortunately have not at
hand. Within the last few days n despatch from
the Foreign Office OF Great Britain 10 the Colonial
Office, advising it Of this mt vement, advising it
that il one requiring celebrity and despatch,
and requiring that measures shoa,d be taken by the
Colonial Office to procure concert between the
British naval force and the colonial authorities.
The reason assigned was, that this measure was
taken On the part Of Great Britain as preliminary
to certain negotiations. Now what does :bs inca n?
I know not what these negotiations arc; but !! 1t
any thing, it means that we are to negotiate
under duress; aye sir at this day. that this great
people, covering continent numbering i've and
twenty miliions, are to negotiate with a foreign
feet coast. know not what the Preside mt
has done. claim to know what the American
people expect of him. know that if has done his
duty, the reply to the resolution OF inquiry will
BEL have ordered the whole naval force Of the
country into ihcee seas TO protect the rights Of
American isher:uen against British cannon. I
hope it will be the pleasure of the Senate to con-
elder the resolution Immediately.
Mr.. HAMLIN expressed bis gratitude to the
honorable chairman of the Committee on Foreign
Relations for having thought fit to call the atten
of the Senate and the country to this subjects
he heartily approved of the resolution and Of every
word uttered by the Senator. What the object of
this British armament was he could not say, but
that il had an Interior one was certain. II had
been whispered, however, that il had some connex-
ion with the subject Of reciprocal trade with the
colonies, and that are to legisate this latter
subject under the durcss of this force stationed
tho fishing seas He, for one, could never consent
10 this proceeding.
Mr.. CASS gave his full concurrence to what tn
Senator from Virginia had said, and expressed his
gratitude to that Senator for his remarks, which
we're equally statesmanlike and patriotic. No
matter with what object that naval force was
stationed on the northern shores of Great Britain
he had never before witnessed such act between
nations One thing was certain--the American
people will never consent to a surrender Of their
rights under the treaty of 1878 That treaty was
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