Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-12-16
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
EsllO,c-ctise1s Of Dte Senate
and Of The House Of Representatres:


The brief space which has elapsed
since the close Of your last session has
been marked by no extraordinary politi-
cal event. The quadrennial election of
Chief Magistrate has passed off with less
than the usual excitement. However
individuals and parties may have been
disappointed in the result, ii is never
theiess subject of National congratula-
ton that the ch0ice has been effected by
the indenSndent suffrages of free peo-
pie dndisturbed by those influences
which in other countries have too often
affected the purity of popular elections.
Our grateful thanks are due to an All
merciful Providence, not only for stay
iIg the pestilence which in different
forms has desolated some of our cities,
but for crowning the labors of the hus-
bandman with an abundant harvest, and
the nation generally with the blessings
of peace and prosperity.
Within few weeks the public mind
has been deeply affected by the death of
Daniel Webster, filling at his decease the
Office of Secretary of State. His asso-
ciates in the Executive government
have sincerely sympathized with his
family and the public generally on this
mournful occasion. His commanding
talents, his great political and profess
sional eminence, his well tried patriot
ism, and his long and faithful services,
in the most important public trusts, have
caused his death to be lamented through
out the country, and have earned for
him lasting place in our history.
In the course OF the last summer con-
siderable anxiety was caused for short
time by an official intimatioE from the
government Of Great Britain that orders
had been given for the protection OF the
fisheries upon the coasts OF the British
provinces in North America against the
alleged encroachments ofthe fishing YES
sells of the United States and France
The shortness of this notice and the sea-
son of the year seemed to make it a
matter of urgent importance. Ii was at
first ap9rehended that an increased ma
val force had been ordered to the fishing
grounds TO carry into effect the British
Interpretation Of those provisions in the
convention of 1918, in reference 10 the
true intent ofwhich the two governments
differ. 1t was soon discovered that such
was not the design of Great Britain, and
satisfactory explanations of the real OBJ
jects OF the measure have been given
both here and in London.
The unadjusted difference, however,
between the two governments as TO The
Interpretation Of the first article OF the
convention of 1918 is still matter of
importance. American fishing vessels
within nine or ten years have been ex-
Guided from waters 10 which they had
free access for twenty-five years after
the negotiation of the treaty. In 1845I
this exclusion was relaxed SO for as con.
Germs the Bay of Fundy, but the just
and liberal intention of the Home gov
ernment, in compliance with what we
think the true construction of the con
vention, to open all the other outer bays
10 our fishermen, was abandoned, in
consequence of the opposition Of the
colonies. Notwithstanding this, the
United States have, since the Bay of
Fundy was reopened to our fishermen
in l845, pursued the most liberal course
toward the colonial fishing interests
By the revenue law of 1876, the duties
on colonial fish entering our ports were
very greatly reduced, and by the ware
housing act it is allowed to be entered
in bond without payment of duty. In
this way colonial fish has acquired the
MONOPOLY of the export trade in our
market, and is entering 10 some extent
into the home consumption. These
facts were among those which increased
the sensibility of our fishing interest, at
the movement in question.
These circumstances, and the inci~
dents above alluded to have led me to
think the moment favorable for recon.
sideration of the entire subject of the
fisheries on the coasts of the British
provinces, with view TO place them up
on a more liberal footing of reciprocal
privileges. A willingness to meet us
in some arrangement of this kind is un-
derstood to exist, on the part of Great
Britain, with desire on her part to in
clude in one comprehensive settlement,
as we'll this subject as the commercial
intercourse between the United States
and the British provinces. I have
thought that whatever arrangements may
be made on these two subjects, il is ex-
pedient that they should be embraced in
separate conventions. The illness and
death of the late Secretary of State pre-
vented the commencement Of the con-
tempIated negotiation. Pains have been
taken to collect the information required
for the details of such an arrangement.
Qhe subject is attended with considera-
Bile difficulty. fit is found practicable
to come to an agreement mutually ac-
ceptable to the two parties, conventions
NAV be concluded in the course of the
nresent winter. The control of Con-
press over all the provisions of such an
arrangement, affecting the revenue, will
of course be reserved.
The affairs of Cuba formed promi
nept topic in my last annual message
They remain in an uneasy condition, and
afeeling of alarm and irritation on the
mar, of the Cuban authorities appears to
Tb;e Eoalino has interfered with