Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-08-12
R1Ges 0G @J0@eG G6@G 0g@ :
The Fishery Difficulties in the q s Senate


Mason, OF Virginia, introduced a resolution
calling upon the President for full information
OF the diplomatic correspondence which has
! passed IN regard to the treaty of 1918. and the
I questions which have arisen relative 10 the
hsherIeS since the session of that Convention
{ ne resolution also requires information if any
naval forces have been sent by our Govern
| nlent to the protection of the American fisher
men, whose eTatt Is endangered by this new
I move ot the British Government Mr.. Mason
sustained the terms of these requests in a
strong but not incorporate speech. After al
ludlng TO the facts already transpired as TO the
Sc 2uTe OF American vessels, and the squadron
ordered upon our coast for the enforcement of
a peculiar construction Of the treaty of ISIS-
he continued
Now, sir, had Supposed, in this civilized
age, and between two srch countries as those
OF Great Britain and the United States. thar
were y the purpose of England to revive her
Construction Of this Convention. and reauire-
that 1t should be enforced, ordinary national
courtesy would have required that notice be
given OF that determination on the part of G..
Britain. but, SIR, when no such notice Is given
when, on the contrary, the first information
which reaches US Is, that Great Britain has
ordered into those seas a large naval force, for
the purpose of enforcing this alleged right |
Know not IN what light 1t may strike other
senators, but II strikes me as a far higher of
fence than breach of national courtesy-as one
OF insult aud indignity TO the whole American
people. do not know what view has been,
taken by the President, Of this extraordinary
movement, but I think / do know what the
AmeEcan people would demand of the Exc
cutiye under such circumstances. If there be
official or satisfactory information 10 the Exc
cutlvc that this extraordinary naval armament
has been ordered by Great Britain into the
North American seas, for the purpose of exc
cutting InStanter the construction which Great
Britain places on the Convention, / say the
American people will demand of their IKE
cutIve that all the naval force of the Home
Station shall be ordered there instantly. TO pro-
tect the American fishermen. Sir, we have
been told by the poet, who most deeplv read
the human heart, tina. From tie nett} danger,
we pluck the flower ~ and if may be
told that there Is dang. Of collision, | would
answer at once there Is no danger; but fthere
were, Il becomes the Executive Immediately
to resent that which can only be looked on az
an lndiguIty and insult TO the nation With
III the last few days a dispatch has appeared
from the Foreign Office Of Great Britain TO the
Colonial Office, advising it Of this movement
and advising that It was one requiring celeri-
ty and dispatch, and requiring that measures
should be taken by the Colonial Office To pro-
cure concert between the British naval force
and the Colonial authorities. The reason. as
signed was that this measure was taken on the
part OF Great Britain as preliminary 10 certain
negotiations. Now what does this meanI
know not what these negotiations are; bat IL
It means anything, it means that we are TO ne
gouate under dUressc. Aye, Sir, at this day,
that tins great people, covering a continent,
numbering twenty-five millions, are to nego-
tIate with foreign fleet on our coast.
| know not what the President has done,
claim to know what the American people
expect Of him. know thatif he has done Ais
duty, the reply to this resolution will be: q
have ordered the whole naval force Of the
country into those seas, to protect the rights of
American fishermen against British cannon"
hope II VIII be the pleasure of the Senate 70
consider the resolutions Immediately.
Mr., HAMLIN, Of Maine, agreed with every
word uttered by the chairman of the comr1it-
tee on Foreign relations.
Mr.. tAss Of Michigan, also concurred and
approved Of the resolution. lie was gratiGed
at hearing Mr.. Mason's remarks, which were
equally Staiesmanlike and patriotic He had
never before heard Of such proceeding as
that now adopted by England. No mstter
what the object of the force was, there was one
thing certain, the American people would not
submit TO surrender their rights This treaty
was now over thirty years old, and ii recognjs-
eclearly the right Of Americans to fish with
In three miles Of the shore. This had been
doubt Of 1t, It could be settled by negotiation.
This Great Britain did not DO. She drew the
sword aud cut the Gordian knot at once. She
settled the matter without notice, by force Of
arms. He -egretted the recent publication by
the Secretary Of State, giving warning to the
fishermen. Ii seemed 70 imply a doubt that
the rights exercised by them under the treaty,
andsIuce is ratification, were not well found
ed.
Mr.. ID WIS Of Massachusetts, had no doubt
but that the object Of the movement was to
enforce certain negotiations with respect to
reciprocity trade with the British colonies.
Mr.. SEWARD of New York, would vote
with pleasure for the resolution. It was linn
tied Of two obiects-to obtain information as
to the diplomatic spondence on the sub
Iect, and y neither any naval force had been
sent 10 the where the difficulty lad arI-
sen. lie saw nothing Objectionable in this.
The importance Of those fisheries was conce-
ded by all, and one State was more inter
ested In them than another. u vas well
known that any attempt TO drive our fishermen
from those fisheries would involve the whole
country IN the blaze Of war, In which case his
State would be deeply interested. He depre-
Gated all excitement on the subPct. Nheth-
er the difficulty shall be settled by negotiation
or the steiner abitrament Of war, Ihere was a
necessity for avoiding excitemant-for keep
ing cool. He deprecated also the com
plants made against any branch Of the Gov
eminent. Al! were aware that the Secretary
Of State at this season seeks his native eli
mate TO escape the severity Of the weather
here, and he could assure Senators that should
the negotiations be conducted in the Mount
aims Of New Hampshire, there was nothing
unpropitous iu that locality for the liberties
Of the country IN that locality was written
that famous letter which startled the Govern
ments Of the Continent Of Europe.
Rr. RUsK Of Texas, said, that If one object
Of This naval force. by Great Britain, was to
bring about reciprocity in trade, no matter
how favorable be might look upon s0ch
proposition Otherwise, he would never give II
has assent under the duTess Of british cannon
He thought this domineering spirit Of Eng
laud ought TO De met promptly.
Mr.. Mason thought that not line or word
ofnegoliation should be xchanged-uutil the
naval force should be withdrawn.
Remarks to the ike effect were made by
Messrs. ToUCEY Of Connecticut, Dawson Of
Georgia, BoELAND Of arkansas. and BELL Of