The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-12-14


be tenfold greater than ours to retaliate
We could not extricate our country from
this unequal condition, with such au enc
my, unless we at once departed from oul
present peaceful policy, and became q
great naval Power. Nor would this couu.
try be better situated, in war with one Of
the secondary naval Powers. Though
the naval disparity wonld be less, the
greater extent, and more exposed condi-
ton of our widespread commerce, would
give any of them like advantage over
US.
! The proposition to enter into engage
ments to forego resort to privateers, in
case this country should be forced into
war with great naval Power, is not en-
titled to more favorable consideration
than would be proposition to agree not
to accept the services of volunteers for op-
erations on land. When the honor or the
rights of our country require it to assume
hostile attitude, it confidently relies up
on the patriotism of its citizens, not or
dinarily devoted to the military profess
sion, to augment the Army and the Navy,
so as to make them fully adequate to the
emergency which calls them into action.
The proposal to surrender the right to
employ privateers is professedly founded
upon the yrinciple that private property
of unofending non -combatants, though
enemies, should be exempt from the raw
ages of war. But the proposed surrender
goes but little way in carrying out that
principle, which equally requires that
such private property should not be seiz-
ed or molested by national ships of war,
Should the leading Powers of Europe
concur in proposing, as rule of interna-
tional law, to exempt private property up
on the ocean from seizure by public
armed cruisers, as we'll as by priyateers,
the United States will readily meet them
upon that broad ground.
Since the adjournment of Congress, the
ratifcatiors of the treaty between the u
nited States and Great Britain, relative
to coast fisheries, and to reciprocal trade
with the British North American prov!n-
ces. have been exchanged, and some Of
its anticipated advantages are already en-
joyed By US, although its full execution
was to abide certain acts of legislation not
yet fully performed. So soon as it was
ratified, Great Britain opened to our COM
merce the free navigation of the river ST.
Lawrence, and to our fishermen unmo-
Tested access to the shores and bays, from
which they had been previously excluded;
tlo rs low Nnrfh A ~,
provinces; in return for which, she asked
for the introduction, free Of duty, into the
ports of the United Ststes, of the fish
caught on the same coast by British fish
ermen. This being the compensation,
stipulated in the treaty, for privileges Of
the highest importance and value to the
United States, which were thus voluntar-
lily yielded before it became effective, the
request seemed to me to be a reasonable
one; but it could not be acceded to- from
want of authority to suspend our laws
imposing duties upon all foreign fish,
In the mean time the Treasury Depart
ment issued a regulation, for ascertaining
the duties paid or secured by bonds on
fish caught upon the coasts of the British
provinces, and brought to our markets by
British subjects, after the fishing grounds
had been made fully accessible to the cit
izens of the United States. | recommend
TO your favorable consideration a propo-
sition, which will be submitted to you, for
authority to refund the duties and cancel
the bonds thus received The provinces
of Canada and New Brunswick have also
anticipated the full operation of the trea-
ty, by legislative arrangements, respec-
lively, to admit, free Of duty, the products
of the United States mentioned In the
free list of the treaty; and an arrange
mcnt, similar to that regarding British
fish, has been made for duties now charge
able on the products of those provinces
enumerated in the same free list, and in
troduced tberefrom into the United
States; proposition for refunding which
will, in my judgment, be in like manner
entitled to your favorable consideration.
There is difference of opinion between
the United States and Great Britain, as
to the boundary line of the Territory of
w aSulbStOu doJOibiHS tIS l|IAtA'i PN''O"
sions on the Pacific, which has already
led to difficulties on the part of the citi-
zens and local authorities of the two Gov
ernments. l recommend that provision
be made for a commission, to be joined
by one on the part Of her Britannia MAJ
esty, for the purpose of running and es-
tablishing the line in controversy. Ger
tain stipulations of the third and fourth
articles of the treaty concluded by the U.
States and Great Britain in 1916, regard
ing pc sessory rights of the Hudson's
Bay Company, and property of the
Puget's Sound Agricultural Company,
have given rise to serious disputes, and
it is important to all concerned, that sum-
mary means of settling them anicably
should be devised. | have reason to be.
lieve, that an arrangement can be made
on Just terms for the eztinguishment OF
the rights in question, embracing, also, the
right of the Hudson's Bay Company 10
the navigation of the river Columbia; and
I therefore suggest to your consideration,
the expediency Of making contingent