The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-12-09

to forego resorting TO privateers, IN case this
country should be forced into war with aI
great naval power, is not entitled to more ia
bic considerat tion than would be q p:opo-
siton to agree not to accept the services
Of volunteers for operations on land When
The honor or the RI ghts OF our country require
il 90 assume hostile attitude, it confidently
relies upon the patriotism of its citizens,
not ordinarily devoted to the military pro-
iesson, to augment the army and the navy,
so MS 10 make them fully adequate to the
emergency which calls them n,o action
The proposal to surrender the right to en-
rlo, prlvatetrs, is professedly founded on the
principle that the private property of unof-
tending non combatants, though enemies,
should be exempt from the ravages 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 seized or molested by national
ships of war. Should the leading powers
ot Europe concur in proposing, as rule Of
international law, TO exempt private proper
ty, upon the ocean, from seizure by public
armed cruisers, as we'll as by privuleers. the
The United States will readily meet them up
on that broad ground.
Since the adjournment Of Congress, the
raiifcations of the treaty between the Uni
Ted States and Great Britain, relative to
coast fisheries, and to reciprocal trade with
The BRITISH North American provinces, have
been exchanged, and some Of its anticipated
advantages are already enjoyed by us, al
though its full execution was to abide GER
tain acts OF legislation not yet fully perform
cd SO soon as it was ratified, Great Brit
ain opened TO our commerce the free naviga-
ton of the river St. Lawrence, and to our
fishermen unmolested access TO the shores
rnd BAYS, from which they had been previ-
ously excluded, on the coasts Of her North
Americun provinces; in return for which,
she asked for the Introduction, free of duty.
into the ports of the United States. Of the
fish caught on the same coast by the British
fishermen. This being the compensation.
stipulated in The treaty, for privileges Of the
hiphest importance and value 20 the United
States, which were thus voluntarily yielded
lefore it became effective, the request seemed
10 me TO be reasonable one but it could
not be acceded 10, from want Of authority to
suspend our laws imposing duties upon all
foreign fish. In the meantime, the treasury
department issued regulation for ascertain
ing the duties paid or secured by bonds on
fish caught on the coasts Of the British
provinces, ard brought 10 our markets BY
British subjects, after the fishing grounds had
been made fully accessible to the citizens Of
the United States. | recommend to your
favorable consideration, proposition which
will be submitted to you, for authority to
refund the duties and cancel the bonds thus
received. The provinces of Canada and
NV Brunswick have also anticipated the
full operation of the treaty, by Legislative ar
ran5rments, respectively to admit, free of
,uty, the products of the United States
N ntioned in the free list of the treaty; and
an arrangement similar TO that regarding
British fish, has been made for duties now
churgeable on the products of those prov;n-
ccs enumerated in the same free list, and in
troduced thercfrom into the United States
u proposition for refunding, which will, in
nv Judgment, be in like manner entitled to
your favorable consideration.
There is difference of opinion between the
United States and Grea; Britain, as to the
boundary line of the territory of Washing
ton, adjoining the British possessions on T."
Pacific, which has already led to diflicn' IS
on the part Of the ciliz,ns and local authoTi,
ties Of The two governments. recommend
that provision be made for commission, to
be joined by one on the part of her Britannia
majesty, for the purpose Of running and es-
tablishing the line in controversy. Certain
siipulations of the Sd and 1th articles of the
treaty concluded by the United States and