The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-26

Including the provisional treaty of Novem-
Der B. 1882, and the armistice of Janusry follow
ing, it will be seen we have concluded with
England sixteen conventions, besides some ad-
ditional and explanatory articles, such as seem
now to be demanded by the position Of the par
ties to the Clay Bulwer compact. From q
careful review Of our diplomatic intercourse
with our amiable kinsmen, it would appear
that the object Of negotiations and conven-
tions has been rather to complicate disputes
than to settle and adjust them.
The deGnitive treaty of peace in 1888 under
took to adjust the boundaries of the United
States and to arrange conditions of political
intercourse between the two countries. There
is nothing remarkable in the covenants of that
compatibility evince fairness, friendship, and
desire to cultivate relations of amity with
us On the part of the British government. We
had just emerged from long war, had fairly
shown our ability to maintain an independent
government, and fully to resist especially the
power Of the Mother Country longer to keep us
in state Of colonial dependence. It was
therefore, both natural and equitable, ia ar
ranging terms Of accommodation with us, that
our progenitors should exercise q due share OF
maganimity and seeming liberality; and we can
refer to the instrument itself to prove that
they did both. The conditions Of settlement
were few and Obvious that referring to the
boundaries Of the new government being in
the nature Of things, the most difficult. Ger
tain rights appertaining to the fisheries were
conceded to the Inhabitants of the States, in
dicating on the part of the British Cabinet ex-
tome moderation, if not liberality. We secur-
ed the right Of fishing on the Grand Bank and
the Banks Of Newfoundland, in the Calf OF
st. Lawrence, "and all other places in the sea-
land also on all the coasts. bays and creeks
Of all his Britannia Majesty's dominions in
America" This is sufficiently definite and
obvious, leaving no earthly room for doub.
as to what was intended to be conveyed. 1t
was the broadcast and most direct conveyance
of authority to the people of the United States
to fish ION all the coasts, bays and creeks" OF
the English possessions on this side of the
water. Under this authority we entered the
waters in question, and by the enterprise of
our people soon established most important
and lucrative branch of American commerce;
and according to the treaty of 1916, the United
States were to remain in complete possession
of their rights in regard to their intercourse
with British North America. No sooner, how
ever, had the fisheries become source of pro-
it, and were sure to be . nursery of Ameri-
can seamen, than we were met by the British
Cabinet with all sorts Of limitations and re-
strictions Of our rights, and often their pra I'll
cal denial, by the interference Of the colonial
authorities, under the direction of the home
government.
The treaty of 1894 had been negotiated by
which commercial privileges we're literally
conveyed TO Great Britain, and certain gene
raj rights guaranteed to the people of the
United States, and amongst these, of course,
the rights appertaining to the Fisheries.
Meanwhile England was engaged in the Ma.
poleonic wars, and in 1906 issued her Orders
in Council which were followed by the Berlin
and Milan DEGREES Of Napoleon. 1t IL enough
to say that in the meanwhile not the slightest
regard was paid by our kinsmen either to the
obligations of their treaties or to the laws ~
nations. The Fisheries had proved to be a
most valuable nursery for our seamen, and
this, with other selfish considerations, was
enough to induce the government to practi-
cally deny us the rights they had conveyed By
the treaty Of 1888. Impressment Of our seamen,
to the number Of several thousand followed
and our commerce was the object of piracy
in all parts of the world The Embargo
followed, non-intercourse and war came in It's