The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-24

open questions OF the most Oellcato ana
/ difficult character.
The American people have derived, as
they do not deny, great commercial ad-
vantaxes from the Reciprocity treaty,
and its termination is advocated only on
the avowed ground that Canada derives
still greater advantages. One effect of
the termination of that treaty would be,
if am not mistaken, that the whole of
the complicated question OF the fishe-
ries, from the settlement Of which the
United States have derived incalculable
advantage, would at once be thrown
open. Hear, hear. l am old enough
to remember what serious complications
and difficulties questions connected with
the fisheries occasioned, and how near
to the point of war they led this country
and the United States; and now all
these questions are gratuitously, and,
apparently, without the slightest reason,
thrown open, at the risk and danger of
war-than which nothing could be more
eplorable-between this country and
the United States. Hear, hear.
1t is not little significant, too. that
at the same time when the .abyoga-
ton of this commercial treaty lays open
all these points of danger and difficulty,
there is another step taken to abrogate
another treaty. For long period, the
lakes have served as the means of peace
full and profitable commerce between the
two countries lying alongside each other;
but can recollect period in the late
American war when. there was race Of
ship building on the two sides of the lakes,
and when the party obtaining the suprc-
macy in that matter gained the control
of the lakes. Hear, hear. That state
of things was put an end to by the
treaty; but now America is the party
who, without the slightest provocation
or ground, breaks through the treaty and
declares an intention Of increasing its
force on the lakes, thus rendering it ne
cessary on the part of this country to
take corresponding measures. Hear,
hear. : l do not ask the Government
what steps they have taken, but | do say
this that they will be deeply response
bic if they are not awake to the peril in
which the country is placed by these
| two acts of the American Government,
followed up by an intention to en-
ploy a preponderating force on the
lakes. That force en- only be for az
| qresion for to speak Of an attack by
Canada upon the United States is to
speak of a physical impossibility.-
Canada has long frontier, peculiarly
open to aggression, being accessible by
water as by land; and ualcss you have q
prepondcrstng power on the lakes-but
above all, if you allow the ncighboring
Power to have preponderating force
there-you place Canada at the disposa
of the United States. Hear, hear. =
Under these circumstances, | see, with
additional satisfaction, the announce
mcnt of contemplated important step
| mean the proposed federation Of thu
British American provinces Hear
hear.l hope l may regard that fedora
ton as measure tending to constitute
Power strong enough, with the aid o
this country. which I trust may ncye
bo Withdrawn from those provinces,-t'
acquire an Importance which separated,
they could not obtain. Hear, hear =
If saw in this federation desire t.
separate from this country | shoul'
think it matter of much more doubtful
policy and advantage but l perceive
with satisfaction, that no such wish i
entertained.
Lord Granville, on behalf of the &c
vcrnmcnt, said:
With regard to our relations wit
the United States, think it is desirabl
that, now or at some future time, you
, Lordships should hear some statcmcn
from my noble friend earl Russel) -
J Meanwhile, it should be remembers
that if, in the instances alluded to b
the noble Earl, the people of the Unite
States have shown some irritation, Their
l is no doubt they have had some caus
7 for irrita ton arising out of the ConFcde
r rate raids across the frontier. Ampl
time, however, remains for friendly ne
gotietion between the two Govern
mcntS.
Lord Russell said, in reference to Lor
Dalcy's allusion to American affairs
!, The next question is very diflicu'
one, which is the subject of constant an
| almost daily disputes and controversial,
and it is one which | would be indis
: posed to enlarge upon were it not tina
t the noble Earl had hardly done justie
= to the parties in this contest. He ha
t not sufficiently allowed for the irritatio
t which prevails in the United States. Nov
f what think is the injustice of the Co
: ernment of the United States with regar
/; to this country is, that they seem to c.
;, pect not only that We should do all tn;
Q the law of nations demand, and that IL