Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-10-22
Qailg Nenneter Sournal.
AU G U 8 r A.
SATURDAY MORNING. OCT. %. 1870.
THE FISHERY QUESTION.

General Butler made some remarks upon
the Fishing question which are of interest.
The district which he represents being 50
largely concerned in the fisheries, rem
ders it an important matter with him and
his constituents. Commencing with the
close of the Revolutionary war, he gave a
brief sketch of the fisheries to the present
time. At the close OF that war we occu
pied the fisheries in common with the
Canadas. In 1918 an agreement was
made that Great Britain should have
jurisdiction within three miles of the land,
but it did not define where the line of three
miles should be drawn, whether by the in
dentation of the shore or from headland to
headland. The Canadian authorities after
wards set up the pletention that it should
run from headland to headland, which OF
course excludes our fishermen from valua
BILE privileges. Over this claim of the
Canadians all the difficulty about the
fisheries has arisen. There were seizures
and confiscations of our vessels, until the
reciprocity treaty, when our markets
were opened to the Canadian fishermen.
From this point we give General Buffers
remarks in full as they probably contain
all that is now to be said or is knownupon
the question in its present aspect.
s'Well, before l845 there was seizure and
confscation Of our vessels for fishing in Can
adian waters. Then came the reciprocity
treaty, which gave Canada an advance over
our own fishermen, and in one year Great
Britain imported into our country 81, 900 900
worth of fish. Nor was the treaty of reel
procity fair one in other respects, because
Canada agreed that there should be 7, ciprocal
duties, and that there should be no higher
and other duties paid by us than by the inhabi-
tants of Great Britain on importations into
Canada. But she afterward altered her laws,
and required that the duties should be calcu-
lated upon the amount Of transportation, a
very unjust proceeding.
Great Britain schemed in this. She flvored
the South during the war, and hoped by
noying US in Canada at the same time to close
US in between two beIligerent powers. But
she failed in her scheme in the South; it re-
mains for us to say whether she shall not fail
in her scheme in the North also. Law at er
law has been passed, act after act enacted iy
the Canadian Government 20 intel tcre with
our fishermen, to deprive them of supplies,
of the benefit of a refuge in storm, and with
In few years vessels belonging TO This dis
trict and to the State of Massachusetts have
been seized for no other reason than for buy
ing provisions in British port. (Sensation.)
Great Britain, protesting to be our friend,
that fitted out the Alabama and other rebel
cruisers, and allowed them to prey upon our
commerce, to-day refuses to allow fisher
bar ka~t Ara
herself a friendly nation shall continue to
vote against any renewal of the reciprocity
treaty. l am not for renewing the reciprocity
treaty. If Canada wants the advantage of
our trade, of our commerce, of our lands,
of our interests, and of our prosperity, let
her become part Of US. (Applause.) We
grant no marriage privileges until after the
marriage rites have taken place. (AppIause
and laughter.) To-day we are in tins difficult
ty as regards the prosperity of this district.
There are six vessels which have been seized
belonging to this district, and two others he
longing to different parts of the State which,
with the necessary costs and damages repre-
sent more than 100000 This question
therefore, becomes very grave one, and the
Administration has in some cases, undertaken
active measures in behalf of the property So
seized. Immediately upon the first seizure
(the information came to me i'll form could
not very well use), put the subject before
the House of Representatives, and Il resolu-
ton was unanimously passed calling upon the
Government to take the most active and strn
gent measures to prevent the occurrence OF
such outrages. The Government, which could
not treat with Canada, that being a subject
power, Immediately called upon the British
Minister for explanations. The British Min
lister then made known the ground of com
plant to the imperial Government at honlc,
and the Imperial Government inquiries of the
matter of Canada, and the Canatian authori-
ties send back to the Imperial Government
and that goes to the Imperial Minister. This
has to be done in every case, and it will take
months and months for any case TO get settled,
the Canadian Government denying that any
wrong has been done, and SO the question, OF
course, remains open for investigation But
the chief difficulty is, that in the meantime
our vessels are being seized and our business
is interfered with. have seen the President
of the United States on this subject during
his recent visit to New England and he has
given me an assurance that everything that
can possibly be done shall be done TO avoid
fresh difficulties, and to settle the existing
one. II would seem to be an almost incaps-
Bile thing, because Great Britain claims She
has a right to do as she has done.
There seems to be but two solutions to this
matter. One, that we take Inc mater III our
own hands, and defend ourselves. This is
very easily done, and single shot, fired in
answer to the British gun calling our vessels
to heaye to. will bring the matter to the crisis.
If we should get mold vi one OF those British
cutters and bring her into a United States
port, and try the men for piracy-tor their ac-
tions have been nothing less-perhaps the dl
plomatic notes would fly little faster. Gap
plause.) There is another remedy open To US.
Looking at the question, irresp, ctive OF the
question of legal right, these acts OF the Cana
dian Government are annoying acts, unfriend-
ly acts. Suppose. for a moment, that they
are in the right; then if they are taking ad-
vantage of their |, gal rights only. their acts
are unfriendly, unneighborly. Ii an individ-
ual who is your neighbor, and whose farm
premises adjoin your house, and on the tX-
IRENE verge OF his land he builds high fence,
shutting out the light from your windows, he
may have a right to do it; and il he did it for
the purpose Of obscurng your light what do
you do with him? You cannot sue him. What