The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-25
WASHING TON.
Settlement Of the Fishery Question
Favorable Disposition OF England
MIR. Motley an Obstacle in the
Way OF Adjustment-Opera-
tons OF the Post Office
Department.

WASHINGTON. Oct. "a, 1870
Early Settlement ut tho Fishery Question
Mr.. Motley Obstacle la the Way Of adj
jnstmeut.
Last week telegraphed you that the difficulties
concerning the fisheries, about which the Sacmites
ana people OF other sections OF the Old Bay State
30 much excited In consequence OF Canadian PROFIT
billions and the seizure OF certain American vessels
by the Dominion authorities, were In fair way OF
adjustment. / am able to confirm that statement
| to-day. am informed on unquestionable sutho
rity that the disposition OF the English Cabinet Is
10 ADJUST the questions &C issue In manner salts
| factory TO our government and favorable 70 the
claims Of American fishermen. This friendly dis.
position Is due more to desire to please govern
ment and avoid the occasion OF any unpleasant iee
ings than TO concession Of the soundness OF our
| claims. The truth seems to be, that, reduced
| TO question or strict right, the demands
OF the American fishermen can not be sustained on
principles OF International law treaty provisions
the Canadians seem TO have the law their side,
though the enforcement OF It, after permitting It to
| lie dormant for 30 many years, may be justly
garded as an indication OF unIrendy feeling. One
great difficulty In the way OF adjustment OF these
difficulties Is the perverseness OF Mr.. Motley In re-
| naming at London, our diplomatic representa-
tive, after the repeated hints and Invitations
| sign. The President IL averse to entrustng new
/
sumed such formidable shape lately. to Minister
| who may DO replaced in q few weeks, ana who
might unnecessarily c0mpcate and embarrass IL.
/ 1t IL subject Of wonder IN administration circles,
to say nothing OF the disgust with which 1t inspires
| all heightened people, how Mr. Motley can
"stck'' to London under the circumstances. It has
| been customary for Cabinet or Diplomatic Minis
ter to retire at the first hint OF Presidential displea
sure. Mr.. Motley's only excuse for holding ON Is
thatu 4
| sion OF derection ana give the public chance to
| credit the unpleasant things that have been said
ana written against him. In administration circles
this Is looked upon the weakest KIND OF palliaon
for his conduct. However that may be, 1t certain
| Mr.. Motley Is now an obstacle In the way OF speedy
settlement OF the fishery troubles. The moment his
| successor is appointed and accepts he will be
charged with full powers for the adjustment this
business, under specific instructions from the State
| Department, and no doubt entertained that
| England WIN accede TO our demands promptly and
| cheerfully.
In this connection may state that the recent
| account published In Boston paper purportng to
give the Key to the Motley difficulties replete with
biunders ana, In fact, only contained little grain
| OF truth hidden among bushels of misrepresenta-
tons, not to use the harsher term OF falsicatons
For instance, II was stated that one OF The griey
| ances was that Motley refused to appoint lately
married son OF Secretary Fish one OF the Secrc-
tares Of Legation, and that part OF The account
| so wOrded as to convey the idea that Mr. Fish him.
| self had been party to the scheme Of having his
own son appointed to position under his own de-
| partment Now, the truth Is, that long time ago,
when General Badeau resigned, the President pro-
posed to Mr.. Fish to appoint his own Mr.. Fish
promptly and emphaticaly declined, saying that he
did not think 1t proper to appoint 10 any oflices
under HIM any OF his relations The President urged
that many preccdents to Justify 1t; that
| both Dallas and Dayton appointed their
| own sons, and that in other departments
1t was quite common practice. Mr..
Fish remained unconvlnced, however, and Cut
short the conversation by the remark that these
things were pure matters OF taste not OF precedent
and that he could not consent TO the appointment OF
his son. Notwithstanding this the President some
time after got General Badeau to write to Motley
requesting him to ask for the appointment OF young
Mr. Fish, thinking In this way TO overcome the scru-
pies or his Premier, who was kept in entire ignO-
rance OF the proceeding. MIR. Motley wrote back In
| answer that he had already made an appointment
and therefore could not ask for that OF young Mr..
Fish. The President, justly deening that Motley had
no right thus to appoint bis subordnates requested
secretary Fish to ind else TO fill the posi-
| ton. This was done. Mr.. Nadal, o gentleman
| strongly recommended and backed up by Mr.. Cries.
well, being the person. 1t until a very long
time after all this that Governor Fish was let into
the secret 1t is equally to state that the
recall OF Motley Is In any way due to Summers Op-
| position to the san Domingo treaty. That is all
| bosh. Mr. Motley's own deliberate disobedlence OF
| orders and refusal to follow explicit instructions
| his toadysm and unamercan course generally, were
the real objections in the Presidents mind TO his
| longer continuagce at the court OF st. James.
Financial Operations Of the Post Onhce De-
| pariment.
| The report OF the Sixth Auditor Of the Treasury
for the last fiscal year shows that the postal ac-
counts between the United States and foreign gov.
ernments have been promptly and satisfactorily ad-
justed TO the latest period. 1882 corrected quar-
| tery accounts OF postmasters have been examined,
copied, resettled and mailed; los, 734 accounts OF
| pOsmasters have been examined, adjusted and
registered 205, 761 letters received, endorsed
and properly disposed Of 2S4 Of which contained
the amount OF s4,9S2019. which amount has been
| deposited with the Treasurer OF the United
| States TO the credit OF those persons re-
| hitting the same. I02,270 letters were an
| swered, recorded and mailed; 1888 drafts were
issued to mail contractors and others; $3.50 war
| rants were issued to mail contractors ana others.
1890 certificates OF deposit made by postmasters
| with other pOstmasters were examined and regis
tered, amounting In the aggregate TO seas, ISL 20.
1920 money order accounts have been settled, In
volving the amount OF s62,92s, 2os so; 249s1 mail
contractors accounts were adjusted and reported
| for payment; S7,773 collection orders were trans
| mitted to mail contractors; 447 special agents
| accounts were audited and reported for payment;
$685. letter carriers accounts settled, 5000
special mail carriers accounts, 5000 mail messen
gers accounts, 4,732 accounts OF railway postal
clerks, route agents, local mail agents and
| baggage masters were settled; &385,193 95
was collected from special mail messenger
ofices $2,3s3, S94 10 was the aggregate amount Of
drafts issued TO mail contractors. $685., 203 90 was
| the aggregate amount OF warrants issued TO mail
contractors and others. S26s1 $50 SO was received
f1Om postmasters by mail contractors on collection
orders $l23 $40 os paid to letter carriers and
$6657l so was paid for advertising sos 684 ~ was