Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-12-15


wood, and obtaining water; that they have right
to enter at the British custom-houses, trade
cept for the purchase of wood and water, and that
they must depart within "A hours after notice 10
leave. IL is not known that any seizure of fishing
vessel carrying the flag of the United States has been
ms1e under this claim. So far the claim is found
ed ON the alleged construction of the convention of
lS1s IL connot be acquiesced in by the United States
1t Il hoped that II viii not be insisted on by Her
Majesty Government During the conference which
preceded the negotiations of the Convention Of 1873
the British Commissioners proposed to expressly ex-
ciude the fishermen of the United States from the
privilege of carrying trade with any of His Brit
tanic Majestys subjects residing within the limits
assigned for their use and also that IT should not be
lawful for the vessels of the United States engaged in
such fishery 10 have on board any goods, wares or
whatever except such may be neces-
sary for the of their voyages TO and from
said fishing grounds; and any vessel of the United
States which shall conravene this regulation may be
seized, condemned and c0nfscated, with her cargo.
This proposition, which is identical with the con-
ton, was emphaticaiy objected to by the American
Commissioner, and thereupon was abandoned by the
British Penipotentiaries, and Article l. as 1t stands
In the Convention was substituted.
Il, however 1t be raid that this claim is founded
rpm provincial or colonial statutes and not upon
the convention. this Governncnt cannot bat regard
the m as unfriendly, and in contravention of the
spirit II not of the letter, of the treaty for the
faithful execution OF which the Imperial Govern
ment 10 alone responsible. Anticipating that an
attempt may possibly be made by the Canadian au-
thorities In the coming season repeat their un
Deishooriy q t toward our fishermen. recommend
on to confer upon The Executive the power TO sus.
the tIsn.it OF eoo9s ws1es aa .h
disc In bond across the territory of the United
States TO Canada: and furth r. should such an ex.
s to suspend the
Dominion OF Canada are permitted Il enter the wa
tiers of the United States.
THE NAVIGATION OF THE ST LAWRENCE.
like unfrieDdly disposition has been manifested
on the part Of Canada in the maintenance of claim
of the RIGHT exclude citizens OF the United states
from navigation of the St Lawrence This river
constitues n,tural outlet to the ocean for eight
states, With an aggregate population of II OoO
inhabitants with an aggregate tonnage OF SOL. 367
tom, upon the waters which discharge into It, The
open 70 British competition. and the major part of
il is done in British bottoms. II the American
seamen be excluded from this natural avenue TO
the ocean, the monopoly of the direct commerce of
tho lake ports with the Atlantic would be in foreign
h,nds. their vessels on trans-Atl luc voyages
having access to cur lake PORTS which would be
denied to American vessels on similar VOYAGES. To
state such q proposition Is to refnte it's justice
During IA Standardization OF Mr.. John Quincy
Adams, Mr.. Clay unquestionably demons treted the
BAT raj rights of citizens of the United states to
navigation OF this river, claiming that the act of the
Congrss Of Vienna, in opening the Rhine and other
rivers to all nations, showed the judgment OF
European jnrists and sta esmen that the inhabitants
of couatry through which nsvigable river pasees
have natural right to enjoy the navigation of that
river TO and int the sea. though passing through
he territory Of another power. This right does
not exclude the co-equal right Of the sovereigns
possessing the territory through which the river
debouches into the sea to make such regulations
relative 10 the rolicy of the navigation may be
reasonably necessary, but these regulations should
be 4 amed in liberal spirit of comfy, and should
not impose needless burdens upon the commerce
which las the right OF transit II has been found
in nrarficQ advantageous hos
regulations by mutual agreement.
The Uiited States are resdy to make any reason
able arrangement as to the navigation Of the st.
Lawren.s which may be suggested BY Great Brit
ain. II the claim made by Mr.. Clay WAS Just,
when the population of States bordering on the
shores Of the lakes was only 100000. it now de-
rives greater force and equity from the increased
population. wealth. production. and tonnage Of the
States on the Canadian frontier. Since Mr.. Clay
advanced his argument in behalf of our rights the
principle for which be contended has b en- fire.
quently and BY various nations recognized by law
or by treaty. and has been extended to several
other great rivers. BY the treaty concluded at
Msyence in 1881, the Reine was declared free from
the point whore II is fret navigable into the sea
BY the G. invention between Spain and Portugal
concluded in iss5. the navigation of the Douro
throughout the whole extent made free for the
subjects Of tn crowns.
In 1883 the Argentine ConfedsrscS. by treaty
threw open to free navigation the ParanA and Uru-
Rnay 20 the merchant vessels of all nations.
In io3o, Inc Irime.n war was closed by treaty
which provided for the free navigation Of the Dan
ube.
In 1855. Bolivia by . treaty declared 1t regarded
the rivers Ansz and La Plata, in accordance with
the fixed principles of national lss as highways or
channels opened by nature for the commerce Of all
nations In 1859, the Paraguay made free by a
treaty; ana IN December, 1862 the Emperor of Bra
I'll, BY imperial decree, declared the Amazon to be
o en- to all the frontier of Brazil. to merchant
authority this subject, while asserting the ar
stract right OF tie .rtsh clsim, says it seems diff
fcult to deny that Great Britain m.y ground
her refusal upon strict Law; but it is equally to
deny, hrst that in so doing she exercises barshly
an extreme and hard law; secondly, that her
conduct with respect TO the navigation of the ST.
Lawrence is in gisring and discreditabe inconsis-
ten with her conduct with respect to ti.e naviea-
ton of the Misiss pp On the ground q at she DOS
sessed small domain in whi1A the A:rsissir ri
to its rise. she insisted this right to navigate
the entire volume OF its waters; the ground that
she Possesses both banks Of the St. lawrence where
1t emrties into the a. she denies to the United
> atrs the right Of navigation. though about one
haf OF the waters of Lakes Ontario, Erie. Huron
aud Superior, ana the whole Of Lake Michigan,
through which the river flows, are the property OF
the United States The whole ration is interested
ia securin cheap transportation from the aericul-
tural States Il the West to the Atlantic board.
To citizens Of these States ii secures great return
for their labor. To of the board il
offers cheaper good; and to the nation. increase
In the annual surplus Of wealth. IL IL oped that
the Government OF Great Britain will see the justice
or abandoning the narr Nv aud inconsistent claim
10 which her Canadian provinces have urged her
adherence.
THE REVIVAL OF OUR COMMERCE.
Our rsprsssed commerce is = subject to which
called your especial attention at the last session.
ges,ed tn at we will In the future have to look
more to the countr1es south of the United States
nd to China and japan ior its revival. Our rep
rasentaiiyes to all these Governments have exerted
u cir influence to encourage trade between the
United ~tatee he con rrie n fhava are
accredited bat the fact exists that the carrying
done almost exclusively in foreign bottoms: and
while this state of sfairs EXISTS cannot control
our due share CT the commerce of the world that
between the Pacific States and China a Japan is
sbsut all the carrying trade now conducted IN
Am ri an vessels. / would recommend liberal
that will insure its success. and even increase its
nsefulnsss. The cost of building iron vessels the
only ones that compete with foreign vessels in
he carryins trade. is so much greater in the Unit
ID States than In foreign countries. that without
some assistance hom the Government they cannot
be successfully built here There will be several
propositions laid before Congress I'm the course OF
be present session. looking to O remedy for this
ionsl Treasury. hope such announcement will
'e given rs wiz secure American shipping on the
iigh seas. and American ship p-builoing at home9
THE PUBLIC ARCHIVES.
The condition of the archives at the Department
II State calls for the early action of Congress- The
now TeultQ Dy tu8t OtptTtutut 10 u lrdu
tructure, at an inconvenient distanc from the Ex
cutive mansion and from the other dep.rtmeIts.
I - i'll adapted TO the purpose for which II is ueed
las not capacity 10 accommodate Q archivss. and
. not fire proof. Its remote situation its slender
and the absence of a supply Of water
n the neghborhood leaves but little hope Of safety
or either the building contents in Of the nc
ident Of fire Its destruction would involve the loss
II the rolls containing the original 9 and resou
ions Of Congress, Of the historic records Of the
Revolution, and of the Confederation, Of whole
eries Of diplomatic and consular archives since
he adoption of the Constitution. and OF the many
'ther valuable records end papers left with that
department. when Il was the repository OF the gov
'rnment archives. recommend sn appropriation
or the construction of q building for the Depart
nent Of State. I recommend to your reconsidera-
ion the propriety Of transferring TO the Depart
nent Of the Interior, to which they seem more ap-
,ropriately to belong all powers and duties In rels
ion 10 the territories with which the Department
" State IL now charged, by law or ususge. and
rom the Interior Department to the War Depart
nent the Pension tureau. far IL regulates the
,ayment of soldiers pensions would also
that the pay. ient Of naval pensions be
TO one Of th bureaus of the Navy De-
ESTIMATES OF ExPENsKs.
The estimates for the expenses of the Govern.
nent for the next fiscal year are $40. ,S47.0l
,rixions for the present year, for the same items,
Bs GA 127 In this estimate, however are included
s22 3SS 218 for public work heretofore begun under
he Con lressional provision, and Of which only %
much 10 ssked a. Congress may choose to give.
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