Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-15

tice of the representatives of her Majesty
at Washington, ard that authority be given
for the settlement of these claims by the
United States, so that the government
shall have the ownership of the private
claims as we'll as the responsible control
Of all the demands against Great Britain.
1t cannot be necessary to add that
whenever her Majesty's government shall
entertain desire for full and friendly ad
justment of these claims, the United States
will enter upon their consideration with
an earnest desire for conclusion consist
ent with the honor and dignity Of both
nations.
THE FISHING QUESTION.
The course pursued by the Canadian au-
| thoritics toward the fishermen Of the Unit
ed States during the past season has not
been marked by friendly feeling. By
the first article of the Convention OF 1918
between Great Britain and the United
States, it was agreed that the inhabitants
Of the United States should have forever,
in common with British subjects, the right
of taking fish in certain waters therein de-
fined. In the waters not included In the
limits named in the Convention, within
three miles Of ports of the British coast, 1t
has been the custom for many years TO
give intruding fishermen OF the United
States reasonable warning of the viola
ton Of the technical rights OF Great
Britain The Imperial government is un-
derstood to have delegated the whole or a
share Of its jurisdiction or control OF these
inshore fishery grounds to the Colonial
authority, known rs the Dominion OF Can
ada, aad this semi-independcnt but IRE
sponsible agent has exercised the delegated
powers in an uniriendly way. Vessels
have been seized without notice or warn
ing, in violation Of the custom previously
prevailing, and have been taken into the
colonial ports, their voyages broken up
and the vessels condemned There is rea-
son to believe that this unfriendly and vex-
atious treatment was designed to bear
harshly upon the hardy fishermen OF the
United States, with view Of political ef-
feet upon this government. The statutes
of the Dominion of Canada assume still
broader and more untenable jurisdiction
over the vessels of the United States
They authorize officers or persons to
bring vessels lowering within three ma
rine miles of any of the coasts, bays,
creeks or harbors of Canada, into port, to
search the cargo, to examine the master, on
oath, touching the cargo and voyage, and
to intiict upon him heavy pecuniary
penalty if true answers are not given, and
If such vessel is found preparing to fish
within three marine miles Of any such
coasts, bays, creeks or harbors without a
license, or after the expiration Of the Pc
Rod named in the last license granted to
it, they provide that the vessel, with her
tackle, etc, etc, shall be forfeited. 1t is
not known that any combinations have
been made under this statute. Should the
authorities Of Canada attempt to enforce
it, it will become my duty to take such
steps as may be necessary to protect the
rights of citizens of the United States. 1t
has been claimed by her Majesty's officers
that the fishing vessels OF the United
States have no right to enter the open
ports of the British possessions in North
America, except for the purposes OF shell
ter and repairing damages, of purchasing
wood and obtaining water; that they have
no right to enter at the British custom
house. or to trade except for the purchase
of wood and water, and that they must de-
part within "a hours after notice to leave.
1t is not known that any seizure OF fish
ing vessel carrying the flag o. the United
States has been made under this claim. So
far as the claim is founded on the alleged
construction of the Convention of 1918, 1t
cannon ne acqulesceu In by tile Govern
ment of the United States. 1t is hoped
that it will not be insisted on by Her Ma
jestys Government. During the confer
ence which preceded the negotiation
of the Convention Of 1918, the
British Commissioners proposed to
expressly exclude the fishermen of the
United States from the privilege of carry
ing on trade with any Of His Britanic
Majesty's 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
to have on board any foods, wares or Her
chandize whatever, except such as may be
necessary for the prosecution of their
voyages to and from said fishing grounds,
and any vessel of the United States, which
shall contravene this regulation, may be
seized, condemned and confiscated, with
her cargo This proposition, which is
identical with the construction now put
upon the language Of the convention, was
emphatically rejected by the American
Commissioner, and thereupon was aban-
doned by the British Plenipotentiaries,
ton, was substituted If, however, it be
said that this claim is founded on provin-
ciaf or colonial statutes, ard not upon the
convention, this government can not but
regard them as unfriendly, and in contra
vention Of the spirit, If not of the letter,
of the treaty, for the faithful execution OF
which the imperial government is alone
responsible Anticipating that an attempt
may possibly be made by the Canadian
authorities in the coming scusUn to repeat
T their unneighborly acts toward our fisher
men, recommend you to confer upon the
Executive the power to suspend, by proc
lamation, the operation of the laws
authorizing the transit Of goods, wares
and merchandise in bond, across the ter
ritory of the United States to Canada and
| further, should such an extreme measure
become necessary, to suspend the opera
ton of any law whereby the vessels of
the Dominion Of Canada are permitted to
enter the waters OF the United States.
NAVIGATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.
A like unfriendly disposition has been
manifested on the part of Canada in the
maintenance of claim of right to exclude
the citizens of the United States from nav
igation of the st. Lawrence. This river
constitutes natural outlet to the ocean
4 Al