The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-12-08

which at time threatened seriously to effect the
relations between the United States and Spain has
already been disposed of in this way. The claims
of the owners of the Steamer Lloyd Aspinwal for
the illegal seizure and detention of that vessel,
referred to arbitration by mutual consent and has
resulted in award to the United States for the
sum of Sl9, To2.59 in gold. Another and long pend
ing claim OF the like nature, that of the whaeship
Canada has been disposed of by friendly arbitra-
ment during the present year. 1t was referred by
the Joint consent of Brazil and the United States to
the decision of Sir f. Thornton, Her Brtannlc
IaJesty's Minister at Washington, who kindly I'M
dertook the task of examining the vouminous mass
of correspondence and testimony contributed by
the two governments, and awarded to the United
States the sum of S100,I50.09 in gold which has
since been paid by the Imperial government.
These recent examples show that the mode which
the United States have proposed to Spain for adj
Ijusting the pending claims is just and feasible and
that it may be agreed to by either nation without
dishonor. 1t is to be hoped that this moderate de-
mand may be acceded to by Spain without farther
delay. Should the pending negotiations unfortu-
nately and Unexpectedly be without result it will
become my duty to communicate the fact to Con-
gress. and invite its action on the subject.
I THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
| regret to say that no conclusion has been reach
ell for the adjustment of the claims against Great
Britain growing out of the course adopted by that
| Government, during the Rebellion. The Cabinet
of London so far as its views has been expressed,
does not appear to be willing to concede that Her
Majesty's Government was guilty of negligence, or
did, or permitted any act during the war, by which
the United States has Just cause of complaint.
Our ever firm and unalterable convictions are
directly the reverse. / therefore recommend to
Congress to authorize the appointment of a COM
mission to take proof of the amounts and the own
ershlp OF the private claims, well rs the respon-
Slble control OF the demands against Great Britain
1t cannot be necessary to add that whenever Her
Maesty's Government shall entertain the desire for
full and friendly adjustment of these claims, the
United States will enter upon their cons liberation
with an earnest desire for conclusion consistent
with the honor and dignity of both nations.
THE CANADIAN FISHERIES.
The course pursued by the Canadian Authorities
towards the fisherman of the United States during
the past season, has not been marked by friendly
feeling BY the first article of the Convention of
1878 between Great Britain and the United States
It was agreed that the inhabitants of the United
States should have forever i'll common with British
subjects the right of taking fish in the waters there
III defined. In the waters notincuded in the limits
named in the Convention, within three miles of
ports OF the British coast, it has been the custom
Tor many years to give the intruding fishermen of
the United States reasonable warning of their yio-
latons of the technical rights of Great Britain.
| The Imperial Government Is understood to have
delegated the whole or share of its jurisdiction
or control of these inshore fishing grounds to the
colonial authority known as the Dominion of Can
ada and this semi independent but irresponsible
agent has exercised its delegated powers in an I'M
friendly way Vessels have been seized without
notice, or warming in violation of the custom pre-
vlously prevailing. and have been taken into the
vessels condemned. There is reason to believe that
this unfrendly and veXatious treatment was de-
signed to bear harshly upon the hardy fishermen of
the United States, with view to political effect up
| on this Government. The statutes of the Dominion
of Canada assume still broader and more untera-
bic jurisdiction over the vessels of the United
States. They authorize officers persons to bring
vessels lowering within three marine miles of any
of the coasts, bays, creeks or harbors of Canada,
into port, to search the cargo, to examine the
master under oath, to change the cargo and voyage
ana TO nfllct upon them heavy pecuniay penalty if
true answers are not given. And if such vesseli
found, preparing to fish, within three marine
miles OF any such coasts, bays, creeks ur harbors
without license, or after the expiration of the
period named in the last license granted to it. they
provide that the vessels with her tackle &C. sc.
shall be forfeited. 1t is not known that any con-
formations have been made under this statute
Should the authorities of Canada atemt TO enforce
It, 1t will become my duty to take such steps as may
be necessary to protect the rights Of the citizens of
the United States. 1t has been claimed by Her
Maiesty'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 ey-
cept for the purposes of shelter and repairing dam
ages, OF purchasing wood and obtaining water
| That they have no right to enter the British Gus
tom House, or to trade there except for the pur-
chase of wood and water and that they must de-
part within tWentyfour hours after notice to leave
1t IS not known that any seizure of fishing
vessel carrying the United States flag has been made
under this claim. So far as the claim is founded an
alleged construction of the Convention of 1918 il
cannot be acquesced in by the United States 1t is
hoped that it will not be insisted upon by Her Ma
jesty's Government. During the conference 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 carrying on trade with any of His
Britannia Maesys subjects residing within the
limits assigned for their use and also that it should
engaged in the said fishery to have on board any
food wares or merchandise whatever, except such
as might be necessary for the prosecution of their
voyages to and from said fishing grounds, and any
vessel of the United States which should contra
| vene this regulation might be seized, condemned
and contscated with her cargo.
| This proposition, which is identical with the con-
struction now put upon the language of the con
yenton, was emphatically rejected by the Amer-
Commissioner and thereupon was abandoned bv
the British plenipotentiary, and article one-as it
stands in the Convention was substituted II
however, it be said that this claim is founded on
Provincial or Colonial statutes and not upon the
Convention; this government cannot but regard it
| as untrendly and in contraventon OF the spirit if
not of the letter of the treaty, for the faithful ex
ecution of which the Imperial Government is alone
responsible. Anticipating that an attempt may
possibly be made by the Canadian authorities in
the coming season, to repeat their unneighborlv
acts toward our fishermen, [ recommcd YOU to con-
fer upon the executive, the power to suspend by
proclamation the operation of the laws authorizing
the transit of goods, wares and merchandise in
bond, across the territory of the United States to
Canada, and further, should such exreme;meas-
ure become necessary, to suspend the operation of
any laws whereby the vessels OF the Dominion of
| Canada permitted to enter the waters of the
United States.
NAVIGATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.
A little unfriendy disposition has been manifest
ed on the part of Canada in the maintenance of
claim to the right to exclude the citizens of the Uni
ted States from the navigation of The st. Lawrence
This river constitutes natural outlet to the ocean
for eight States, with an aggregate population of
about 100000, and with aggregate tonnage of
6,611 1867 tons upon the waters which discharge in
to it. The foreign commerce of our ports in these
waters is open to British competition, and the ma
jor part of it IS done in British bottoms. If the
American seamen be excluded from this national
avenue to the ocean, the monopoly of the direct
commerce Of the Lake ports there with the Atlantic
would be in foreign hands, their vessels en- trans
Atlantic voyages having an to our Lake
ports, which would be denied to American vessels |
in similar voyages. To state such proposition is
to refute its justice. During the administration of
John Quincy Adams Mr.. Clay unqueslonablv de-
monstrated the natural right of the citizens OF the
United States to the navigation of this river claim
ing that the Act of the Congress of Vienna in open
ing the Rhine and other rivers to all nations show
ed the judgment Of European jurists and statesmen
that the Inhabitants of that country through which
navigable river passes have natural right to en-
JOY the navigation of that river to and into the sea-
even though passing through the territory ofanoth-
or power.
This right does not exclude the co-equa right to
the sovereign possessing the territory through