The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-12-15

| therefore l recommend to Congress to
authorize the appointment of commits
sion to take proof of the amounts and the
ownership Of their claims on notice to the
representatives of her Majesty at Wash
ington, and that authority be given for
the purchase of these claims by the Unit
ed States, so that the government shall
have the ownership of the private claims
as well as the responsible control of ali
the claims against Great Britain. II can
not be necessary to add that whenever
her Malesty's government shall entertain
desire for full and friendly adjustment
Of these claims, the United States will
enter upon their consideration with an
earnest desire for conclusion consistent
with the honor and dignity of both ma
tions.
The course pursued by the Canadian
authorities toward 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 Uni
ted States, it was agreed that the inhabit-
ants of the United States should have
forever, in common with British subjects
the right of taking fish in certain waters
therein defined In the waters not in
cluded in the limits named in the CON
ventlon were those within three miles
of ports of the British coast 1t has been
the custom for many years to give to in
truding fishermen of the United States
a reasonable warning of their violation of
the technical rights ofGreat Britain. The
10 nav ataF,t,r ,x.z.A
have delegated the whole or share ofits
jurisdiction or control of these inshore
fishery grounds to the Colonial authority
known as the Dominion of Canada, and
this semi-independent but irresponsible
agent has exercised its delegated powers
IN an untriendly way. Vessels have been
seized without notice or warning, in vio-
latlon OF the custom previously prevail
ing, and have been taken into the colon
lal ports, their voyages broken up, and the
vessels condemned There is no reason
to believe that this unfriendly and vexa-
tlous treatment was designed to bear
harshly upon the fishermen ofthe United
States, with view to political effect upon
the government. The officers of the Do |
mlnlon of Canada assume a still broader
and more untenable jurisdiction over the
vessels ofthe United States They author |
lze officers or persons to bring vessels how |
erlng three marine miles of any of the |
coasts, bays, creeks or harbors of Canada |
into port to search the cargo, and examine !
the master, on oath, touching the cargo
and voyage, and to inhictupo him heavy |
pecuniary penalty if the true answer were |
mo fFtNrp Il II
preparing to fish within three marine
miles OF any such coasts, bays, creeks or |
harbors, without license, or after the |
period named in the last license granted |
to t, they provide that the vessel with
her tackle, &C. &c, shall be forfeited.
1t is not known that any condemnations |
have been made under this statue. Should |
the authorities in Canada attempt to en-
force 1t, 1t will become my duty to take !
such steps as may become necessary to
protect the citizens ofthe United States.
1t has been claimed by her Maiesty's off
GERS 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 purpose of shell !
ter and repairing damages. purchasing |
wood and obtaining water that they !
have no right to enter at the British Gus
tom Houses, or to trade, except the pur-
chase OF wood and water, and that they
must depart within twenty-four hours af-
ter notice to leave. 1t is not known that
any seizure OF fishing vessels carrying
the flag of the United States has been
made under this claim So far as the
claim is founded in an alleged construc
tlon OF the convention of 1878, it cannot
be acquiesced in by the United States
L is hoped that it will not be insisted on
by her Majesty's government. During the
conference which preceded the. negotia-
lion of the convention of 1918 the
British Commissioners proposed to
expressly exclude sthe fishermen
oi the United States from the privilege
1t carrying on trade with any of her Brit
mic Majesty's subjects residing within
he limits assigned for their use, and al
30 that it should not be lawful for the
ressels of the United States, engaged in
such fishing, to have on board any goods.
wares or merchandise whatever, except
uch as may be necessary for the prosecu-
ion OF their voyages to and from said
ishlng grounds, and any vessel of the
United States, which shall contravene
his regulation may be seized, condemn
d and eonfscated, with their cargoes. {
his proposition which is identical with {
he construction now put upon the Ian !
uage OF the convention, was emphatical-
Y rejected by the American commission q
rs, and thcreupon was abandoned by the {
british plenipotentiaries, and Article | !
5 it stands in the convention, was sub .
-ituted. If, however, it be said that this !
lain is founded on provincial or colonial
.atstics, and not upon the convention, G
lis government, can not but regard them I
) unfriendly, and in contravention of t
le faithful execution of which the I'M t
erial government is alone responsible I
nticipating that an attempt may possi- /
y be made by the Canadian authorities o
the coming season to repeat these UNI o
aighborly acts toward our fishermen. | q
you to confer upon the Exc $
ltive the power to spend by proclama- S
on the operations OF the laws authoriz- S.
q the transit of goods, wares and mcr- s.
landise in bond across the territory of
Ie United States to Canada; and fur /
ler should such an extreme measure a.
,comc necessary, to suspend the opera II
ons Of any laws whereby the vessels of t!
e Dominion of Canada are permitted to I
tier the waters of the United States. q
A like unfriendly disposition has been p
aniiested on the part of Canada in the t'
of claim of a right to ex- Il
ude the citizens of the United States q
ON the navigation of the st. Lawrence p
ne river constitutes natural outlet of u
e lakes to the ocean, with an aggregate u