The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-12-06

such steps as may be necessary to protect
the rights of the citizens of the United
States. 1t has been claimed by her
Majesty's officers that the fishing yes
sells of the United States have no right
to enter the open ports Of the British
possessions in North America, except
for the purpose Of shelter and repairing
damages, of purchasing wood and OBJ
tanning water; that they have no right
to enter at the British custom
houses, or to trade, except fol
the purchase of wood and water
and that they must depart within
twenty-four hours after notice to leave.
1t is not known that any seizure Of a
fishing vessel carrying the flag Of the
United States has been made under
this claim. So far as the claim is found
ed on any alleged construction of the
] Convention of 1878 it cannot be acquiesc.
ed in by the United States. 1t is hoped
that it will not be insisted on by Her
Majestys government, During the
conference which preceded the negotia,
ton of the Convention Of 1918,
the British Commission proposed
to expressly exclude the fisher,
men of the United States from the
privilege of carrying on trade with any
of Her British Majesty's subjects resid-
ing 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 fishing to have
on board any goods, wares or merchan-
die whatever except such as may be-
necessary for the prosecution OF their
voyage to and from said fishing grounds,
and any vessel which shall contrayene
this regulation, may be seized, con-
Ldemned, and confscated with their car
goes. This proposition, which is iden-
teal with the construction now put
upon the language Of the Convention,
was emphatically regretted by the
Commissioners, and thereupon was
abandoned by the British plenipoten-
tiaries, and Article |, as it stands in
the Convention, was substituted. IT,
however it is said that this claim is
founded on provincial or colonial stat
utes, and not upon the Convention,
this Government cannot but regard
them as unfriendly and in contraven-
ton of the faithful execution of which
the Imperial Government is alone re-
ponsible. anticipate that an attempt
may possibly be made by the Canadian
authorities in the coming season to re-
peat these unneighborly acts towards
our fishermen.
BUTLERs s NoN-INTERcoCRSE PLAN.
recommend you to confer up
on the power to suspend by procla-
nation the operation Of the laws
authorizing the transit Of goods, wares
apd merchandise in bond across to the
territory of the United States and Can
ada, and further, should such an ex-
treme measure become necessary to
suspend the operations Of any of the
laws whereby, the vessels Of the Domin-
ion Of Canada are permitted to enter the
waters of the United States. Alike un-
friendly disposition has been manifested
on the part of Canada with the main
tainance ola claim Of the right to exclude
the citizens Of the United States from
the navigation Of the st. Lawrence.
NAVIGATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE
The river constitutes a natural outlet
to the ocean, with an aggregate popula-
ton of about 17,600,OO0 inhabitants,
and with an aggregate tonnage of 66l,-
367 tons upon the waters which dis
charge into it. The foreign commerce
Of our ports in these waters is open to
British competition, and the major part
of it is done in British bottoms If the
American seamen be excluded from this
natural avenue to the ocean, the monop-
oily Of the direct commerce Of the lake
ports OF the Atlantic would be in for
eign hands, their vessels on trans
Atlantic voyages, having an access to
our lake ports, which would be denied
to American vessels on similar VOYAGES
To state such a proposition is to retute
its justice During the administration
Of Mr.. John Quincy Adams, Mr.. Clay
unquestionably demonstrates the nation
al right Of the citizens of the United
States to the navigation of this river,
claiming that the act Of the Congress Of
Vienna in opening the Rhine and other
rivers to all nations showed the judg
ment of European jurists and statesmen
that the inhabitants Of "A country
through which a navigable river passes
have a national right to enjoy the nav
igation of that river to and into the sea
even though passing through the terri
tory of another power. This right does
not exclude the coequal right Of
the sovereign possessing the ter
ritory through which the river
debouches into the sea, to make such
regulations relative to the policy Of the
navigation as may be reasonably neces-
sary, but those regulations should be
framed in liberal spirit of comfy and
should not impose needless burdens
upon the commerce which has the right
OF transit. 1t has been found
in practice more advantageous to
arrange these regulations by mu-
tual agreement. The United States
are ready to make any reasonable ar
rangement as to the police of the st.
Lawrence which may be suggested by
Great Britain. If the claim by Mr..
Clay was just when the population of
the States bordering on the shores of the
lakes was only 100000 it now derives
greater force and equity from the in
creased population, wealth, production
and tonnage Of the States on the Cana
dian frontier line. Mr.. Clay advances
his arguments in behalf of our rights.
PECEDENTs.
The principles for which he contended
has been frequently and by various ma
tons recognized by law or by treaty and
has been extended to several other great
rivers By the treaty concluded at Nav