The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-12-09

important, however, that this part of the
boundary line should be definitely fixed by
Joint commission Of the Governments, and
submit herewith estimates Of the expense of
such q commission on the part Of the United
States, and recommend an appropriation
for that purpose. The land boundary is al ,
ready fixed and marked from the summit of |
the Rocky Mountains to the Georgian Bay. /
1t should be In like manner marked from |
the Lake of the Woods TO the summit Of the |
Rocky Mountains.
l regret 10 say no conclusion has been
reached 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, 80
far as its views have been expressed. does
NOT appear 10 De willing to concede that Her
Majestys Goyernment was guilty OF negli-
geneo or did or permitted anv act during
the war by which the United States had lust
cause OF complaint. 1 am firm and unaiter-
ap,e III the conviction directly the reverse
l therefore recommend to Congress to au-
thori1e the appointment Of commission to
osAS "a - prOoI OF the amounts and tn ownership
OF Inelr CLAIMS on notice to the representative
OF Her Majesty at Washington, and that au-
thorlty be given for the settlement of these
cl ANS by the United States; so that the gov
ernment shall have the Ownership of the pri-
yate claims, as well as the responsible control
of all the demands against Great Britain. It
cannot be necessary to add, that wherever
Her Malestys government shall entertain a
desire for full and friendly adjustment of
these claims, the United States will enter on
their consideration with an earnest desire for
q conclusion eonsistant with the honor and
dignity of other nations.
The course pursued by tho Canadian au-
thorities towards the fishermen of the United
States during the past season has not been
marked by a 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 In common the right of
taxing fish in certain waters therein defined
in the waters not included in the limits nam
/ ed In the Convention within three miles of
/ parts of the British coast. It has been the
/ custom for many years to give intruding fish
ermen of the United States reasonable warn
ing of violation OF the technical rights Of Great
1 Britain. The Imperial Government is under
/ stood to have delegated the whole or share
OF its jurisdiction or control Of these in shore
fishing grounds to the colonial authority,
known as the Dominion Of Canada, and this
se-n-independent, but irresponsible agent has
exercised its delegated powers In an unfnend-
ly manner Vessels have been seized without
notice or warning in violation of the custom
previously provided, and have been taken in
to Colonial ports, their voyages broken up and
the vessels condemned. There Is reason to
believe that tins unfriendly and vexatious
treatment was designed to bear hardly upon
the hardy fishermen of the United States with
a view OF political effect upon this Govern
ment. The statutes of the Dominion of Can
ada assume still broader and mora untenable
jurisdiction over the vessels of the United
States. They authorize officers or persons to
x-peealg "a
any of the coasts, bays, creeks or harbors Of
Canada, into port; to search the cargo; to ex-
anime the master on oath, touching the cargo
and voyage; and to infict upon him a heavy
peeuniary penalty, if true answers are moi
given; and if such vessel is found preparing
10 tish within three marine miles of any Of
such coasts, bays, creeks or harbors without
license or after the expiration of the period
named In the last license granted to It. they
provide that the vessel with her tackle, &c.
shall be forfeited. 1t is not known that an,
condemnations have been made under this sta.
Gute. Should the authorities of Canada at.
tempt to enforce it, it will become my duty tC
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
nave no right 70 enter the open ports of the
| British possessions in North America, except
| Inc purposes anu repairing QaIQ-
| ages, and OF purchasing wood and obtaining
water; that they have no right to enter at the
| British custom houses OF to trade, except the
purchase Of wood and water, and that they
must depart within q hours notice to leave
| 1t is not known that any seizure of vessels
| carrying the flag of the United States has been
made under this claim. So far as it is founded
0n alleged construction of the convention OF
1 1878, it cannot be acquiesced in by the United
I T.. 1 a. : : !
| on by Her Majesty's government During the
conference which preceded the negotiation OF
the Convention OF lSlS, the British Commis-
sioners proposed to expressly exclude the fish
| ermen OF the United States from the privilege
OF carrying on trade with any of His Brittanic
4 Maiesty's subjects residing within the limits
assigned for their use; and also that it should
not be lawful for the United States engaged in
such fishery, to have on board any goods,
wares or merchandise whatever, except such
as may be necessary for tho prosecution OF
their voyages to and from said fishing grounds,
and any vessels Of the United States which
shall controvene this regulation may be seized,
condemned and coniscaled, with her charge.
! This proposition, which is indentical with the
construction now put upon the language OF
the Convention, was emphatically rejected BY
the American commissioner, and thereupoI
was abandoned by the British Plenipotentaries,
and article II, as if stands in the Convention,
was substituted. If, however, it be said that
this claim is founded on provincial or colonial
/ statutes, and not upon the Convention this
Government cannot but regard them as un-
friendly and in controvention of the spirit, II
not of the letter. Of the treaty, for the faithful
execution Of which the Imperial Government
is alone responsible. Anticipating that an at
tempt may possibly be made by the Canadian
authorities IN the coming season to repeat
their unneighborly acts towards our fishermen,
recommend you to confer upon theExecutive
uhe 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 an extreme
measure become necessary, to suspend the
operation Of any laws whereby the vessels OF
| the Dominion of Canada are permitted to en-
ter the wathers of the United States.
A like unfriendly disposition has been man
Tested on the part of Canada, in the mainten-
ance of a claim of right to exclude the citizens
of the United States from navigation of the
| st. Lawrence This river constitutes national
outlet to the ocean for eight States with an
aggregate population OF II, 5000 inhabitants,
and with an aggregate tonnage of 66l, 1867,
tons upon the waters which discharge into it.
The foreign commerce of their ports on these
waters is open TO British competition, and the
major part of it is done in British bottoms. II
the American seamen be excluded from this
natural venue to the ocean, the monopoly Of
the direct commerce of the lake ports with the
Atlantic would be in foreign hands, their yes
sells on transatlantic voyages having an access
to our lake ports, which would be denied to
American vessels on similar voyages. To
state such proposition is 70 refute ite claim to
| Justice. During the administration of Mr.
John Quincy Adams, Mr.. Clay unqnestionably
demonstrated the natural 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 that the Judgment
of European jurists and statesmen that the
inhabitants of a country through which nav
igable river passes have a natural right to
enjoy the Ravigation of that river to and into
the see, even though passing through the ter
ritory of another power. This right does not
exclude the eo-equal right Of ths sovereign
possessing the Territory through which the
river debouches into the sea TO make such reg
ulation relative to the policy Of the navigation
as may be necessary; bnt those regulations
should be framed in liberal spirit of comfy,
and should not impose needless burdens on
the commerce which has the right Of transit
It has been found in practice more advantage
Gus to arrange these regulations by mutual
agreement. The United States are ready to
make any reasonable arrangement as to the
case OF the St. Lawrence, which may be sug-
gested by Great Britain. If the claim made
by Mr Clay was Just when the population Of
States bordring on the shores of the lakes was
enly S,400,G96, Il row deserves greater force
and equity from the increased population,
wealth, production and tonnage OF the States
on the Canadian frontier Since Mr.. CLAY ad-
vaneed his argument in behalf of our right,
the principle for which he eontsnded has been
frequently and by various nations recognized
by law on By treaty; has been extended to
several other rivers. BY the treaty concluded
at Mayenoe IN 1881, the Rhine was DECLARED
free from the point where it is first navigable
into the sea. By the Convention between