Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-12-08
EATON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1870.
with an earnest desire for a conclusion consistent
with the honor and dignity of both nations.

/ with the honor and dignity OF both nations.
! THE FISHING QUESTION.
The course pursued by the Canadian authorities
toward the fishermen OF the United States during
the past season has not been marked by
the Convention Of ISIS between Great Britain and
Of Of the United States should have forever, in COM
mon with British subjects, the right of taking fish
not included in the limits named in the
Convention, within three miles of ports
| for many years to give intrudng fishermen of the
| United States reasonable warning of the VIOLA
ton of the technical rights of Great Britain. The
| Imperial government is understood to have dele
j gated toe whole share Of its jurisdiction or
1 control of these inshore fishery grounds to the
Colonial authority, known as the Dominion of Can
| ada, and this semiindependent but irresponsible
friendly way Vessels have been seized without
notice or warning in violation of the custom pre-
colonial ports, their voyages broken up and the
vessels condemned. There is reason to believe that
signed to bear harshiy upon the hardy fisher
men me- 9th, Of the United States with a view
The saIes of ss @R0H t9s o
still broader and more untenable jurisdiction
over the vessels OF Ine onited M states: they
ering within three marine miles Of any of the coasts,
f OF ia e, b n5o port
touching the cargo and voyage, and to infict upon
hoa shd Pesse is
to fish within three marine miles of any such
or after the expiration of the period named in the
last license granted to it, they provide that the
sci, win her Tackle, etc eIe snaii pc iqrietep 1t
made under this statute. Should the authorites of
Ganaas at1emPG 70 enIerce @ %al R oecome my
protect the rights of citizens of the United States
has t been claimed By he her 1Ma'isstys officers that
right to enter the open ports of the British pos
sessions in n, 5SSIta- NSTh A%5eS S4ssP 0T the
Of purchasing wood and obtaining water |;
that they have no right to enter
must depart within 24 hours after notice to leave
sci CARRYING the nag of the United States has been
made under this claim. So far as the claim is
vention of 1873 it cannot be acquiesced in by the
United States. 1t is hoped that it will not be in
the conference which preceded the negotiation Of
the Convention of 1913, the British Commissioners
United States from the privilege Of carrying on
trade with any of His BrittaIic MajeBtyts subjects
sSouS not be be VeSses
the United States engaged m such fishery to have
on board any foods, wares or merchandise what
prosecution Of their voyages to sand
from said fishing grounds. and any vessel
regulation, may be seized, condemned and confs-
Gated, with her cargo. This proposition, which is
language of the convention, emphatically re-
jected by the American Commissioner, and there
upon was abandoned by the British Plenipotentia-
rfes and article one stands in the convention,
was substituted. II, however, it be said that this
claim is founded on provincial colonial statutes,
and not upon the convention, this government can
not but regard them as unfnendly, and In
letter Of the treaty for the faithful execution OF
which the imperial government is alone respons1-
BILE. Anticipating that an attempt may possibly be
made by the Canadian authorities in the coming
season to repeat their unneighborly acts toward our
fishermen, recommend you TO confer upon the
the operation of the laws authorizing the transit Of
goods. wares and merchandise A IN bond, across
and further, should such an extreme measure be-
come necessary to suspend the a.. operation Of Of any
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
citizens Of the United States from navigation
of the st. Lawrence. This river constitutes nat
aggregate population of seventeen million six hun
dred thous nd inhabitants, and with an aggregate
discharge into it. The foreign commerce of their
ports on these waters Is open to British comPe-
f bottoms. U If If the American n seamen be excluded
from this natural avenue to the ocean, the monoP-
& sp ne % soren ~ sne hands pfbr
sells on the TRANSATLANTIC voyages having an access
to our lake ports, which would be denied to
tes the adm2sraSn Of ME
tionably demonstrated the natural right OF the
citizens OF the United States to the navigation Of
the river claiming that the act Of the Congress OF
Vienna In opening the Rhine and other rivers to all
nations, showed the Judgment of European jursts
and statesmen, that the Inhabitants Of a country
through which a navigable river passes have a
natural right to enjoy the navigation of that river,
the 70 aaa 6S Fe9 O
exclude the co-eqqal right Of the sovereign posses
into the sea, to make such regulations relative to
the policy OF the navigation as may be reasonably
Bnt nose % ion sId pc @
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 arrangement as to the nav
igatfon of the st. Lawrence which may be suggested
by Great Britain. II the claim made by Mr. Clay was
just when the population of the States bordering on
the shores OF the lakes only s. 900, ii now
derives greater force and equity from the increased
population, wealth, production and tonnage of the
States on the Canadian frontier.
Since Mr.. Clay advanced his argument in behalf
of right the principles for which he eontended
ognzed by law or by treaty and have been extended
to other great rivers By the treaty concud-
ed at Mayence in 1881, the Rhine was declared free
from the point where It is first naYi9abIe into the
sea- By the convention between Spain and Portugal,
tbrousSout it's Whole extent was made free for the
subjects of both crowns. In 1858 the Argentine
igation of the Pafana and Uruguay to the merchant
vessels of all nations. In 1856 the Cr1mean war
SS % the efs R 1sS Bo
treaty, declared it regarded the rivers Amazon and
La Plata, in accordance with nxed principles OF
national law, as highways or channels opened by
nature for the, commerce of all nations, = =
In 1859 the Paraguay was made nee by treaty,
and in December, 1856, the Emperor Of Brazil, By
imperial decree, declared the Amazon to be open
to the frontier Of Brazil to the merchant ships OF
all nations.
The greatest living British authority on this sub
iect while asserting the abstract right of the Brit
ish claim says it seems difficult to deny that Great
Britain may ground her refusal upon strict law
But it is equally difficult to deny, first, that In so
doing she exercises harshly an extreme and hard
law; second, that her conduct with respect to the
navigation of the St. Lawrence is m glar1ng and
discreditable inconsistency with her conduct with
respect to the navigation Of the Mississippi on the
ground that she possesses a small domain IN wnlcn
the Mississippi took its rise She insisted on the
right to navigate the entire volume OF Its waters, on
the ground that she possesses both banks OF the ST.
Lawrence where it disembouches itself into the sea
She denies the United States the right OF nayga-
ton, though about one half the waters OF Lakes
Ontario Erie, Huron and Superior and the whole
OF Lake Michigan, through which the r1Ver nows,
the. property of the United States
The whole nation is interested in securing cheap
transportation fIom the agricultural states OF tne
West to the Atlantic seaboard. To the c1tlzens OF
those States 1t secures greater return Ior aier
labor. To the inhabitants OF the seaboard II oners
cheaper food; to the nation increase IN the an
nual surplus of wealth. 1t is hoped that the Gov
ernment Of Great Britain will see the justice OF
abandoning the narrow and inconsistent claim 70
which her Canadian provinces have urged her ad-
| herence. ..--. -....
~ OCEAN NAVIGATION.