Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-01-24
The Alabama, St.Lawrence and Fishery
Questions.

Subsequent to to the commence
mont Of our recent civil war, there
has not been that degree of recipro-
cal friendship between the United
States and Great Britain that had
previously existed, and consequently
our intercourse with our Canadian
neighbors has not been quite so fra
ternal as heretofore. There was a
time, not very far remote, when the
people Of Canada were strongly in
clined TO unite their destinies with
ours, and it is thought that wise
and prudent line of policy might
have resultedin annexation but since
theu, for various reasons, the pros
pect of unifcation has been daily be-
coming less probable, until we find
the two nations verging on hostili-
ties.
The Presidents Message to Con-
gress has excited no little interest
both in England and Canada. Some
Of their journals assume very bel
ligerent attitude, while others discuss
the grave questions at issue with be-
coming Difference. Gen. Grant has
once more exhibited his Characters
tic frmness in demanding restitution
for the Alabama depredations on our
commerce, and English statesmen
are beginning to see the feasibility
of an amicablo settlement. Our
Government has offered to submit
the matter to arbitration, but John
Bull, in the person Of Earl Russell,
fatty refused to submit the question,
stating that England must be the
guardian Of her own honor" Suisse
quently England consented to sub
nit to arbitration a part of tho moot
ed question. which, as q matter of
course, the United States promptly
rejected, and there the matter stands.
The Alabama claims are as far from
being settled as at the close Of the
war, But, as it has already been OBJ
served, England is beginning to see
that she will have TO submit to more
liberal terms. That part of the mes
sage which alludes to the unrestrict-
ed navigation of the st. Lawrence
river, has called out considerable
criticism, but tho fishing question
takes precedence Of all others in in
terest and Importance just now.
Prior to American Independence,
New England fishermen were accus-
toned to fish off the banks of New
foundland and other places which
were common property then; but az
ter the establishment of q new and
Independent government those fish
cries became the property of for
eign kingdom. But in the treaty Of
1888, American fishermen were grant
cd the privilege of fishing in British
waters as heretofore, and ever since
tho fisheries have proved to be a
source ofjealousy and discord. The
Convention Of 1918 again took up
the fishing question, and after defn-
ing where American vessels were to
have the right of shore fishing, thus
defined the exclusive rights of British
subjects:
"The United States hereby renounce forever.
any liberty heretofore enjoyed or desired bv
the inhabitants thereof, to take, dry, or cure
fish on or within three marine miles Of any of
the coasts, bays, creeks, or harbors Of his
Britannia Majesty's aomnions in America, not
included within the above mentioned limits
provided, however, that the American fisher
men shall be admitted to enter such BAYS or
harbors for the purpose of shelter and repair
ing damages therein, or purchasing wood and
obtaining water, and for no other purpose
whatever. But they shall be under such re-
strlctions as may be necessary to prevent their
taking, drying, or curing fish therein, or in
any other manner whatever during the priyi-
leges hereby reserved TO them"
Now, it will DO observed that the
President does not charge the Cana
dian authorities with violating any
of the provisions of this compact,
but simply with enforcing the same
in q every unfriendIy" manor
Hitherto when American fishermen
were found within three marine
miles of British coasts, they have
been made acquainted Of the fact,
and if they still continued to trepass,
they were subject TO arrest and its
consequences, but never without due
notice TO desist, and custom it may
DO observed becomes law in the ab-
sence of any legal enactments. A
fow weeks ago the American fishing
vessel Friend, from Gloucester, Mass,
was found by the British steamer
Plovsr, near Charlottetown, Prince
Edwards Island, and taken into port
for breach of the fishing laws, with
out havisg been previously notified
according to we'll established usage,
abiding to which tho Presidents
message reads thus.
"Vessels have been seized without motto,
m violation Of previous custom, and been taken
into colonial ports, their voyages broken up
and the vessels condemned"
So for as the letter of the law is
concerned, the Canadian authorities
doubtless had a right to seize the
Friend for trespassing in British fish
cries, but it will hardly be denied
that the parties were actuated by an
"unfriendly feeling" toward the
United States, which our people are
not in humor to overlook just now.
Accordingly we see that Gen. Butler
has already presented to the House
Of Representatives petition signed
by two thousand citizens of Glouces-
ter nravino tho nrsaant CONGRESS to