Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-20
WORCESTER
FRIDAY. OCTOBER 20, 1871.


some sbivering qHidnnnc, nj washington
,sleyr,pbs TO the Boston Advertiser that the
Gallant escape of the schooner E. A. Horton
tropbIes government officials who think grave
International questions" are involved; and he
adds This; "Should the British government de
msui it, it is not unlikely that our own would
restore the Horton and disavow the seizure.
When this telegraphic reporter shall recover the
wit ont of which he seems to have been scared,
he will, doubtless, discover that our government
has had nothing whatever TO do with the ''sei-
zure," and is not likely to restore what it has
not taken. When an American man-oi-war
seized SHdell and Mason, on board an English
vessel which was passing from one neutral port
TO another, there was reason for complaint. In
the present case, our government has seized
nothing done nothing, aud in no way incurred
responsibility Nor is there any reason that can
Justly move il to interfere with what has been
done bv the Gloucester fishermen. A schooner
was taken from them, which they found desert
ed by her captors and brought home.
Whatever grave International questions"
NAV he incident to the proceedings by which
our fishermen have been so constantly annoyed,
since the expiration of the reciprocity treaty,
are due to the reckless authors Of this annoy
ance They have assumed the responsibility Of
enacting provincial laws which give new and
inadmissible Interpretation Of the treaty of 1875
and provide 4 new and most unfriendly method
of dealing with American fishing vessels which
may be suspected of doing something not al
lowed by these offensive enactments Tie new
policy has been to seize our vessels without
warning; and even the provincial courts have
pronounced some of these seizures ineXcusahle.
The provincial laws in question have been dis
approved in England; and our government has
never for a moment thought of submitting to
their enforcement. Its views and its pur-
pose in regard to this matter, were
very distinctly expressed in President Grants
last message 10 congress. OF course, he adopted
peaceful methods to secure redress. The matter
was brought to the attention of the British gov
eminent. and full provision for redress of this
grievance has been made in the new treaty.
There was no trouble before provincial legisa-
ton began the course of systematic annoyance
There would be none now, if the Canadian au-
thorities would withdraw their attempt to
change that meaning Of the treaty and that
practice under ii, which were accepted on all
sides, for half century, as legitimate. 1t is
the Canadians who are responsible for whatever
International questions may arise out of their
most unwarrantable proceedings. Let them
withdraw these hostile proceedings, and return
10 the old, established, and legitimate practice
under the treaty Of 1913, until the new treaty
shall 90 into operation.
We feel sure that our government is not like
" 10 forget the merits OF the case and take coun-
sci Of the two anxious individuals who have
been allowed TO express their bewildered notions
in the Daily Advertiser The schooner L. A.
Horton was seized, without warning, in pursu-
ance of the hostile policy Of which we have
spoken. Her captors left her unguarded, while
taking measures to have their courts justify the
capture and condemn the vessels. The Glouces-
ter fishermen found their property unguarded
and brought it home. They attacked nobody
and did not even see anybody to attack. They
took the schooner, and, sailed for Gloucester
and, on their arrival, there was jubilee il
which we could have participated with grea
satisfaction. Those who suggest that our gov
erument may now seize the vessel and restor
it to the Canadian offenders against treaty obi
cations, talk as if the men who have control {
the government, were as weak and blind a
themselves. The master of the Horton declare
that she had not violated even the offensive pro
yincial laws, ana that he waited in vain for al
opportunity to prove this. If the vessel ha'
been seized on a charge of violating the treat
Of 1915 as heretofore understood on all sides
the case would be different. As it is, we shal
not believe, at present. that offensive and hos
tile acts OF the Canadians, not warranted by til
treaty of 1918, will he treated with the respeC
due to honorable fidelity to treaty obligation.