New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-23
GEN. BUTLER ON THE TREATY.

GEN. BUTLER ON THE TREATY.
HIS CRITICISMS ON THE FISHERY cLAUsEs-oUR
FISHING INTERESTS TO BE RUINED IF THE
TREATY BE RATIFIED.
RosToy. Mass, May 22.-Gen. Butler ap-
r,a,oa 6ofore the legislative Committee Federal
pe,ations TODAY. and read letter, making 2+page
nomnblet which he had addressed to his son-inlaw,
SENATOR Ames OF Mississippi in which ne eaDoratey
reviews and generally condemns the treaty VI Washing
tom Gen. Butler first eriticises the setuenen VI .no
fishery question, in (which he says OUT OF INC $3.50
barrels OF mackerel caught between cape May, VI 'n
asth paralle and the northern extent OF their limit "
our fishermen only some $4,000 barrels were last year
taken east of the state Of Maine In all waters BRUSH Ut
otherwise In frankness 1t should be stated that o"s
to the annoyances which our fishermen sunereu' anu
from other special causes, that catch was saer 'n@
usual: but 1t may be safely put at an average ho'
exceeding $4,000 barrels. During the Reciprocity Iieay
and since its abrogation when fishing under fi brish
license our fishermen took something lesslthan onenlIh
of their catch within the threemiIe line 20 that inc
of by theipresent Treaty to us Is the
right Of Great Britain in 5000 barrels OF nacKere WHICH,
swimming in the within three miles Oh her sno'o''
Now as fishing is only about IS per cent business OK III
other words per cent Of the value OF the sn taken
consists in the use of capital employed labor expended
In taking curing, packing and preparing Tor MARKET
win be seen how inconsderabe is the right actually at
tempted to be coded to US by the present Treaty s
extent s in fact when reduced to money value, from
to 81 900 annually only In connection with this the
General continues:
see 1t stated in what purports to be protocol to the
Treaty that the American Commissioners opened the
negotiations with offer to pay 10000 In gold Tor ths
right Or annually "a ss for and al aid SELL tGf
Where Commissioners got their e1raordlnary yalu
the English Commissioners thought they had something
too valuable to dispose Of when YANKEES wo1Ia yngr
1900 900 for the right, to begin with AS the Engish
had nj objects
money value upon the fisheries az they intended 70 0Iee
open our ports by their Further IL cost lne brl
in Government $500 per annum to guard the right OF
the value OF 1900 per ana, OF the Treaty
to Sn the imperial Government and its adjunct,
We by provisions Of the Treaty IN exehanGe 70
our waters for all kinds of fish. except shelish am am
river fish, and to land on our shores 70 cure ane S
from Passport to Delaware Bay The opening Oh our
ports British fish free OF duty and competition WITH
bounty OF 10 francs and other features OF the iIes
the General believes will substantially rum our nSS
from further seizures Of American vessels IN canadian
waters, for indemnity for the seizures OF Tne
Coast
In concluding this review of the fishery question, Gen.
Butler says:
grieve, therefore, that so complete an abandonment
OF the American fishing interests should nave Dee hs
by Commissioners, and trust the senate VIII Hoe
Itfy this portion OF the Treaty unless adj
vantages that we can afford this great loss Is ex
Questions were considered by themselves.
AS regards the Alabama claims he is dispeased De-
cause he finds IN neither Treaty nor Protocol word OF
censure for the British officials who gave aid to the
"piratlca enemy" of the United states no apology TOT
the delay Of the law officers Of the Crown; no expana-
ton or apology for England's demand or Mason ana
slde The Commission OF Arbitration does not please
him. He says:
Twill say nothing as to the King Of Italy and the Pres
ident OF the Confederation but cannot iqree
Florida in the port of Bahia where she had taken he
under the Of the aD Ui aid that
given the Alabama in British ports; ana eanhot orgs
arSv he temped to appoint Commissioner who will
decide that Great Britain was wrong In harD9llng in9
noD 70 nav for the damages inflicted by the Florida in
ike case offending do not forget that the Emperor
Of Brazil required Of us return the Florida TO
The Port of Bahia in the same condition that
we found her, so that she might PURSUE PURSUE Hgr
that neutrality which he chose TO afford to u.s. - -,
And cannot forget also that very cogent OF
opinion between the repre- OF TINS county
and His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil In regard 10 ms
war against Paraguay, which led to some not the most
friendly relations IcannOt forget that Brazil mas the
bad emnence now Of being in the world the only atlon
retaining slavery and the chosen eI home 3 To Tesfe
supposed impending halter after the surrender Oh
IL Lee narpaosa iaW are thus established binding
us more stringenty than DO our own III nG az
dad treat vantage ground of the United States to
regain our commerce. lost by British depredatOhS IN any
Itfe W eat Britain on the seas IL indeed assured
II seems therefore, that the question OF national nonor,
ment as commercial rival is to be submitted to I'VE
gentleman who may decide that all shall be PAID LOT Ia
gross sum of money 1t has already been submitted 70
fen called Joint High Commission; ana II the I'VE new
gentlemen be hereafter selected, 90 not
fLe different view OF than those OF our own
appointment, not much hope even OF pecuniary
gain as a partial reparation OF all we have lost
He finds quite as much fault with the articles in regard
m the claims of British subjects, claiming that It Will
oht,o ne 10 nav conversation for slaves taken by us
during the war; and that by being obliged to pay Tor
cotton by which the Confederate loan was secured we
should in reality be paying the loan ITSELF He continues
Again II we are to pay for these losses Of British sub
,oc arising out OF war; why we not in IKE man
Nor hound to pay the losses OF the French the Germans
he Italians the Austrans, the spanafds, inc bT r
| In Observe how completely our JOINT IOnl-
missoners have been outgeneraed because IN al! me
Boards OF Arbitration either the king OF spain OF nus
i've the King OF Italy or his representatives tne EMPEROR
OF Prussia or his represehIait,e @ mi nj Their snbieet
nave like claims and like demands Win BRUSH suoJectS
upon eMs Ell more alarmed upon this topic than do
dd n1t know that least there is safeguard which
th tinted states have against the provisions OF the
m ottrwbich need no word Of characterization
that is that the House OF Representatives OF e people
will never appropriate money to carry some OF them in'o
effect. =,
After Gen Butler closed reading his letter on the
Treaty. of Washington, f. H. Derby addressed the Legs
atvo Committee. he regretted that the views OF Gen
Buer had not been sent before the Joint High Commits
and the members OF the UDleu states oehh1e Us III
believed they were sound and should receive the aten
tion ~ all thoughtful men. He fully Endorsed Mr.. But
ers estimate Of the immense value OF the fisheries to
yery large community in the country The mae kele
6sberV alone was worth 100000 annually The coo
fshery was valued TO the State Of Massachusetts, a
Ga oo 100 per annum There another great bTancl
Of industry and that the supply Of fish daily 10 th
markets Of the State. That was worth S2,6OOON o
a. Oo0 600 year, and the whale fishery wa
valued at least S. 100000 annually, The total fisher
was thus worth at least S100OOO or equal to enesx
teenth OF the entire productions OF the State The Ian
guage OF the Treaty. Mr.. Derby cOnended, to tax
away the sole protection OF our fishermen in the HON
market and throw them into competition with the Eu
gsh and French fishermen, who had not so heavy due