The Portland daily press., 1872-04-06
THE PR ESS.
MORNING, APRIL s, 1871


lisa War with Englahu
IT NAV he that the United States are drltt-
mo toward most important events. Ordin-
I'll, s,ch a diplomatic deadlock as at pres
ont ex;sts between this country and Great
Britain would excite very grave apprehen-
= sions. When one government, after long and
difficult negotiation, makes treaty with
another, and afterwards writes note, saying
that it really can't consent to be bound by it,
and, when areply insisting on the rights con-
ferred by the treaty is received, rejoins that 1t
aotH have its own way, treaty or no treaty,
things are in train for sharper controversy
than can be carried on by words. But Gu
riously enough the people OF has country, at
any rate, have seen the solution of the diff
! Guilty growing every day more difficult with
out giving themselves any apparent uneasi-
ness whatever. The fact is they have been
SO many times intensely excited on this and
cognate topics, that they have lost all inclina-
ton to cherish and encourage warlike spirit
on account of anything said or done by Eng
land during the Rebellion. After the sur
render of Mason and Slidell, the calm endur-
ance of the loss of their commerce through
the agency of English pirates, the momenta-
ry excitement growing out of the spirit-stir-
ring appeals of Sumner, Butler and Chand-
Ter and the little gush of hostile feeling engen-
dsred by the rejection of Reverdy Johnson's
treaty,-after all their experience of excite
ment that has borne no fruit, good or bad,
the American people anticipate with perfect
outward serenity the failure of treaty which
they supposed was at the same time to give
them ample redress and to mark new era in
/. human history. 1t is probable that Mr.. Fish
and Lord Granville might exchange notes for
a long time without exciting among their re-
spective countrymen that feeling of exaspera-
ton that would lead to actual hostiities.
But there is danger growing out of cause
apparently much more trivial than the gen.
eral failure to adjust the difficulties between
England and America. The situation in
Canadian waters where our fishermen resort
will be truly serious during the next season.
The legislative bodies of the United States,
Great Britain, the Dominion and Prince Ed
wards Island having failed to carry out the
provisions of the treaty of Washington touch
ing the settlement of the fishery question,
the whole matter remains in the critical posi-
ton it assumed on the expiration of the
reciprocity treaty. Our fishing vessels are
warned by the Dominion authorities not to
approach. within a marine league of the
shore, and they reckon the league from a line
drawn from headland to headland. The
slight misunderstanding to which these
unfriendly regulations have given rise in the
past are full Of warning as TO the more seri-
Gus dangers of the immediate future. Last
season there were numerous seizures and con-
fiseations of American vessels which were held
to be to the last degree unjust and oppressive.
In one case the master and crew Of vessel
went so far as TO rescue their property by
force, for which they were greatly praised by
Gen, Butler, who thereafter paraded them
as heroes aud patriots in all his speeches. In
spired by this same gentleman, Il Is said that
the Gloucester fishermen are going TO their
work this season armed TO resist what they
may be pleased to regard, in the new charac-
ter Of international lawyers with which they
have been clothed by the Essex Congress-
man, as encroachments on their rights II Is
plain that here win he a discussion in which
the polite antiquities and mere tentative
propositions of diplomacy win have no place.
Armed fishermen win tight, if they think
they have occasion, and one good brush with
the English authorities, involving more or
less bloodshed, would do more toward in
flaming the passions of the two nations and
making war imminent than, a thousand vol
umes % letters, however pointed, ending in,
II am, sir, with distinguished consideration,
your most humble, obedient servant" If the
Gloucester fishermen have any friends beside
their Representative in Congress, we hope
they will bestir themselves seasonably and
disabuse their minds of the impression that
they ought to take the affairSss two CONT
nents into their own hands. Poor fellows
The ocean, which yearly decimates their
nnnahArs and fills iiei- lhornos WIN WIDOWS
and orphans, uses them hardly enough How
is it that they have Butler also? anald