The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-25

epitomizes itself into the cry, "Nue Ia baga-
teLeg'
The Presidents Special Message ON the
Northeastern Fisheries.
The President submitted 10 the two houses
yesterday special Message urging imme-
date legislation necessary to carry out
the provisions of the Treaty Of Wash
ington in reference to the Northeastern
Fisheries The House acted promptly and
passed the bill reported by Mr.. Banks from
the Committee on Foreign Affairs. It is to be
hoped the Senate will be equally prompt
when the bill comes before it. The Treaty of
Washington provided that for period of ten
years citizens of the United States shall have
the same liberties to fish along the coasts,
bays and creeks of New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfound-
land as British subjects, and shall have the
same privileges to dry their nets and cure their
fish as British subjects, and that, in the way of
reciprocity in these concessions, the United
States, for the said period of ten years, give
similar fishing privileges in their seacoast
down to Delaware Bay. But inasmuch as the
fishing privileges thus granted our citizens are
held to be more valuable than those given in
return by the United States, the treaty further
provides for settlement of this matter by
arbitration, and that any sum as balance
properly due to England for the said ten years
Of reciprocal fishing shall be paid by the
United States within specified interval from
the PRONUNCIATION of the award.
From certain hints from Washington some
days ago, in connection with consultation
by the President with the members Of
the Committee on Foreign Affairs Of
the House and the Senate on this
business, we were led to suppose that the
Presidents anxiety in regard to the treaty on
these fisheries arose from the apprehension
that, unless the two houses were pushed in
this matter the Commissioners might strike
the balance in favor of England, and that the
time for its payment might come without any
authority on the part of the Executive to
hand over the money. It appears, however,
that the necessity for legislation upon this
branch of the subject is not particularly
urgent, but that, Gin addition to the claim
that Great Britain may have upon the good
faith Of this government to consider the iegis-
lation necessary in connection with the ques-
ton which that government presented as the
subject of a negotiation which has resulted so
favorably to this government upon other ques-
TONS" the President submits, cit is of i'm
portance that the rights of American fisher
men, as provided for under the treaty, should
be determined before the now approaching
fishing season opens, and that the serious
difficulties in the fishing interest and the grave
questions between the two governments that
may arise therefrom be averted.'
These ''grave questions apprehended
were well worthy the immediate atten-
ton given them by Congress- Under
our old treaty stipulations, still in
force regarding these Northeastern British
fisheries, the right to fish therein on the part
of our fishermen is outside of one marine
league from the coast line; but the great diff
Guilty in reference to this line of exclusion has
been the British construction of running it
across from headland to headland of the bays
along those provincial coasts, thus excluding
our fishermen from all the bays between New
Brunswick and Newfoundland. The results
for years have been wranglings, seizures,
prosecutions and threats of war between the
Blue Noses and our Yankee fishermen. Now,
as our fishermen understand the Treaty of
Washington, they are preparing to enter the
bays and creeks of the British ishing grounds
for their Goldfish and mackerd this season
but if the Treaty remains unfulilled by Con-
gress their right to enter these bays and
creeks will be disputed and serious trouble
may follow. Hence the Presidents anxiety
on this subject; and from the explanation we
have given Of the ''grave question" he hints at,
should this Congress fail to met the require
ments Of the treaty, we think ithighly proba-
BILE that an extra session will b called to dis
charge this duty.