Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-27
Blaine Makes a Good Point Against the
Halifax Award--Christiancy Introduces q
Bill to Repeal the Bankrupt Law--Test
Vote on the Tariff Billie is Made the
Special Order by Vote Of 137 Yeas, Ia
Nays.
Senate.

amendments. Several members of the COM
! mittee who did not favor repeal consented that
the bill should be reported without recon-
mendation. Placed on the calendar.
! Senator Wallace from the committee on
finance, reported favorably on the Senate bill
for the relief of John w. Douglass. Placed on
the calendar It appropriates 1866 to reim-
White, collector Of internal revenue for the
nineteenth district Of Pennsylvania
| He also reported from the committee on
fereign relations with amendments, the House
bill supplementary to the act of March Sd
| 1852 to carry into effect the convention be-
tween the United States and China, and to give
the court of claims jurisdiction in certain
| cases. Placed on the calendar.
| Senator Blaine said.1>I move the correspond
! ence between the American and British gov
ernments, in regard to the appointment of Del
Fosse on the Halifax commission, be taken
on foreign affairs. I beg at the same time to
call the attention of the Senate to the fact that
the correspondence more than justifes all I
said in regard to the very extra
ordinary efforts Of Lord Granville to force
Del Fosse upon our government. When the
resolution calling for this correspondence was
before the Senate, l agreed with my honorable
colleague, the chairman Of the committee on
| foreign affairs, that the award should be paid
not because it was just, or was founded upon
any fact or evidence submitted to the Halifax
commission but simply because it was an
though we got nothing for the large sum re-
quired, and if the payment of five-and-a-half
millions OF dollars were the end Of the matter
should be willing to vote it in silence, and
bury the whole matter out of sight.
! But the truth is, this award is only the Begin
ming of trouble. The period for which it paws
| will be ended in a few years, and their own
| privilege for inshore fishing must be negotiated
! afresh. It was we'll known at Halifax during
| the session of the commission that the Cana
dian authorities were striving not simply for a
large sum in hand, but for fixing the rate by
which to assess the price of inshore fisheries in
the future. It is our duty to show that the
rate fixed by the Halifax commission has no
foundation whatever in truth, or in fact and
that no evidence was before the commission to
| justify the award.
hold in my hand some statistics of very
great interest bearing on the question from
which it appears that the total value of the
catch in inshore fisheries by American fishermen
during the four years the treaty has been in
operation, was only 1886, ITO, on which the
entire catch for which we obtained the right
under the treaty. During the sane four years
the duties on Canadian fish and oil RENTED by
| our government amounted to million and a
half dollars gold, and now under this treaty
we are compelled to pay half a million per an
mum in addition two million dollars gold
| for four years.
! In other words, by the remission of duties
and the payment Of cash from the treasury our
government is called upon to pay three and a
half millions of dollars, gold, for the privilege
OF permitting our fishermen to make profit
of $1,000 on inshore fisheries Of Nova Scotia.
| Considerable comment has been made in the
country on the point suggested by me that the
Washington treaty required the unanimous YER
dict of the Halifax commissioners, before le-
cr0I Iyy val uorI would ho
some eminent English authorities in sup
port Of this position. Since then
friend has shown me COPY of
The London Times Of July 6th 1877, contain
ing an elaborate editorial article in regard to
the fishery commission, then about to assemble
in Halifax. In discussing the powers Of the
commission the Times said: On every point
that comes before the fishery commission for
decision, the unanimous consent of all its men,
bers, is, by the terms of the treaty, necessary,
before an authoritative verdict can be given.
The 1saAes then points out the difference be-
tween the Geneva tribunal and the Halifax
commission, showing that majority could de-
| eide at Geneva, and affirming that the United
States would have perfect right to demand
unanimity in the verdict at Halifax.
1t is also well known that the Halifax COM
mission was discussed by the Canadian minis
try in 1875 after negotiations for the reciproc-
ity treaty had failed. On that occasion Blake.
| minister of justice, remarked the amount of
compensation we shall receive must be an
amount unanimously agreed on by the COM
| missioners.
[ mention these facts to show that spoke
! with full authority when I suggested that the
verdict rendered at Halifax was not legally
binding under the terms of the treaty, and it's
payment must be justified on backgrounds. I
| have already intimated more than once that
considerations outside Of the legality or justice
| of award might constrain us to it's payment
but it should never be paid without such pro
test as will forever prevent its being quoted as
precedent, or accepted as a standard to meas
ure the value Of iaRshore fisheries in future ne
The motion to refer the correspondence to
| the committee on foreign relations was then
agreed to.
Senator Cameron, Wisconsin, called up the
petition of d. j. Corbin, claiming a seat as
some time ago, and then laid on the table to be
called at some future time and moved it be re-
| ferred to the committee privileges and cleo
tions. So ordered.
Senator Thurman presented a resolution of
| the Cleveland Board of Trade, demonstrating
against the transfer of the control of the life
| saving service from the treasury to the navy
department.. Laid on the table,
| Senator Davis, of West Virginia, submitted
preamble and resolution, quoting from the re-,
the treasury in 1871 to the effect that 1885, 7OO-
9S3 was due the government from collectors of
internal revenue not in Office, and directing the
secretary to report to the Senate what amount
or portion of this sum has since that time been
paid to the government; what amount has been
settled by compromise, and what steps have
been taken to collect the balance. Ordered
printed and lie on the table.
Senator Coke moved the Senate bill amend
ing the revised statutes in regard to militia be
made the special order for Monday next.
Agreed to.
| He also submitted an amendment, providing
that the several States have the right through the
Governors, to select arms and equipments to be
used provided they shall not exceed in cost
the pro rata of the State making the selection.
| On motion of Senator Oglesby it was ordered
| that the testimony taken before the committee
on public lands in regard to the McGarrahan
case be printed.
| Attic expiration of the morning hour the Sen.
ate resumed consideration Of the Pacific railroad
fund bill, and Senator Merriam spoke in favor
| Of the bill reported by the committee on Judi
dietary.
Senator Merriam having concluded, Senator
| Hill took the floor with the understanding that
he would speak tomorrow upon the bill, and
with the consent of Senator Thurman, it was
laid aside to retain it's place as the unfinished
business.
| Senator Thurman. said he hoped it would be
the pleasure of the Senate to proceed with the
| consideration Of the funding bill with some
| what more industry than before, and that
vote would be reached by the latter part of
the week or the first of next.
Senator Matthews said when he addressed the
Senate few days ago on the pending bill, he