Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-05-28
President Hayes and Secretary Evarts
on the Fortune Bay Troubles.

The Speaker laid before the House a
message from the President, transmit
ting, in compliance with resolution of
the House of Representatives, copies of
the correspondence with the Govern
ment of Great Britain in relation to the
alleged outrage on American citizens at
Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, together
with the report from the Secretary of
State on the subject. In the message
the President says:
In transmitting this currespondence and re.
! port l respectfully usk the immediate and
/ careful attention Of Congress TO the failure of
| accord between the two Governments as to the
| interpretation nnd execution OF the fishery ar
| tlcles of the Treaty of Washington, as dis
| Closed IN the correspondence and cuCidutcd
! pN Ihe exposition of the Secretary of State. ]
concur IN the opinions Of that report as to the
! measures proper to be taken by this Govern
ment IN the maintenance of rights accorded
! ourhshermcn by the British concessions in the
| treaty, and I'm procuring suitable action towards
| securing indemnity for he injury which this
! interest has already suffered. Accordingly
| recommend TO Congress the adoption. of those
! measures with such attendant details of lCgis.
| lation as in the wisdom of Congress may seem
eApedlent. RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
The accompanying report of the Sec
rotary of State consists mainly of a
review of the correspondence and
| elaborate discussion of the arguments
advanced ON both sides of the contro-
versy as to the true measure of treaty
right from the earliest period Of its
history. Secretary Evarts says:
The position Of this Government was noti-
fed to the British Government in September
| 1879 as follows: This Government conceives
that the fishery rights of the United States
conceded by the Treaty of Washington are to
be exercised wholly free from restraints and
regulations of the statutes of Newfoundland,
"a Nt4l,.
and from any other regulations of fishing
now in force or that may hereafter be
enacted by that Government. Upon
this issue the position of the British Govern
ment is now notified to us by the dispatch of
Lord Salisbury of April d as follows: Refer
ring to these statutes Of Newfoundland Lord
Salisbury says; These regulations, which
were IN force at the date of the Treaty of
washington, were not abolished but confirmed
by subsequent statutes, and are binding under
inc treaty, upon citizens Of the United States
in common with British subjects. The United
states fishermen, in landing for the purpose
OF hshing ut Tickle Beach, in using Il seine mt
the prohibited time, and in barring herrings
with seines from the shore exceeded their
treaty privileges, and were engaged in unlaw-
Secretary Evarts in conclusion. saws. eff
was repeatedly stated by the American mem
bers OF the Joint High Commission at Wash
ington, in discussing the proposals regarding
the Canadian fisheries, that the United States
desired to secure their enjoyment not for
their commercial and intrinsic value, but for
lut puIUOst VI TtllONlllE Il source OF irritation.
The experience of our Fortune bay fishermen
in their first attempt in the sixth year Of the
running OF the tIeaty to exercise on the cOust
Of Newfoundland full freedom to pursue
theiradventuruusc Calling which Her NIaiesty's
Government said had been honoraby acquired
Tor them by their own Government, is eNhIb-
tied in the papers now submitted, as is also its
treatment of their grievances, and this
Governments presentation of 1t ac-
corded by Her hajestys Government.
The British Government claimed before the
Halifax Commission the sum of Sl2O,OOJ per
annum during the twelve years of the treaty
period, or gross sum Of $l,40,0OD for adylu-
tage to the United States of the fishing priyi-
lege proper on the Newfoundland cOnst alone
conceded by treaty over and above the cOun.
Ter concessions OF our inshoTe fishery and the
remission Of duty on their fish products The
Halifax award Of S5,50O,OOO for the Dominion
Of Canada and Newfoundland together have
been divided between them by the British
Government, and the sum OF $l,OO1,0O0 has |
been received by Newfoundland as its share of
the money payment made BY the United States |
under the treaty. 1t will be observed that |
under the British view of the exposure Of our
fishermen at Fortune Bay to the pen |
mties OF the infractiou of Provincial
laws, while they were enjoying, in their |
own opinion and that of this Governments |
the full freedom of the fishery accorded |
by the treaty. there is no pretensc that
the violence offered them, and wunton de- |
slruction of their fishing property aud spolia- |
tOn of their drRught OF fishes find any war |
rant IN the supremacy OF violated law, under |
color of which the British Government has re- |
fused them any indemnity. In this attitude |
of the British Government ms taken in the |
correspondence, tho violent expulsion of our |
fishermen from their fishery on the 9th of |
Junuury, 1873, by the coast fishermen of New |
fouudland, seems to be justified If NOT es- |
poused. This position, too, of that Govern |
ment necessarily carries warning that any
future attempt by our fishermen to exercise |
their treaty privileges eNceptin oOnfOrmityto |
the local fishing tgulatiOns will be resisted by
the authority of the British Governments as
well as exposed to the violence Of the coast
fishermen.
"Under this unhappy and unexpected fail
ure of accord between the two Governments
as to the measure o2 iushOre fishing privileges
to our fishermen by the Treaty OF WASHINGTON
as developed In this correspondence, it be
comes the imperative duty Of this Govern
mcnt to consider what measure should be
taken to maintain the rights of our people un-
der the treuty, a5 we understand them, aud to
obtain redress for their expulsion from the en-
loymcnt Of their rights. SO tar as this dimin-
ishing Of these privileges calls for the recon
Of treaty equivalents already parted
Great Britain, that subject necessarily must |
be remitted 10 diplomatic correspond
once. The only continuing considerations
the United States in paying for the treaty
for the expected enjoyment of treaty
concession Is the remission of our Gus
toms duties upon the fish products
of the provincial share in these fisheries. /
advise that 1t be recommended TO |
Congress- to rc-enforce the duties upon fish and
iishOil The products of provincial fisheries, us
they existed before the Treaty Of Washington
came into operation, to SO continue until the |
TWO Governments snail he IN accord as to the
aud execution OF the fishery ar
hCles of the Treaty of Washington, and the
adjustment OF the grievances of OuCtishermcn |
from an iniucttun Of their rights under that
treaty. This measure will give TO our fisher
men, while excluded from the enjoyment of
lnshorc ilsherict under the continued enforce
mcnU of the British Interpretation of the
treaty, restoration Of Il domestic market for
The products of their own fishing industry as
It stood before its freedom was thrown open to
provincial fishermen in exchange for the free
lSlprE opened TO our fiSlepmpD.
al respectfully advise also submitting to the
of Congress the propriety OF
nn examination and auditing of
he claims of our fishermen for injuries suf-
Tered by the infraCttun or denial of their
renty privileges, with Wow Of some ulti-
mate provision by convention with Great
Britain or by this Government for their iu-
lemuity."
BERRY SCoGGINs had committed
murder at Townsville, Ga, and was
fugitive in the mountains. At every
neal-time he boldly entered somebody's
louse, demanded place at the table
With the family, and ate with cooked
gun lying across his lap. A Sheriff and
| large party at length went out to hunt
lim down. He took a position on the
op of hill and fred on them; but he
lad only shotgun and they could
lecp out of his range, while still within
life distance, Their best marksman
vas deputed to shoot him, and four
bullets were lodged in him, causing
leath.
TIM prngnnt ottr,ctior ,t tba T,,.li,,