Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-11
DOMESTIC NEWS.
The newfoundland Fisheries Question
Lord GranviIIe's letter ON the subject.

The Newfoundland Fisheries Question
Lord GranviIIe's letter ON the Subject.
WASHINGTON, December 10th. fol-
lowing is the text of letter written by Lord
Granville to United States Minister Lowell,
at London, on the subject of the Newfound-
land fisheries
FoREIeS OFFICE, October 81, 1890
Sir. Her Majesty5 Government have carefully
congdere the correspondence which has taken
place between their predecessors and the Govern
neut OF the United States respecting disturbances
which occurred at Fortune Bay on the 9th of Janu-
airy, 1875 and they have approached this subj ct
with desire to arrive at am;cable solu-
ton Of the differences which have unfortunately
arisen between the two Governments on the con-
struction of the provisions of the treaties which
regulate the rights Of the United States fishermen
on the coast Of Newfoundland. In the first place,
desire that there should be possibility of mis-
conception to the views entertained by Her Mai
esty's Government respecting the conduct OF the
Newfoundland fishermen IN violently interfering
with United States fishermen and destroying or
damaging some Of their nets. Her Majestys Gov
eminent have no hesitation in admitting that this
proceeding quite indefensibe, and is to be re-
GREETED. No sense of injury to their rights, how
well founded could, under the circumstances
justify British fishermen IN taking the law into
their hands and of committing acts Of
violence, but l will refer by and by to this
feature in the case, and will now proceed TO
the important question raised in this con
tr ver5v, whether, under the treaty of Washington
Uiited states fishermen are bound to observe the
fishery regulations OF Newfoundland in common
with British subjects without entering into any
lengthy discussion this point, feel bound to
state that in the opinion of her Maiestys Govern
ment the clause in the treaty OF Washington, which
provides that citizens of the United States shall be
entitled, in common with British subjects, to fish
in Newfoundland waters, within the limits OF Brit
ish sovereignty, means that American and British
fishermen shall fish in these waters on terms OF
equality, and not that there shall be an exception TO
American fishermen from any reasonable regulation
to which the British fishermen are subject. Her
Majestys Government entirely concurs in Mr.
Marcy's circular Of the 18th of March, 1856. The
principle therein laid down appears to them per-
fectly sound, and as applicable to the
fishery provisions of the treaty of Wash
ington as to those of the treaty which
Mr. Marcy had in view. They cannot there
fore admit he accuracy OF the opinion expressed
in Mr.. Eyarts letter to sir. Welsh of the 2Sth Of
September, 1878, that the fishery rights of the
United States conceded by the treaty OF Washington
TO be exercised entirely free from restraints and
regulations of the statute of Newfoundland. If
by that opinion anything inconsistent with MI
Marcy'5 principle is especially intended for her
MajeStys Government, he never fully admitted that
II any such local statutes could be shown to be
consistent with express stIpulatiOns, even with
the spirit Of the treaty, they would not be within
the category OF these reasonable regulations by
which American I'm common with British) fishermen
ought to be bound and they observe, on the other
uduu, Wild uluCu S3lhidcUOU liaL MI. ENaTJs, at
the close of his letter to Minister Welsh of the LIST
August 1879 after expressing regret at conflict of
interests which the exercise OF treaty privileges
j0yed by the United States appears to have deyel-
oped, expresses himself as follows: ''There is no
intention on the part of this UNITED States
Government that these privileges should be
abused, and no desire that full and free
enjoyment should harm Colonial fishermen, while
different interest and motives OF shore fishery and
vessel fishery make it impraetcabe that the regu-
lation Of this should entirely be given to the
Others Yet if mutual obligations Of the treaty OF
1871 are to be maintained the United States Govern
ment would gladly cooperate with the Government
OF Her Britannia Majesty in an effort to make these
regulations matter Of reciprocal convenience and
right and the m1ans Of preserving the fisheries at
their highest point OF production, and concating
community of interests by just proportion of ad-
yantages and profits" Her Majesty's Government
do not interpret these expressions in any sense
derogatory to the sovereign authority Of Great
Britain IN the territorial waters Of Newfoundland,
by which only regulations having the force of law
within these waters can be made so regarding the
proposal. They are based not only TO recognize in
it indication that desire of Her Maestys
Government to arrive at a friendly and speedy
settlement OF this question is fully recprccated by
tie Government of the United States but also decide
basis Of practical settlement of the difficulty and
j have the honor to request that YOU will inform
Mr., EvartS that Her Majestys Government, with a
view to avoiding future discussion and future mis-
understandings, is quite willing to confer with the
Government Of the United States respecting the
establishment OF regulations under which the sub.
jects of both parties to the treaty of Washington
shall have the full enjoyment Of any fishery, which,
under the treaty, is to be used in common. The
duty of enacting and enforcing such regulations
when agreed upon would, of course, rest with the
power having the sovereignty of the shore and
waters IN each case. As regards the claim Of the
United States fishermen to compensation for njuries
ami losses which they alleged TO have sustained
in consequence of the violent obstruction which they
encountered on the occasion referred to, have to
AIaf
that they should be indemnifed for any injuries
and losses which, upon joint inquiry may be found
TO have been sustained by Them and in respect Of
which they are reasonably entitled 70 compensation.
But on this point have to observe that claim IS
pushed forward by them for loss OF fish which had
been caught, or which but for interference OF
British fishermen might have been caught, by means
of the strand fishery, mode Of fishing TO which,
under treaty OF Washington, they were not entitled
to resort The prosecution by them OF strand fish
cry being clearly in excess OF their treaty privileges
her Hajesty's Government cannot doubt that on
further consideration the United States Government
will not be disposed to supper. claim in respect 10
a loss OF fish which they had caught, or might have
caught, by that process. have the honor TO be,
etc GRANVILLE.
To j. R. Lowell Esq.
A Chance of FiIiaustering in the House
specuIatio3s About the Proposed New
Electoral Count Rule.
WASHINGTON, December 10th.-It is be.
iieyed by many persons to-day that the
unanimous determination OF the Republican
majority of the HOUSE TO resist to the full
extent OF their parliamentary privileges the
adoption of the pending Electoral count reso-
luton viii lead much of the time into iii
clustering proceedings, and necessitate an
ezra session of Congress. There are now
% or 80 Democratic members absent nearly
all OF them must'be III their seats to make a
quorum when the Republicans abstain from
voting, and even then the minority may very
possibly, by skillful parliamentary manage.
ment, keep of . final vote for a
nu nber OF days, If not indefinitely.
Hence il the Democrats stand sohdly to-
gether on the issue the contest will be pro-
tracted long enough TO crowd beyond the
limits of the session large amount of neces-
sary business. It is not probable, however,
that any such united stand viii be made in
support Of tais proposition, for In the first
place, even II the Democrats obtain quorum
OF their own, there are seFerrl of their num-
Der who do not believe in the fundamental
doctrine of the proposed regulation and in
the second place, there are many others who
do not think it worth while to neglect press
ing public business in an effort to establish a
Joint rule which sll admit viii have no effect
In the practical result Of the late Presidential
election, and which, it is equally evident. il
adopted by this Congress, would be promptly
annulled by the next House Of Representa-
tives as soon as the Republicans come into
power. Il is highly probable, therefore, that
the Democrats viii either at once or very
soon abandon further attempts to pass the
resolution, letting it drift aside, and go on
with the funding BILL
Tie President. General Howard and
West Point.
WASHINGTON, December 10th.-The Presi.
dent had a long talk with General Howard,
in the course Of which he admitted that be
had called him TO Washington TO make him
commander at West Point, but has been dis
suaded from doing It by General Sherman
and Secretary Evarts, not on account of per-
sonal opposition TO him, but because they
held that the change would be too violent. in
view of Howard's weli-known variance, IN
what he regards as the correct policy there,
as contrasted With Scofeld's administration,