National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-14
TIE FISHERIES TROUBLES.
Representative BouteIlo's Second Let
ter to Secretary Bayard-The Disre-
spect TO Our Violations of Our
own Commercial Rights.

Representative Boutelle's Second Let
ter to Secretary Bayard-The Disre-
spect TO Our F1ag-violations of Our
own Commercial Rights.
Representative c. A. Boutello has adj
dressed the following letter TO the Sccro-
tary Of State:
SIN have received your letter OF the 10th
instant, in reply to my telegram from the
House calling your attention to the arbitrary
proceedings OF the Dominion cruiser Middle
ton in driving American citizens with their
boats away from the harbor Of 81. Andrews
N. b., where they were proseoutinga lawful
commerce in the purchase Of herring from
the Canadian weir.flshermen for canning
purposes, and announcing that no American
boat viii be permitted TO purchase IN that
commercial rishtsf earnestly invoked tho I'M.
mediate attention ofthe State Department.
am pleased TO learn, by your letter, that In
response TO the representations made by me
at our interview on June 2 last you, on the
same date, drew the attention of the British
minister to the alleged threats of such inter-
ference by Dominion officials with the pur-
chase of herring for American sardlne fac.
tories, and that you were in hopes that further
interference with recognized aud legitimate
trade between British subjects in Canada and
citizens OF the United States would be pre-
vented.
You do not state whether any assurances
were obtained from the British government
lnut U0chhufeS WOulO DC taken TO prevent hugn
violations Of commercial intercourse, but the
increased aggrossiveness with which the Do
minion authorities are denying TO our citizens
the ordinary privileges OF. trade in their ports
would indicate TINT no adequate guarantee OF
the protection of the commercial rights of our
citizens in Canadian waters has yet been Sc
cured, note that You promised TO again ad-
dress the British minister on the subject, and
should be more hopeful that this second noti-
fcation of tho wrongs would be eliectual, IL
the courte OF events did not seem TO show the
inattention of the British government to the
representations made by you to tho minister
more than month ngo.
In accordance with your expressed desire for
full and accurate attested statements Of all
the facts in each case of complaint have
requested that such ailidavits in regard to the
occurrence at st. Andrews DO promptly pre-
pared and forwarded to your department. It
seems TO me, however, that such information
MS that conveyed to you by my telegram, sup
plemented by the variations in the current
reports OF the daily press, furnish basis upon
which our government may readily obtain
from its own officers on the frontier and
all Canadian ports such authoritative knowl-
edge OF these violations of international rights
as may be requisite for prompt, firm, aud
effective protest on the part Of the United
States. Although no accurate estimate eau be
formed at present of the direct aud indirect
losses entailed upon citizens Of the United
States through the damage to our fishery in
terests by the harassing seizures and other in
references and indignities to which our YES
sells have been subjected during the past year
by the authorities of tho British. provinces,
that the losses Will be very heavy and result In
great hardship to most worthy class of our
citizens does not admit of doubt, Our gov
eminent certainly should be able to secure for
our fishermen and other citizens who may seek
Canadian ports the ordinary rights and priv.
leRes of commercial intercourse that prevail
among civilized nations and II Is not strange
TENT OF deSy ks sppcaton Of ps
for the evils so Justly complained Of
IL Is humiliating to our national pride that
our hardy fishermen and citizens engaged in
legitimate trade should be chased out of the
ports of neighboring country, and have their
vessels captured on frivolous pretexts by 30.
called "cruisers" Of a British colonyi and this
modification becomes q substantial grievance
when important industries are DISTRACTED
and vessels thus seized are condemned or
subjected to heavy eXnctions In the shape OF
penalties and fines, while the operations of
large fleets are abandoned or parnlyzed by the
uncertainty whether their countrys flag will
afford them any protection In the pursuit of
their arduous and honorable calling. And
this, Notwithstanding the fact that Canadian
fishermen arc permitted to find In the United
States principal and profitable market for
many million dollars worth Of their catch.
There is abundant reason to believe that tue
rumors growing more and more current In re-
gard TO the alleged tendency OF negotiations
looking to renewal In some form of the abro-
gated and one-sided treaty have created an
impression among our people that adds greatly
TO the popular uneasiness upon this subject.
There is also a strong belief that the preva-
lence of similar impression among the
Canadians has largely stimulated an agrees
factory to them. This impression has not been
lessened on either side of the border by the re.
markable forbenrance maintained by our gov
ernment In the face of the systematic and OK
aspeIating crusade against our fishermen by
the Canadian authorities, and the public de-
mand for some effective assertion OF the COM
mercinl rights Of the people OF the United
States is fast becoming unanimous and impera-
| tive.
think there can be no mistake as to the
| very general feeling among our people that
| ample occasion has been furnished for the
| Presidentto exercise the powers conferred upon
| him by the act of June ~ last 10 withhold from
| the vessels of foreign power the privileges
which 1t nerslstently denies to ours. And II
| the President is not already clothed with suf-
| ficient authority, there Is no doubt that Con-
gress viii be disposed TO promptly strengthen
his hands In any. way that may be shown TO be
necessary to render effective our protest against
the disrespect TO our flag and the violations of
our owncommcrcial rights.