The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-04

What Is Uncle Samuel Going TO Do Abo nj
This Fishery Business? - Also, What
Does the Dominion Meane-Edmunds
Says the President Is the Man to
Look to.
WASHINGTON CITY, juno 4. The chair
laid before the senate Thursday several
messages from the president vetoing pri
vate pension bills A petition from the
city council Of Gloucester, Mass, was pre-
sented and referred. The petition prays
for reta.ia tion on the Canadian govern
ment for the seizure of American fishing
vessels.
Dawes in presenting the petit
ton said there seemed to be
a disposition on the part of the
Canadian government to harass and
embarrass citizens OF the United States in
what could not but be considered lawful
commerce Simple commercial transac-
tions, such the purchase of provisions
merely, had heen the cause of seizure of
vessels of the nlted States 1t seemed to
many persons that there was some dilatori
ness on tue part of those clothed with the
duty of protecting our commerce. He had
no doubt the committee on foreign relations
were giving the subject proper considera-
ton hut he inquired whether the commit
tee could gi,e some assurance that might go
30 the public that measures would be taken
which would protect our citizens in their
rights
Edmuuis says the committee on foreign
relations had no power TO protect American
commerce, or American citizens That be-
ionged TO the executive department of gov
ernment and was part oi its duty under the
laws of the Uni,ed States and the laws OF
nations In the absence of definite infor-
nation We must presume that the executive
depar ment OF the government was doing
everything it could to protect citizens of the
/ n'J'l states whose vessels had been seized
OF unkindly dealt with by tie Dominion
OF auilda Of course, it might have hap
pCnel that some of the Vessets-it
might possibly have happened that all OF
the,n-h had been guilty of violation of ex-
isting Tvs o! the Dominion of Canada. As
they had teen seized by the public authori-
ties OF C..naaa OF course there must be a
public pretension on the part of these officers
that such w.,s the case. Edmunds hoped it
would turn out that the vessels we're inno-
cent OF any violation of Dominion law or of
IN lie Law and that they had heel engaged
ia ioing what was allowed By the inter
course oi nations, by the laws of their
own country and of the country to which
they had gone; and that the seizures
wuul therefore be dismissed without even
the semhlance of probable cause But that
dep nde1, OF course, on Judicial inquiry in
the first instance He did not mean to say
4
results al a canadian judicial inquiry if we
thought those results unjust and improper
Ii any OF tho vessels should be condemned
and the uIited States were of opin-
ion that the condemnation was I'M
Just, es should not be bound by
any principle of public Justice to
acduiesce in it If we had any spirit left
las he thought we had and any strength
left, tas he thodght We had)-though for
some reason We had not been very success.
full in get ing navy or in arming our sea
coast ye; IN some way the rights of citi
zens of the Unitei states would be vindi-
Gated If they hal bseu violated
Continuing, tdmunls said the president,
if he hal signed the recent act OF congress
on this sui ie' /, i!oN had the power to retail
late for any IN Justice done to
Our vrs els Ia Canada or elsewhere.
Ii that act had become law,
and If our British brethren were
strainiug point in order 10 force US into
convention OF rec procity, or free fish" or
any thing else. il was now wiii,iS the power
of the president to take such measures a.
would tend TO correct the abuse. So far us
the co.i,mittee on foreign relations was con
cernei, however, the sub iect was too
in.m ure To enable LdInundis to make any
public declaration as to how the matter
was, OF what ought to 10 done about it
Dawes rcmarsed that it could not have
escaped tbs observation of the committee
that armed cruisers OF the Canadian gov
ernment were about the waters on the
b rders OF the ''three mile limit in search
of American vessels in order that they
miaht under some pretense or other seize
them The entire absence of any armed
| vessel OF the United tates in these waters
| to Protect our fishermen in the exercise of
| lawful commerce led Dawes to inquire
| whether that absence was from
any lack of proper power in the premises
| He was aware OF the Necessity OF proceeding
| with caution. There vera those engaged in
the business affected, however, who did not
| appreciate the necessity OF delay; but who,
| il they could haze the assurance of so high
an authority as that OF the committee on
| foreign relations that no delay arose from
| Indifference he was quite satisfied they
would have greater confidence in their
course and in ultimate protection by the
| government
| In reply Edmunds said that 10 lagisla.
ton was necessary, unless it might I've hy
4 iafi Of MI Inn ix nat
to enable tile president OF the United States,
who is commanderin in chief of our armies
| and navies, to send out any vessel OF the
United States, if We happened To have one
| that could swim He .dmnndSi believed
We had one that could ewim-one that had
been trying for several months
to swim, and that had succeeded
every time in swimming, but had
not yet, he believed, succeeded in getting
into the service of the United StateS
| Edmunds presumed il wonld not be con
sidered discourteous to express the hop,
that ship of the United states government
would in due time appear in the northern
seas ut proper, res. .ectlul distance from
the shores of her ma ajesty s domain 10 give
some little encouragement to American
citizens engaged in lawful pursuits.
Hale stated the circumstances that ga We
| rise to the dispatch received from Eastport,
| Ne, relating to orders said 10 have been
issued By the Canadian authorities affect
ing the herring fisheries of the Canadian
people themselves and their business in her
rings with the people of Maine. This mat
ter seemed to Hale to be the gravesi
thing that had appeared on ths
| hori Lon IL the ruinor was correct
that the Canadian authorities had giver
direction to break up that industry of theil
own people In the course they were pursuing
| it indicated more profound mischief thar
had heretofore been evinced Whatever
could be done by the state department tina
would bring to the knowledge not only o
the fishermen of mime and Massa
chusetts but Of the peop,e o