The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-25
MIR. BLAINE'S SPEECH
CONTINUED from Second Page.l

respecting the tisheTles, and It could moi
b. expected that they would willingly
initiate measures Tor new treaty thai
would probably in the end be filled with
provisions as odious and burdensome Ia
the American tishing interests % those
from which they had Just escaped.
As soon as 1t became evident that Con-
gress would not accept the proposal Tor q
new Commission, the Government Of the
Dominion OF Canada, with the presumed
approval OF the Imperial Government,
began series OF outrages upon American
fishing vessels and fishing CFews-seeking
In every way to destroy their business and
70 deprive them OF their fishing rights.
That course continues 10 this day and Is
adopted by the Canadian Government
with the deliberate intention aud obvious
expectation OF forcing concessions from
this Government. A few facts in the long
controversy over the fishery question may
be pertinently recalled as bearing on the
present situation,
BEGINNING or TUE TROUBLE,
Let US frankly admit at the outset that
we are governed in this matter by the
terms OF the treaty Of 1878, OF the injus-
tice Of which this country was made the
victim before that treaty was ratified, we
need not here and now speak. We &C.
cepted the treaty Of 1878 In good faith,
and though 1t largely curtailed privileges
which were the birthright Of American
fishermen, those hardy men went TO work
under II and by their enterprise largely
expanded their business increasing Ia an
amazing ratio the number Of the vessels,
their aggregate tonnage, and the number
Of men engaged in the hazardous calling,
This rapid progress alarmed the Cana
dams, and with the view OF REFRESHING
rivalry and crippling American fishermen,
new construction was applied TO the
treaty nearly quarter Of century after
1t had been in peaceful operation.
From 1871 to 1915 1t was for the first
time commended by Great Britain that the
American right to fish within three miles
from shore meant three miles from the
headlands which marked the entrance to
bays, and on this new and strained con-
struction OF the treaty they sought to ex.
clude American fishermen even from the
Bay Of Fundy, which Is sixty miles wide
at its month. After a long diplomatic dis
cussion, maintained with signal ability by
Edward Everett, our Minister at London,
Lord Aberdeen-a name identified with
Justice and magnanimity In more than
one generation-then at the head OF the
British Foreign Office, acknowledged that
the ground taken by England in regard to
the Bay Of Fundy was indefensible, the
Canadian position was reversed, and the
Bay was re'opened to American fisher
men.
But The design Of coerCing the United
States into opening her market TO Cana
dian fishermen was not abandoned. In
1852 a fresh and detelmind series OF hostiI.
tiles was begun against American fisher
men. A naval force was sent out from
England, and the whole coast OF Nova
Scotia was guarded by the guns Of the
Royal NaVy-thirteen war vessels patrol.
ing the fishing grounds. 1t was again pro.
claimed that the three mile limit OF the
Treaty oil 1878 was not three miles from
the shore, but three miles outside OF q line
from headland to headland Of bays. This
construction OF the treaty would place the
American fisherman In many places thirty
miles from shore, instead oil three, as pro.
yided by treaty. Mr.. Everett had peril.
nently reminded the British Government
that by the construction 'the waters
which wash the entire South Eastern
Coast Of Nova Scotia from Cape Sable to
Cape Canso-a distance Of nearly three
hundred miles-mlght constitute q bay
from which the United States fishermen
would be excluded" In other words, the
argument Of Mr.. Everett showed that the
British construction, II admitted, would
destroy all American rights intended to
be guarded and guaranteed under the pro.
visions Of the treaty.