St. Landry democrat., 1886-12-18
THE FISHERIES.


tary Bayard's Letter to the President.
WAsHINGTON, Dec. 9-Yesterday after,
noon President Cleveland sent to the Sen
ate letter from the Secretary of State,
accompanied by the correspondence in re-
latlon to the rights of American fishermen
in the British North American waters. In
his letter Of transmittal the President
says:
II commend to your favorable cOnsidera-
ton the suggestion that a commission be
authorized to take p"rpetUating proofs of
the losses sustained during the past year
by American fishermen owing to the I'M
friendly and unWarrantcd treatment by
the local authorities Of the maritime
| provinces CT the Dominion of Canada.
may have occasion hereafter to make fur
| Their recommendations during the present
| session for such remedial Legislation as
| may b>come necessary for the protection
of the rights of our citizens engaged in
the North American Atlantic waters
The following is the letter Of the Secre-
tary of State:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON. Dec. y 1856
| To THE PRESIDENT The Secretary Of State
| mas the honor to submit to the President with
view to its communication to Congress the
correspondence relative to the fisheries in the
waters adjacent to British North America.
|
| year. 1t will disclose the action of this Depart
| mcnt and of our Minister TO Great Britain in
| relation to the disputed construction of the
| convention of 1918. and what has been done to
procure such IN Interpretation Of its provisions
will be acceptable to both parties to that in
| strument and consistent with their mutual in
| tcreSt and honor.
From time to time since the conclusion of the
treaty of 1918 differences have arisen between
he two governments as to the extent OF the
remuneration by the United States of their
former fishing rights in common in the Httoral
waters of British North America, and the true
definition OF the rights and privileges retained
bT and expressly guaranteed to the United
States in the first articles of that convention.
The history of this question during the period
from 1913 to the present time has been of I'M
successful attempts to adjust the respective
claims, and occasionally the difficulties have
been bridged over by temporary arrangements
NOTABLY by the treaty of Washington of June
s. 1854, and of the treaty of Washington of May
3, 1S71-the fishery articles of the latter having
been abrogated by the United States on June
80. 1885.
1t is deeply to be regretted that the efforts OF
this department. as shown by the correspond
ence now submitted to arrive at such an agree
ment as would permit Instructions Of like ten
or to be issued by the Governments Of Great
Britain and the United States, to guide the cit
:zens Of the respective nationalites in the I'M
molcsted exercise of their rights of fishing in
the waters in question and defining the
limits of lawful action therein. have not as yet
reached final and satisfactory result. AL
though those propositions are now pending for
consideration which ii is hoped may prove the
basis of a just and permanent settlement. yet
as supplementary to the published history
OF this long standing subject, and as illus
trating the obvious necessity in
the interest of amity and good neighborhood of
having clear and well-defned understanding
n he rp1 a rrhtS of he rJrn
and their respective citizens, it is considered
expedient that Congress should have full
knowledge of the action of the executive in the
premises to assist them in their deliberations
upon this important subject.
1t will be observed in the course Of this CORE
spondence that notification has not failed to be
duly given to the Government of Great Britain,
that compensation is expected for the loss and
damage caused to American fisherman by
the understandable action of the local
authorities of the Dominion Of Canada,
not merely by the summary seizure
Of their vessels and the exaction of heavy fines
In advance of hearing and judgment, but for
the curtailment of privileges, to which they
were justly entitled under commercial regula-
tons. as well as treaty stipulation; and the
consequent interference with their legitimate
voyages, whereby the natural profits of their
industry were seriously diminished and in
many cases wholly destroyed. It would seem
proper that steps in perpetNtno rel men0riane
should be taken by congress to allow proofs
to be made and placed upon reco I'd of these
losses and injuries to citizens to enable
shem to be properly presented to Her Majestys
Government for settlement and that for this
purpose commission should be authorized by
Congress to take the necessary proofs of the
respective claimants.
Respectfully submitted
lSignedl T. F. BAYARD.
The accompanying correspondence is
m ct of lott
from Secretary Bayard to Ministers West
and Phelps; those Of Minister Phelps to
the Earl of Roseberry, and his replies
and the Earl of Roseberry's communica-
ton to Minister West. The letters of Sec
rotary Bayard to Minister West are at
times automatically vigorous The fol-
lowing paragraph occurs in his letter of
May 90, 1885:
Il have telegraphed Mr.. Phelps. our
Minister at London, to make earnest pro-
test to Her Majesty's Government against
such arbitrary, unlawful, unwarranted
and unfriendly action on the part of the A
Canadian Government and it's officials,
and have instructed Mr.. Phelps to give no
tice that the Government of Great Britain
would be held liable for all losses and in
]urles to citizens of the United States and
their property, caused by the unauthoriz-
ed and unfrendly action of the Canadian
officials to which l have REFEREED
In concluding a letter of October 10, he I
says: eff, as l can not permit myself to
believe, Great Britain should refuse to
citizens of the United States the plainest
and most undeniable of these righs, (the
rights under ancient treaties), the conse
quence will be SO serious that they can not
be contemplated by the Government but
with great concern
The character of Earl Roseberry's com
is deliberately, explanatory and