The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-23
Action of the State Department

New YORK. May 22.--The Post has the fol-
lowing Washington special: The State Depart
ment Is actively engaged In negotiations de-
signed to protect the interests of the American
fishermen There has as yet been no official
declaration of it's position. and for manifest rea-
sons, while the negotiations are in the present
stage the administration cannot properly make
public the correspondence which it has had with
the British minister here and with our minister
to England But the unofficial letter from Sec
rotary Bayard, which follows. will show that he
has the interests of the fishermen at heart. Sena-
tor Frye, of Maine. recently addressed to the
Secretary of State the following letter.
WASHINGTON. May 20, 1886.
Hon. Thomas f. Bayard. Secretary Of State:
Dear Sir-I respectfully submit to your consdera-
ton the enclosed telegram, received this morning
from the president of the American Fishery Union.
l assume that the State Department is giving this
matter such consideration its importance demands
The urgency of immediate action for the protection
and relief of these American citizens cannot be
estimated. | regard the conduct Of the Canadian
government entirely unjustifable and without au
thority of treaty of law or OF good lam
very respectfully, w. L. FRYE.
Enclosed the telegram already printed in
these dispatches.
TO this letter Secretary Bayard has sent the
[Unoficial]
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, May 20, 1886. 5
Hon. william p Frye. United States Senate
Dear Sir-Before your note of to-day received
telegram of similar purport in relation to the re-
fusal to allow the American schooner Jennie and Julia
to purchase herring for smoking at Digby had been
received and steps had been taken by to ascertain
all the facts and instant representations had been
made to the British minister to call to account the
collector at Digby for what consider gross breach
of the commercial rights of accession of the United
States.
The late reprehensble action of the Canadian of.
fcials in relation to American fishing vessels has oc-
Cured in remote localities without facilities for postal
communication, and consequently there has been
delay regrettabe but unavoidable. in receiving con-
sular reports. But your assumption that this de-
it's Importance demands win, believe, be fuiiy sus
tanned when the proper time arrives for publication of
its action. trust am conscientious of my duty
official charged with the execution of delicate and
important pubic functions. and that the interests
and honor of my country and the rights of its citizens
will not be found to have suffered at my hands. Very
respectfully yours, L. f. BAYARD
Bayard upon this subject, within day or two
says that he is as much interested in the matter
as either of the Naive Senators can be- and that
he has great regard for the fishermen. He ex-
presses himself very forcibly as to the con-
duct of the Canadian officials. He looks at
the question as American, and not from
party stand point and says that there is no poll
tics in it; that the action of the department. can
not yet be made public, but that he can assure
any congressional friend of the fishermen that
everything that is possible is being done to pro-
tect their interests With regard to the refusal
of the collector of customs at Digby to permit
the captain of the Jennie and Julia to buy her
ring there to smoke, he said that he had in
structed Consul Phelan to go at once to Digby
and investigate. Secretary Bayard deprecated
any attempt on the part of the fishermen to CO
cree the Canadian government by force of arms,
and said that every step in that direction would
weaken the United States and strengthen Can
ada. He hoped, also, that the American fisher
men would strictly obey the local customs regu
lations in Canada.