Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-12-16
ANOTHER MESSAGE.
The Fisheries Question Receives
Special Attention.
A Commission Asked for to Ascertain
the Losses to Americans and to
Take Steps to Have Them
Settled.

WASHINGTON, Dec. President
Cleveland to-day sent message to Con-
gress on the subject of the fisheries dis
pute between this country and England.
1t was accompanied by a letter from
Secretary Bayard, together with all the
correspondence on the subject during
the year.
The correspondence is very volumin-
Gus but the whole dispute, as it now
stands, is expressed by the message of
President Cleveland and the commune
cation of Secretary Bayard. The fol-
lowing is the Presidents letter, trans
mitting the communication of Sec
retary Bayard, and the correspondence:
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
transmit herewith letter from the
Secretary of State, which is accOmpan-
led by the correspondence i'm relation
to the rights of American fishermen i'm
the British North American waters,
and commend to your favorable con-
sideration the suggestion that COM
mission be authorized by law to take
perpetuating proofs of the losses sus-
tained during the past year by Ameri-
can fishermen, owing to their unfriend-
ly and unwarranted treatment by the
local authorities of the maritime
provinces of the Dominion of Canada.
may have occasion, hereafter, to
make further recommendations during
the present session for such remedial
legislation as may become necessary for
the protection Ofthe rights of our citi-
zens engaged in the open sea fisheries
in the North Atlantic waters.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
SECRETARY BAYARD's LETTER.
Mr.. Bavard's letter is as follows:
To the President:
The Secretary of State has 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, which has taken place during
the present year. 1t will disclose the
action of this department, and of our
minister to Great Britain, in relation to
the disputed construction of the con-
vention of 1918, and what has been
done to procure such an Interpretation
of its provisions, as will be acceptable
to both parties to that instrument and
consistent with their mutual interests
and honor.
From time to time, since the con-
clusi0n of the treaty of 1918, differences
have arisen between the two govern
ments as to the extent of the renuncia-
tiOn by the United States of their former
fishing rights in common in the waters
of British North America, and the true
definition of the rights and privileges
retained by and expressly guaranteed
to the United States in the first article
of that convention.
This history of this question during
the period from 1918 to the present time
has been one of unsuccessful attempts to
adjust the respective claims, and Oc-
casionally the difficulties have been
bridged over by temporary arrange
ments, notably by the treaty of Wash
ington of June 5, 1854, and Of the treaty
of Washington of May 8, 1871. The
fishery articles of the latter having been
abrOgated by the United States on June
80. 1885, it is deeply to be regretted that
the efforts of this department to arrive
at such an agreement as would permit
Instructions of like tenor to he issued by
the governments of Great Britain and
the United States to guide the citizens
of the respective natiOnalities in the
unmolested 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 settlement. Although
propositions are now pending for con-
sideration which, it is hoped, may
prove the basis of just and permanent
settlement, yet, as supplementary to
the published history of this long stand
ing subject, as illustrating the obvious
necessity in the interest of amity and
good neighborhood, of having a clear
and well defined understanding of the
relative rights Of the two governments
and their respective citizens, it is con-
sidered expedient that Congress should
have full knowledge of the action of
the executive in the premises, to assist
them i'm their deliberations on this inn
portant question.
1t will be observed in the course of
this correspondence that notification
has not failed to be duly given to the
government of Great Britain; that COM
pensat0n is expected for the loss and
damage caused to American fishermen
by the unwarrantable action of 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 a hearing and judg-
ment, but for the curtailment of privi-
leges to which they were justly entitled
under commercial regulations as we'll as
treaty stipulations, and the consequent
interference with their legitimate voy-
ages, wherhy the natural profits OF
their industry were seriously diminish
ed and in many cases wholly destroyed.
1t would seem proper that steps in
perpetuame rel "aemoriana should be
taken by Congress to allow proofs to be
made and placed upon record of these
losses and injuries to citizens, to enable
them to be properly presented to Her
Majesty's government for settlement,
and that for this purpose commission
should be authorized by Congress to
take the necessary proofs of the respec-
tive claimants.
Respectfully submitted.
II. F. BAYARD.