Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-19
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Jan. Is

Mr.. Sherman resumed the chair. Among
the petitions presented and appropriately re-
ferred was one by Mr.. Coke from the mer-
chants of Ell Paso, Texas, complaining of
smuggling on the Mexican border, and asking
Congress to take measures to put a stop to il.
Among the reports submitted from the
committees was one from Mr.. Cullom, from
the committee appointed to investigate the
subject of the regulation of freight and pas
senger rates on railroad and water routes.
With the report Mr.. Cullom submitted bill
regulating interstate commerce, which he
asked might be referred back to the com
mittee. and that the committee might be con-
tinued.
The request was granted, and resolution
was passed ordering to be printed 5000 copies
OF the committees report and the testimony
taken before it
Mr.. Ingalls, offered resolution directing
the secretary OF the treasury to inform the
Senate what proportion of $4,000 900 OF
United States bonds called for payment on
February, 1886, are held BY national banks
as a basis for circulation, and how much by
each bank.
MIR. Edmunds questioned whether the
Senate had right to call on the secretary of
the treasury for any information
Mr.. Ingalls, said that he understood that
large proportion of the bonds to be called in
on February lst were held by national banks,
and that instead of any money being paid out
OF the treasury there was to be \ process of
bookkeeping by which large amount Of cir
culation was to be retired and the currency
to that extent contracted. He thought that
If it concerned the country to know if such
was the fact, the Senate should know whether
it was entitled to ask for information.
nssip m Mr.
luton directing the secretary of the treasury
to inform the Senate what proportion of the
$4,000, 900 of United States bonds called for
payment February lst, 1886, are held by
national banks as a basis for circulation and
how much by each such bank it went over
until tomorrow.
Mr.. Frye offered resolution relating to
fisheries. the preamble TO which recites that
whereas the president has recommended Con-
gress to provide for commission to settle
and adjust the fisheries question and, whereas,
the fisheries question has been settled for ten
years past under the treaty of Washington at
a cost of five and half million dollars 10
money and the remission of Sc, 900, 900 of
duties in that period, and whereas, that the
treaty had resulted in an increase of five hun
dred vessels and ten thousand seamen to the
Canadian fishing fleets, with corresponding
States, therefore, be it resolved that in the
opinion OF the Senate a commission, clothed
with the powers referred to, ought not to be
provided for by Congress.
Mr. Edmunds was glad that the resolution
was Introduced but thought a word necessary
in regard to the action of the president had
with her majesty's government after the time
had expired when according to the provis ions
of the law the whole fishery matter and Gus
toms matter connected with it had absolutely
terminated. 1t seemed to be stated, he said
in the report just laid on the desk of the
Senators that the president without any ad-
vice or consent of the Senate had entered into
arrangements with her maje-ty's government
by which the citizens of the United States
were accorded certain rights in fishing in
British waters, which by existing treaties and
the laws of the nation they would not other
wise have, and that British subjects were ac-
corded reciprocal rights in the United States.
Mr.. Morgan said that under the resolution
that had passed Congress instructng the
president to terminate the fishing treaty we
happened to fix the time in the middle of the
fishing season and after the people had gone
to great expense in preparation for the work
of fishing. 1t would have been = great in.
jury, he said, to stop the work of the fleets in
the middle of their cruise, and perhap. the
president in the conference with the British
authorities had strained the point in order to
accommodate the interests and provide for
the welfare of that large class of people in
terested.
Mr.. Hosr thought that he represented a
constituency most largely interested in the
fishery question and as far a. he understood
our fishermen had not discovered that the
arrangement referred to had been made in
their interests.
Mr.. Dawes said that years notice in adj
vance had been given to everybody; that the
privilege would terminate at a given time
therefore the suddenness of the emergency
had not rendered an arrangement necessary.
Mr.. Frye called attention to the fact that
while an arrangement was claimed to have
been made in the interest of American fish
ermen, yet no American fisherman had asked
or proposed such an arrangements that had
been left for Mr. West, the British minister
to do. For one hundred years ut. Britain
had been protecting" the interests Of Amer
ican fishermen. the people of New England
Mr.. Frye continued, desired a further COM
mission to settle the fisheries question The
United States had gained nothing by the
work of the former commission, though Can
ada had gained immensely by it, The people
of the United States asked nothing of Great
Britain. Mr.. Frye characterized the arrange
ment referred to as 'the most marvellous
proof OF business in the way of diplomacy"
That our history could show. "Our fisher
men" he said, do not ask the British min
to interfere to protect them, but they do ask
that the United States of America shall be
self assertive and that 10 all they do ask Our
fishermen ask that this great republic of fifty
millions of people shall protect her fisher
men," He said he knew as well as we did
that Great Britain did not dare to defend the
course of the Canadians in taking United
States vessels into Colonial ports, and trying 2
and condemniug them on the evidence of
Colonial witnesses, who stood on shore and
and looked out to sea and guessed that the
vessels were within the three miles limit
LIE: the United States not be frightened to
death by the ghosts of dead treaties. Our
executive officer. were trembling at tine ghost
of the Clayton Bulwer treaty, which Great
Britain had regarded dead for quarter OF
century.
Mr.. Morgan expressed his astonishment al
the vigor and zeal in which the question was
argued. The action of the government, he
said, had not been laid before the Senate ex-
cept in an informal way. No lust criticism
of the President or secretary of state could
be based on the information before the SEN
ate. He was entirely surprised to hear that
the arrangement spoken of was an intrusion
of power on the part of the executive DEPART
ment and that the American fishermen were
not to be benefited by it. Mr.. Morgan thought