The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-09-04

, ppNtI, anu WIFI an It's iItdSuItS dtlilcN-
ed, the wages Of the American laborer
J Will fall rs certainly as effect follows
cause.
THE FISHERY QUESTION.
The fishery dispute between the United
States and Great Britain has passed
through many singular phases in the last
seventy years, but never before, think,
was it surrounded with such extraor-
binary circumstances as we find existing
at this moment. Before discussing the
merits of the American case, it may be
interesting to recall the process by which
the question has been placed in its pre-
sent attitude.
On the 31st day of January, 1855,
several months before the fishing season
of that year began, President Arthur is
sued proclamation giving notice to the
people that the fishery articles of the
Treaty of Washington QS1D had, ac-
cordiug to the conditions of the treaty,
been formally terminated. The President
made the results that would flow from
this action plain and unmistakable by
warning all citizens of the United States
that none of the privileges secured to
them by these articles VIII exist after
July 1st, 1851" This termination of the
treaty had been decreed by an over
whelming vote of both branches of Con-
gress, and was now made final and etfec-
tive by the Presidents proclamation.
This course had been earnestly desired
by the American fishermen, was fully
understood by them aud was completed
without protest from single citizen of
the United States.
give weeks after President Arthur's
proclamation was issued his term closed,
aud with the new administration MI
Bayard became secretary of state. In
three or four days after he had been in
stalled in office the British Minister,
Hon. Sackville WesS, submitted pro-
| poSal to continue the reciprocal fishing
arrangements until January l, 1856. AZ
| ter a brief correspondence Mr.. Bayard
| accepted the offer. In other words, MIR.
| West and Mr.. Bayard made treaty of
|
were to be allowed TO fish in British
waters six months longer, and British
fisherman should freely fish in American
waters for the same period. When Mr..
West first proposed this extension of
time, in his note of March II, he based
his suggestion solely upon the generous
ground that as the treaty would termi-
nate during the fishing season Consider
able hardship might be occasoned to
American fisherman if they We're com
| PEELED to desist fishing at that time
| This exact point had been foreseen, had
| been carefully considered by Congress,
! by the President, by the State Depart
ment, and by the American fisherman
themselves. In popular parlance, they
had discounted it, aud were fully pre-
| pared for it, when, to their exceeding
SURPRISE the British Minister seemed To
be moved with compassion for their pos
sible sutferiugs. Apparently without
other motive than dlslnterested benevo-
| lence, MIR. West was anxious to allow
| them six months more of that precious
| time which the Halifax Commission had
declared to be worth to American fisher
men half million dollars per annum.
But reading little farther in this re-
markable diplomatic correspondence, we
find that MIR. West, instead OF acting
from motives of pure generosity to
wards American fisherman, was really
paving the way for shrewd trade and
new treaty. A regular understanding be-
tween himself and Mr.. Bayard was re-
duced to writing, showing that he re-
ceived large consideration for leaving
| the British waters open to American
fisherman six months longer. The con-
sidera:ion was pledge from Mr.. Bayard,
under date of June 18th, 1850, that the
President would, at the ncXJ session of
Congress, recommend the appointment
of commission in which the govern
meuts of the United States and Great
| Britain shall be, respectfully, repre-
| Sented, charged with tue consideration
and settlement, upon just, equitable
and honorable basis, of the entire queS-
lions of the fishing rights of the two
governments, and OF their respective citi-
zens, on the coasts of the United States
and British North America Tue siipu-
lation was definite, and reduced to writ
ing, that in Gier and consideration Of
such promised recommendations by the
PresideHt,' the BRUSH would, Tor the ell
suing SIX months, enforce no restrictive
regulations against American fishermen.
In addition to all this, Mr.. Bayard gave
significant inJimation to Mr.. West that
| to refunding of duties meanwhile COZ
lected under our customs laws upon Ca
madam fish might be brought before the
commission thus promised.
BAYARD's EXTRAORDINARY PERFOR-
MANCES,
Accordingly, in the following Decem-
ber six and a-half months after Mr..
Bayard's memorandum pledge that the
President would make the recommended
tion to Congress, the President actually
did incorporate it i'll his annual message,
and gave in language which was a tram
script verbatim of the words which Mr..
Bayard gave to Mr.. West. 1t would GER
tainly be apart from my desire to pass
any personal criticism upon the Presi-
dent, of whom | wish at all times to
speak in terms of respect, but, viewing
this as a public question aud speaking
ouly with the freedom of a private citi-
zen, | must express my belief that this
transaction was throughout most extra
ordinary and unprecedent. 1t was alto
gether beyond his proper power for a
secretary of state IN the recess of Con-
gress to revive any part of treaty which
Congress had expressly terminated; it
was extraordinary for a secretary of state
to begin negotiations for the renewal of a
treaty which every department of govern
ment had just united in annuling; it was
extraordinary for secretary of state to
enter into . trade with a foreign minister
for present benefit to be paid for by the
future action of the government, and
most of all was it extraordinary that a
pledge should be given to foreign
government that the President of the
United States should in the future
more than half year distant-make a
specific recommendation, on a specific
subject. in specific words to the Congress
of the United States. That pledge was
given and was held in the British foreign
Office in London, and it took from the
President all the power of reconsidera-
ton which the lapse time and the change
of circumstances might suggest and i'm
pose. 1t robbed the President pro lac
cice of his liberty as an executive. He
was no longer free to insert in his an
nual message of December, what might
then seem expedient on the question of
the fisheries. but was under honorable