The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-30
THE FISHERIES TREATY
Ventilated in Open Executive
Session Of the Senate.
SENATOR FRYE TAKES A TURN
At Secretary Bayard's "DiplOmnne'
nch"-How the Patriotic Dcmoc'
racy took water on the Cana
dian Fishery outragcs.


said the question now before the Senate
involved the dignity and honor OF thu
great Republic and the rights OF its citi
zens. It could not be obscured by th'
President OF the United States, intimat
ing that in the event OF the failure OF the
treaty he would resort to the law which
Congress had passed in such way ~
to put in jeopardy and might destroy al
the business interests Of the great North
1t could not be beiittled by interviews
furnished to the Boston Herald; nor BY
letters written to the banquetting party
in New York, in which it was declared
that every man who opposed the ratid;
cation OF the treaty was either controlled
by personal prejudice, by partisanship,
or by profound ignorance; nor by nd
ministration papers fippantly and jeer-
ingly suggesting that it would be better
to buy up the Yankee fishermen and
their fleet.
The question before the Senate was,
should citizens Of the United States
Fishermen, but still citizens,) beprotect-
ed against injustice and wrong and out
rage, inflicted by u neighboring nation
emboldened to it, only because it rested
under the Ggis OF mighty power be-
yOnd the seas? Our country had not
protected its fishermen, and so Canada
commenced by every conceivable out
rage, wrong and injustice to drive our
vessels away. She drove them to sea in
storms; she seized them on the high
seas and searched them; she put armed
men on board, and literally confined
their captains and crews in their own
vessels, with the American flag flying
over them. They were tried in Colonial
courts, and their vessels Contiscated, one
after another, until the terrors OF the sea
were not half as many rs the terrors OF
the law on shore.
Iedeclared that the mOd,H Uireldi only
secured to us upon the payment Of 81 5O
per ton commercial privileges which we
were already fully entitled to. He said
that the Canadians continued their out
RACES in season and out OF
season. and the Congress OF the United
States was Just on the point OF passing q
rctaliatory law in response to a petition
from the fishermen OF New England,
when diplomacy was again resorted to,
resulting in the treaty Of 1871. We had
Just emerged from great conflict dur:
ing which Great Britain clearly desired
that this country should be cut in two,
in the middle. She wanted the South
ern market and she had not the slight
est hesitation in regard to the right.
GREAT BRITAIN IN THE WAR.
She recognized bclligerent rights on
the part of the South and joined with
France in the attempt to build up u
monarchy in Mexico and sent troops OF
war to Canada. She built vessels, armed
and equipped them and sent them out
upon the ocean to destroy our commerce.
When the war was over our people, who
had been damaged by her cruisers sent
in their claims, and Great Britain re-
fused to pay them. Then our peace
loving President Grant sent a message
to the people, saying to them, send me
your bills, and 1.will collect them in
time, and then negotiations for treaty
were had.
The Alabama claims were put into the
treaty, and other matters were also in.
cluded, and the treaty was made. 1t
stipulated that il there was any balance
due Canada for the privilege she had
given us of the right to fish, we should
pay it, and that commissioners should
be appointed TO see if anything was due.
We also give them free market for the
fish. A commissioner was appointed,
and we had for our commissioner u
weak old man, no more fit to cope with
Sir John Macdonald, or Sir Charles
Upper than Mr.. Bayard is (laughter)
with Sir Joseph Chamberlain in
diplomacy.
gium, practically owned by Great Britain,
and Great Britain knew it when he was
appointed.
HAYARD's ITCH FOR DIPLOMACY.
Secretary Bayard had an itching palm
for diplomacy, and it delighted his very
soul to be engaged in u diplomatic cor.
respondencc. Hewas profoundly ignor-
ant Of the fishery matter then US could
be proved without the slightest diff
Guilty, and he presumed the Secretary
himself would admit it. But there was
n gentleman here, Sir Lionel West, who
was not ignorant Of the matter, and he
persuaded Secretary Bayarl that itwould
be six months before Congress met, that
it was right in the midst OF the fishery
season; that there would be conflicts
between the fishermen OF the United
States and the fishermen OF Canada
that very likely that might lead to war
with Great Britain. And Mr.. Bayard
said what can do. will do anything
YOU say? And he granted the modus
rircadi. Clearly without any right to
do it under the constitution, he gave us
the right for six months to fish in the
British waters; and the Canadians the
right to fish in ours for the same length
of time. But that was not the nub Of
the treaty. 1t was this: That the Prcsi'
dent OF the United States shall recon-
mend to Congress the appointment Of q
commission to settle fishery rights.
Mr.. Frye referred sarcasticaiiy to the
meetings OF the plGnipotentiaries a
Washington, their rooms furnished
with $40 orchids, themselves living like
princes, and having much elegant leis
IRE on their hands. And what was tht
result he asked. Here it is, he said
holding up a copy Of the treaty. Th'
mountain labored; there is the mouse
All that | have to say about this treaty
is that it is the most disgracetul, humil
iating and cowardly surrender which
the American Republic has ever mad,
in its whole history, not excepting th'
treaty OF 1878.
At this stage OF his remarks Mr.
Frye complained that the air was ex
cecdingly oppressive, and suggested tha
| il the Senate would give its consent h
would finish his speech tomorrow
There being some dissent to that, a re
cess was taken for half IN hour, and tn
gallery doors and windows were ordere,
10 be opened.
Mr.. Fryeresumed his argumentagains
the fisheries treaty, dwelling at som
length upon the hehdiands theory, an
arguing that II was never more than
theory; that it had not been reduced I,
.I | - A. u.