Connecticut western news., 1888-03-28

m reply to an invitation from some Boston gentlemen, Secretary Bayard has written the following letter from Washington, addressed to Hon. H. l.. Pierce:
 My Dear Sir: have to thank you for your note of the 9th inst, with which you sent me an invitation, signed by number of the repre- sentative men of New England of different po- litical parties, to visit Boston and "deliver an address on the scope and purpose of the treaty recently submitted to the United States Sen ate for ratification"
 The sssettlement upon just and equitable terms of the questions in dispute between Great Britain and the United States concern ing the rights of American fishermen in Brit ish North American waters and ports" Is sub- feet upon which have bestowed assidious care ever since I assumed the duties of my present ofice and the result of the efforts to promote such settlement is embodied in the treaty now before the Senate. But the treaty has been preceded by voluminous correspondence. properly arrived, and its printing has been ordered by the Senate. The whole matter will thus be laid before the American people, and trust will be fully and publicly debated by the Senate,
 I am convinced that the welfare and true in- terests of our country and just and wise treatment of the British-American population on northern frontier alike counsel the adoption of the treaty. In Its initiation, ne- gotiation and conclusion 1 can truly say for my associates and mys If that no views but those of single-minded patriotic intent have been allowed place or expression, nor can a trace or suggestion of partlsanshlp be justly alleged The sole and difficult question to which the treaty relates-''the fishery rights of one nation in the >jurisdictional waters of an- uther"-began with the first dawn of our rec ognized independent existence as nation, and ever since has consplcuously presented itself at intervals, exciting bitter controversy, and never has been satisfactorily or permanently disposed of Meanwhile, the surrounding circumstances have importantly changed, and advanced with rapid and vast growth, but the treaty of ISIS is uraltered, and remains unaffected in its terms of seventy years of such material pro- gress and development in this continent as we of to-day are the witnesses.
 Unless the treaty of ISIS shall be wholly ab rogated, and recurrence necessarily had to the dangerous status that John Quincy Adams so ably but unavailingly discussed with the Earl of Bathurst in 1915 and which had resisted all efforts of the negotiations at Ghent ln the year previous-it is manifest that a joint and equitable construction, ln c1nsonance With their existing relations and mutual needs, must be agreed upon between Great Britain and the United States; and this, 1 affim, Is done by the present treaty. There is not a recorded cause of just and reasonable complaint by an American fisherman against Canadian adm1n- istration since 1886, for which this treaty does not provide remedy and promise safeguard in the future. You will receive the published record of the two years that have elapsed since the abrogation Con June 30, 1SS5) of the fish cry articles of the treaty of 1871, when we were obliged to fall back upon the treaty of ISIS, and you can select any case or cases Of unjust treatment of our fishermen so reported and test my statement by the terms of the treaty now proposed.
 forth, with more or less insistence, are with drawn. Imaginary lines upon the sea, drawn from one distant headland to another-neithcr being visible from the other-can no longer cause doubt and anxiety to the fisherman, for the demarkation of his fishing lines are made by objects plainly in view, and if he encroaches upon the waters renounced in 1918 he will do so wilfully; snd from no bay where fish are found and purse seines can be profitably used are our fishermen excluded by the present treaty. Every privilege-shelter repairs, wood, water-reserved to him under the treaty of 1918, an which in the past have been so ham pered and restricted by Canadinn conditions, can hereafter be freely enjoyed without cost or molestation. Hospitality and comity, as defined by civilized nations, are secured and facilities for convenient and needful supplies, 'son all occasions" and relief against casualty and in cases of distress are all amply provided for.
 Consideration and mutual neighborly con- cession have together done their honorable and honest work in this treaty and paved the way for relations of amity and of mutual advantage All this is accomplished by no enforced changes in our tariff, nor the payment of penny as the price of concession, nor for the enj joyment of right.
 Neither the conscience, nor self-rcspect, nor | the pocket of any American has been invaded | by any provision of the pending treaty That | the Caradiaus possess jurisdictional rights, no | fair man would wish to deny, and among such | rights to decide what may be lawfully bought | or sold within their own limits. This home | rule or local self-government is theirs as much as we claim it for ourselves The share of responsibility of myself and my respected and abe associates in framing this measure for | the settlement of difficult and dangerous public question has, I believe, been fulfilled but still, in view of the far-reaching results which may attend r jectment of our work I am anxious to have all the light possible thrown upon the treaty and its operative ef- fects upon the well-being and happiness of oul | country. To this end desire to give every information, respond to every inquiry and re- move every doubt. But the duties of the office | I hold are so manifold and press daily for at | tention that do not feel warranted in leaving my post even for the pleasure of discussing | before such an audience Q subject so interest
 ing and closely associated with the interests and local historic pride of New England. shall send, as soon as possible, copy of the
 printed documents and the treaty to each ot
 the gentlemen who signed the invitation, ant
 I am, with sincere respect, most truly yours | T. F. BAYARD.