The Portland daily press., 1888-08-22
HOW THE TREATY WAS REJECTED.
Its Fate Decided by a Strict Party
Vote.
Senator Morgan Concludes His
Speech With Visions of War,
And Bombastic Assurances of the
vaIor of Southern Democrats.

WASHINGTON, Aug 21.-The Senate went
into open executive session on the fisheries
treaty today. and Senator Morgan proceeded
with his speech in favor Of its ratification.
He read the resolution adopted by the Uni
versal Peace Union, at its recent meeting at
Mystic, Conn, to the effect that the fisheries
treaty should be speedily adopted, with pow
er to amend it as experience may prove ad-
visable, in the common interests of the Unit
ed States, Canada and Great Britain.
In conclusion, Senator Morgan salt: :
"These gentlemen Republican senators] can
illuminate idle bulls" against the President
and against the policy involved in the treaty.
They can accept darkness in place of light,
and insecurity in place Of the firm rock ON
which the treaty would place the rights of
the American people; but the people of the
United States are revolving against this as
sumption on the part of the Senate commit
tee on foreign relations, and revolving against
the idea that the Senate of the United States
which cannot declare war on its own motion,
should put the country into category where
war is one of the dismal prospects of the
near future in the contemplation of many
men as firm in their integrity, as bold in
their defence of the right, as any of the sem
ators on that side, and who, perhaps, are
just as fearless in the wage of battle as any
who have declaimed against this treaty. 1t
does not shame us to look the truth in the
face and be willing to admit what we know
to be true, that the Senate of the United
States today places the people of the United
States in rough and immediate contact with
the most dangerous question that can possi-
bly, be stated, and does so under the iLfiu-
ence and shadow of the report brought in
here by the committee on foreign relations,
which is intended, and well calculated to
prevent the British government from doing
with as, except merely to find out what we
mean by these declamations. / repeat the
remark which / have sometimes had occa-
sion to make In this debate, that if this were
the action of the British Parliament, and if
treaty which we had approved, or were
willing to approve, had been laid before that
Parliament by the Queen, and been debated
there as this has been debated here, and if
such report had been made upon it as has
been made by the committee on foreign rela-
outrageous and wilful violations of the trea-
ty, and if they had declared that the time
for negotiation with the United States in re-
lation to the matter had passed, and this was
not a fit subject tor negotiation,
cannot be so mistaken in American opinions
as not to feel warranted in saying before the
Senate today that we would accept that as a
challenge TO war Now, how the British
people may accept ii, Mr.. President, is not
for me to say, or even to conjecture, for
know not. / trust in God that the calami-
ties which seem to lie before us, and which
would repeat those of the past, may not be
of such an aggravated character as to force
these two great and magnificent peoples into
a collision with each other about so small a
matter as the duty on salt fish. Will that
side of the chamber pardon me in saying,
however, that, when you have gone to your
full exteni and when these calamitles occur
and these trials are presented to our country,
her interests, her feelings and her sensibili-
ties shall all be ours and we will match
breast to breast with you with the same alac-
rity as il we had never divided with you on
this question or any other and what the ma
jority shall declare to be the will of the
American people in regard to this contro-
versy, in the future shall be our will.
WHITTIER thou goeth we win co. and l dare
say, Notwithstanding all the sneers and con-
tumely and contempt thrown upon the gen.
tlemen on this side of the chamber because
of their connection with the late rebellion
and their advocacy of this treaty. that we
shall prove just as true to the flag of Ameri-
ca as you Will; will spend our money just as
freely as you will; will shed our blood as you
have not dared to shed yours In times past.
Then you will find the old spirit of the
Southern Democracy aroused"
At the close of Senator AOTgan's speech,
proceedings on the fisheries treaty were in
terrupted by resolution heretofore offered
returning thanks to the State of New Jersey
for the statues of Richard Stockton and Phil
ip Kearney, to be placed in the old hall Of
the House of Representatives and accepting
them in the name Of the nation. The reso-
lutions were adopted.
The consideration of the fisheries treaty
was then resumed and the Senate proceeded
TO vote on the resolution by Senator Gibson
prviding for the recommittal of the treaty
for amendment.
The resolution was rejected by strict
party vote: yeas, Democrats, 81; nays. Re-
publicans, 81. The executive clerk then pro-
ceeded to read the treaty by article for
amendment.
Senator Gray moved to amend Article II so
as to provide that all United States fishing
vessels be accorded, on all occasions, such ia
cilities for the purchase of casual or needful
supplies as are ordinarily granted United
States trading vessels, On obtaining license
for that purpose. The amendment was re-
jected by like party vote: yeas, 81; nays, 80.
There being no further amendment offered
to any article, the treaty was reported back
from the committee of the whole TO the SEN
ate and vote taken on the resolution OF
ratification, requiring two-thirds majority.
The resolution was rejected by like party
vote: yeas, 27; nays, 30.
Senator Morgan moved that the President
be notified of the action of the Senate on the
treaty and the presiding officer declared it SO
ordered under vote,