Evening journal., 1888-08-14
SENATOR eRAYs SPEECH.
Hs Defends the Fishery Treaty IN open
scssinn-Gcorge and Hoar.

wAsarSGToN. Aug. 14--Senator GRAY
--.'sr ~. pri,cinal speech yesterday after
noon on the motion to postpone the con.
s;deration OF the Fishery treaty TN next
December.
Mr. GRAY said that before the vote was
4aken he desired to say somethlng on the I
motion. IL had become evident troiA
various outgiving on the Republican SIDE
of the chamber that the treaty was not
TO be ratified at this session The
Senate had been told in a more or
les.s ,ninatorv tone that it was not only to
he rejected. but was to be rejected
nj once and without delay. No special
reason for that had been given, but
there were reasons for IL which lay ON
Abe surface, and were easily read. The
treaty was being discussed in the very
midst of an excited political campaign,
and Democratic Senators had been told
that they we're arguing the British side
of the case Why, he asked, should not
tbe consideration Of the treaty be post
Doned To a more quiet seasonY Why
should not those influences that come
from the sober second thought and from
fhe absence Of extraneous influences and
excitement BE- invokedg lie proceeded to
criticise letter published in the Even
ing Bulletin, and purporting to be from
Mr.. Charles Levi Woodbury., on the
treaty (as giving away the rights
of the States to control their terri
torial waters and he spoke OF it as an
absolutely fatuous argument, as I'M
1awyer-like and nonsensical. Congress
could not Mr.. Gray declared divest the
State of Maryland of its jurisdiction
over Chesapeake bay, nor could IL divest
the States Of Delaware and New Jersey
of their jurisdiction over Delaware Bay
And he did not believe that Mr. Wood
bury over rlsked his professional reputa-
tion IA high one BY such an argument.
He Mr.. Gray would not for moment
think Of voting for the treaty II il were
susceptibie-of the Interpretation which
that paper attempted TO put upon'it He
asserted in open session, las he was
forced TO speak there or not at alb, that
the claim of Canada TO jurisdiction over
it's bays, all Of them, was as com
plete and Us absolute as the claim Of the
State of Maryland TO jurisdiction over
Chesapeake bay, OF as the claim Of the
states of Delaware and New Jersey TO
jurisdiction owe Delaware bay. The
proposition could not be stated
otherwise unless the position was
taken which no honorable man
would take, that United States fishermen
had a right TO enter the Canadian bays
on account Of their public character. and
ahat, at the same time, Canadian fisher
men bad no such right in American bays
on account of their private character.
These waters were as much a part Of the
Local jurisdiction as the battle-ground
covered Nv corn fields and houses We
wcnid never try TO impose upon neigh
Dor, whic.l had been sneeringly spoken OF
by Republican senator as weak IN popu.
nation and resources, a rule which the
United States would never submit TO il
sought to be applied to itself. The pend
ing treaty came to the Senate ear marked
with the justice and magnanimity which
should belong to great people. 1t sur.
rendered nothing which belonged TO the
United States and it asked nothing
which proud and free people should not
ask from those with whom it was brought
into relations.
Mr. Beck Cby consent Of Mr. Gray crit
cised some recent remarks Of Mr.. Frye as
10 the practice Of the Canadian fishermen
sending frozen fish into the American
market free Of duty under the tariff
clause of fish free for immediate con
sumption and said that as long as fresh
fish could only reach Boston and Portland
and the people there get them cheaper, il
was eminently satisfactory 70 the New
England Senators, but that, as soon al
fresh fish could BE sent to Ohio and Ken
lucky and the interior Of the country. il
then became an offense in their eyes. Thu
whole thing was in the interest Of the
Gloucester syndicate, which even the la
boring men Of the country were protest
ing against as a set of frauds seeking tC
rob the people of the country. He re
ferred in that connection to the duty OF
Bessemer fteei by which Mr. Carnegie
had been given bonus Of a million ant
half Of dollars so that he could buil'
churches and schools and could oarry II
his carriage throughout Scotland tn
Warwick Of the Republican party, tn
power behind the throne, who had nov
come back to this country ito belittle al
the rest Of the Republicans.
Mr.. Gray created a laugh by askinI
Mr. Beck 20 allow him to interrupt hin
in order to make a single remark ant
having re-obtained the floor, he proceeds
with his argument. He compliments
Mr.. Sherman on the statesmanlike exor
dunn Of his recent speech, but said tina
when that Senator got down from tn
plane Of craftsmanship to the plane o
partisanship he ''doundered.
AS to the taunt that Democratic Sen
ators were arguing the case Of Grea
Britain, Mr.. Gray said that no taunt wa
so irritating as that to Democrat Tn
Democratic party had no history and n
policy in relation to foreign matter
that il was ashamed of.
had always been ready to press to the ca
IRENE everything that concerned tn
country's right and honor. Democrats
Senators were endeavOring in this matte
to give it such a position and such
status that they could stand upon It an
call for the opinion Of all mankind I
Justify tine rectitude oftheir motives |
Doing this they were not trihing or ira
fcking but they meant business Whe
that sort Of negotiation and that sort
appeal should fail, he knew that the coul
try felt safe in the hands Of Democrat
administration, felt security which
did not feel in the hands Of any 9th,
party. There was an abiding faith
the country that the Democratic inethos
and Democratic administrations hl
never sacrificed the honor Of the countr
or done anything that could be characte
lied as a surrender Qn the faintest pos
bic degree) Of its rights.
In conclusion, Mr. Gray declared h
belief that the honor and fame and rep
tation of the country were preserved
the treaty. and that if it should be !
jected, and if the troubles and annoya
ces to American fishermen should be I
newed, the responsibility therefor won