New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-28
ORD SALISBURY QUOTES FROM JOHN
QUINCY ADAMS.
Denariment Of state.
Washington, June 30. 1890.

Washington, June 80, l-Jo
sir: on The 9TH instant you read TO me a dispatch
from Lord salisbury. dated May -. and by his IN
structon you left with me a copy. HIS Lordshp writes
in answer T. my dispatch Of the 22d January last t
that time writing 10 yourself touching the current
contention between the Governments of the United
states Great Britain to the jurisdiction OF inc
fo,mcr over the waters OF the Behrns sea, made inc
following statement:
The Go,e-nrncnt OF the United has occasos
and no desire to withdraw modify the positions whca
Il \. AZ any time maintained against the claims Of the
Imperial GO, eminent Of Russia. The United states VIZ
not thhod from any the privileges "hch II de-
rnanded for itself when Alaska part OF the Russian
Tup.ra Nor Is the ioNegnment Of the tntef states
disposed to any less power authority h 1t as
willing to concedc the Imperial o'erLment oil huSSa
when its sovereignty extended over the territory IN feS'
ton The President persuaded that all friendly nations
,ii copc,do N tho Un.T,d states rights and
prvleges on lands and In the "aer, OF AaH"a "hch
the same friendly Away, conceded to the Umpire
Of Russia.
In answer to this declaration Lord salisbury con-
tends that Mr. John Quincy Adams, when secretary OK
state under President Monroe. protested against tho
Jurisdiction which Russia claimed the waters Of
Rchruc sea. To maintain thi, position His Lori>mp
cite, the word, Of a dispatch OF Mr.. Adams. written On
tnlv 2 I793 to Henry Middleton, at that tine our
Minister al II. Petersburg. The alleged declarations
and admissions Of Mr.. Adams In that dispatch have
bce the basi, Of all the argument, which Her MAJ
csts Government has submitted against the ownership
~, certain propertie, IN the chrng which the Cow
ernmcnt of the United state, confidently assumes. I
GIo,c the portion Lord oalisburys argument which
in,ludc, the quotation from Mr.. Adams:
Ar,r Russia at the instance OF the Russian American
Fur Company claimed IN 1921 the pursuits Of commerce.
whaling ard fishing Behring's Strait' To the 5lst
degree o north and not only prohibited all foreign
vessel, from landing the coasts and Islands Of the
above waters, also prevented them from approaching
within 100 miles thereof. Mr. Quincy
I'M Eff-sl1
..rhe United states can admit no part OF these claims;
their right navigation and fishing i perfect ana has
been exercise from the earliest times throughous
The. whole extent OF ocean, subject only 70
ordinary exceptions ana exclusions oil le "FIlVo''H
Jurisdictions"
MR. ADAMs'S CONTENTION ABSUKDLY Dis
TOKIED.
The quotation which Lord salisbury makes is un"
fortunately most defective, erroneous, and misleading
one The conclusion 4, separated from the premise.
a comma +, turned into a period an important quaiiicr
tion as 40 time j. entirely erased without even sus'
geston that it had formed part OF the text, and
out of eighty four words logically and inseparably
connected thirty five are dropped from Mr. Adams's
paragraph in Lord SalisburyS quotation. No edition
of Mr. Adanss work gives authority for his lordshps
Guo,tio while the archives Of this Department plainly
Disclose lis many errors | reQuOte Lord Sallsburys
version of what Mr. Adams said and in juxtapo'iuon
produce Mr.. Adams's full text as he wrote 1t:
Lord Salsbury's quotation from Mr.. Adams)
Tho United state, can admit OF these claims:
,r right OF navigation and fishing Is perfect and has
hen I'm constant exercise the earliest times hroughout
the whole extent of southern Ocean, subject only 20
me ordinary exceptions and exclusions OF the territorial
jurisdictions.
dull text Of Mr.. Adams's paraGraph)
Tho Int-d states can admit part Of these claims;
h g,t ~ navigation and OF fishing is perfect and mas
hon in constant exercise the earliest times dfr no
gs OF 1888 throughout whole extent of the southern
- s,,hi,c, only TO the ordinary exceptions and ex.
ons Of the territorial jurisdictions, whtea 80 far a.
RANTS are concernef condnsd 70 certain sands
r, ot,bs mn M degre Of latitude and hare no ezS
>uee on the continentU fmerlca.
The words in italc, are those which are eit OUT OK
Mr. Adams's paragraph in the dispatch of Lord sails
bury. They are precisely the words upon whch Una
of the United States POUNDS It's arsueho
In this case. Conclusions or inferenceS reSuhs US~