The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-02
WE STAND FIRM.

Our Rights in the Seal Fi.hcries Must he
sRcspcctod-secrotary Blaine Makes Pab-
lilo tho correspondence Between the
United States md Great Britain In the
Behring Sea Dispute.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-The official
correspondence between the Secretary
OF State and the British Governments
concerning the Behring sea controversy
was submitted to Congress- Wednesday
by the President.
In his accompanying letter of trans
INITIAL to the President, Secretary
Blaine, under date Of Bar Harbor, July
10, regrets the delay in transmission
which the President directed on tho
11th inst. and says that the corre-
spondence is still in progress. The
correspondence includes thirty sep
arate papers, beginning with o
letter from Mr. Edwards, first secre-
tary of legation and charge d'aifaires
after Minister Vests recall, dated Au-
gust "a, 1889, and closing with one from
Secretary Blaine to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, the British Minister, dated July
10, 1880.
The correspondence during 1889 is
mostly preliminary, and the desire is
expressed on both sides for settlement
of the question at the earliest possible
moment. The seizure of the sealers
Black Diamond and Triumph by the
revenue cutter Rush is mentioned and
characterized by the British foreign Of
fee as unwarranted by international
law.
The correspondence between Secre-
30 1osr {La
lister began January % of this year with
long letter from the Secretary to Sir
Julian Pauncefote. This letter may
be fairly taken as setting forth the po.
sition of the United States in the con-
troversy.
In this letter the Secretary defends
the acts complained of by the British
Government on the following grounds:
That the Canadian vessels arrested and do
tanned in Behring sea were engaged in a pur>
suit contra bonos mores, which OF necessity In.
wolves o serious and permanent injury to
the Government and people Of the United
States That the fisheries had been In
the undisturbed possession OF Russia
from their discovery until the cession
| of Alaska to the United States in 1867, and
from this date until 1885 in the undisturbed
possession of the United States Government.
That 1t is fact now held beyond denial or
doubt that the taking OF seals in the open sea
rapidly leads to the extinction Of tho
species. He declares that while tho
United States will not withhold from any
nation the privileges which they demand.
ed for themselves, when Alaska was
part OF the Russian empire, they are not dis
posed to exercise in the possession any less
power or authority than they were willing to
concede to the imperial Government of Russia
when Its sovereignty extended over fthem He
claims from friendly nations recognition OF
the Same rights and privileges which the same
friendly nations always conceded to Russia.
On February 10 Sir Julian Pauncefote writes
| to Secretary Blaine to inform him that the
British Government was willing 70 invite the
participation Of Russia to renewed negotia-
tions for the settlement of the controversy.
letter from the Marquis OF Salisbury is also In.
cluded. In this the Marquis, replying to the
Secretnrys argument that the seizures Of the
Canadian vessels were justified by the fact
that they were engaged in pursuit that is in
itself contra bonos mores, inquiries:
First whether the pursuit and killing OF fur
seals in certain parts of the open sea is, from
the point OF view of international morality, an
offense contra bonos mores, and secondly, wheth-
r, IL such be the case, the fact justifies the
seizure on the high seas and subsequent con-
fscation in time of peace OF the private ves-
sells Of friendly nation. 1t is an
axiom OF international maritime law
that such action Is only admissible in the
case OF piracy in pursuance Of special inter-
national agreement. The pursuit OF seals in
the open sea- under whatever circumstances,
has never hitherto been considered as
piracy by any civilized state. In the
case of the slave trade, practice which
the civilized world has agreed TO look
upon with adherence, the right Of arrest
ing the vessels OF another country is ex.
ercised only by special international agree
ment and no Government has been allowed
that general control OF mortals in this respect
xyh oh Mr.
United States in regard to seal hunting. Her
Majesty's Government would deeply regret
that the pursuit OF fur seals on the high
seas by British vessels should involve
even the slightest injury to the people of
the United States. II the case be proved they
will be ready to consider what measures can be
properly taken for the remedy OF such injury,
but they wourd be unable on that ground to de-
part from principal on which free commerce
on the high seas depends.
The second argument advanced by Mr..
Blaine is that the fur seal fisheries Of Behr-
ings sea had been exclusively controlled by
the Government OF Russia from the original
| discovery until the cession Of Alaska to the
United States in 1857"
Respecting Mr.. Blaine's statement ofthe ex-
elusive monopoly enjoyed by Russia, the
Marquis quotes from Mr.. John Quincy Adams
| letter to the United States Minister in Russia
| (Which nation in 1921 prohibited all foreign
| vessels from approaching within 100 miles
from the coast Oh BenrlnB SLraitS 10 tne olst
| degree north latitude) to the effect that
| the United States could admit no part OF these
| claims. He also cites the case of the United
| States brig Lariot to show that the right OF
| fishing thus asserted included the right Of
| killing fur bearing animals. The brig was
| forced by an armed Russian naval vessel to
| leave the waters He also argues from the
| speech OF Mr.. Sumner, when introducing tho
| question Of the purchase of Alaska to Congress-,
| In which he said: mo sea is now mare
| causum; all OF these may be pursued by ship
within the territorial limit" Says the Mar
| quis in conclusions:
1.-The negotiations now being carried on at
Washington prove the readiness OF her MajeS-
| ty's Government to consider whether any spe
| cial international agreement is necessary 10
| the protection OF the fur-seal industry. In its
| absence they are unable TO admit that the case
| put forward on behalf OF the United States af-
fords any sufficient justification for the forcblc
| action already taken by them against peacea-
| BILE subjects OF her Majesty engaged In lawful
| operations on the high seas"
A number OF letters exchanged during May
| and June OF this year embody suggestions by
| that the latter forbid British ships entering
| Behring sea during the present season, SO that
| time may be had to settle the question. The
| British Prime Minister replies that he has no
| power to issue or enforce such an order.
On June IA Sir Julian Pauncefote, having
failed to secure an assurance from Secretary
| Blaine that British sealing vessels would not
| be ntcrfered with during the negotiations, pre-
| sented q formal protest In the usual diplomatic
| form.
Then followed series OF propositions and
counter-propositions looking TO arbitration, in
which tie questions at issue are gone over
| again, apparently without result, neither side
i tN..Is