The Globe-republican., 1890-12-24
BEHRINC SEA.
The President Preparing q Special
Message to Congress-.
The BRITISH OyERIURES REJECTED,
The Necessary Means Required to Expel
the British Sealers-If Refused the Presi-
dent VIII Reopen Negotiations For
Settlement.

Harrison expects to accompany his
transmission to Congress of the further
papers relating to the Behring sea con-
troversy with special message of some
length. In this message he will express
in language of his own selection his
views respecting the rights and claims
OF the United States connected with the
seal fishery, the comparative merits of
the conduct and position of the two
Governments since the first seizures in
1886 and the duty of Congress in the
present position of the question.
The message will be framed with es-
pecial reference to the now pending
proposal of the British Government for
an arbitration, which proposal it is in
tended to reject before any communica-
ton is made to Congress. The rejection
of the proposal will effect practical, if
not complete, suspension of diplomatic
efforts for settlement, there being no
expectation that either Government will
bring forward any effort for a renewal
of negotiations after the impending re-
lection of the British tender of arbitra-
ton has been announced by Mr.. Blaine
I'd SH y Ulldn fduuceIOte.
The personal bitterness between Mr..
Blaine and Lord Sails bury. said to have
arisen out of the course of the negotia-
tons, is perceived here to constitute a
material obstruction to a continuance
of efforts toward settlement. and espe-
cially after the diplomatic relations be-
tween the two Governments shall have
been further strained by the energetic
manner in which Mr.. Blaine is prepar-
ing to show up the hollowness and un-
fairness of the British arbitration
project.
It is because of the seeming hopeless
ness OF the prospect of settlement by
peaceful means, necessity of almost
instant resolving upon new course OF
conduct for the United States, that the
President has determined to lay the
matter before Congress and to apply
for legislative assistance in shaping and
enforcing the policy of the immediat
future.
The British proposal, as already
stated. is to refer to the determination
of friendly and impartial arbitration
the question whether the seizure of
British sealing vessels by the United
States in 1856, 1887 and 1889 were or
were not lawful seizures. To this
form of proposed submission of the
case to arbitration the President strenu-
ously objects. and he will never agree
to it unless Congress shall assume the
responsibility in some mode of yield
ing adherence to it. The principal
ground. however. is that such form of
submission would preclude the arbi-
traitor from giving effect in his decision
otherwise than argumentatively or col
laterally to those duties of comfy and
good neighborhood which. are owed by
Great Britain 20 the United States in re-
spect to seal fisheries of Behring sea.
Those duties, as the President con-
ceives them, arise partly out of the
natural and partly out of the historical
conditions of the case, and he will
neither ask nor accept the award of an
arbitrator upon the controversy unless
Great Britain distinctly agrees in the
articles of submission that the legality
of the seizures shall depend, SO far as
in reason and justice it ought.
upon consideration of those
circumstances and conditions. The
non-disturbance of the protective right
assumed by this country over the Behr-
ing Sea seal fishery for nearly twenty
years after the cession of Alaska is
greatly relied upon by the President to
establish the right of the United States.
and he will not agree to an arbitration
that does not permit weight to be di-
rectly given to his acquiescence in
American jurisdiction.
The President will give Congress dis
tinctly to understand that in the present
state of the matter he perceives neither
authority nor reason to abstain next
season from literal enforcement of
the provisions of the law for the protec-
ton of the fur seal in Alaska and the
waters thereof. He will ask Congress
for liberal appropriation to meet the
expense of fitting out vessels to serve as
revenue vessels in sufficient number
and character to capture and diSperse
the numerous marauding vessels eX-
pected to enter Behring sea next June
and July. If Congress grants an appli-
cation for the enforcement of the seal
ing law in the Behring sea. the rest will
accept such action as a pledge of resist
ance to the uttermost. if Lord Salisbury
should so far force this issue.
If no appropriation is granted or if
the debate shows a controlling indispo-
sition to proceed to war on the seal
question. the revenue vessels will be in
structed simply to warn foreign sealinc
vessels next season. but not to lay hanG
upon them. And in that case the Presi
dent viii feel it incumbent upon him to
facilitate the resumption of negotia-
tions for the purpose of ascertaining the
best terms of settlement that can be ex-
torted from the British for a termina-
ton of the controversy.
Personally the President believes in
fighting the matter to an end next
season. but the gravity of the possible
consequences forbids him to commit the
Government to an irrevocable course
without first obtaining the opinion and
sanction of Congress.