Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-03-31
THE PRESIDENTS ANSWER.

1. THE PRESIDENTS ANSWER.
Two days after the receipt OF Lord
salisbury's note The following, signed
by Mr.. Wharton, was sent to Sir Ju.
liam Paunce fote:
I am directed by the president to say
that your note dated the 10th inst,
and delivered on the Goth inst, (sun.
day. has had his immediate attention
IN view OF what he deems to be the ex.
IRENE urgency and gravity OF the mat.
ter under discussion. The urgency
grows out of the fact that much fur
Their protraction OF this discussion
agreed upon Intellectual to protect the
interests OF the United States and will
give to the Canadian sealers practical
immunity, by reason of the impossi.
biIity OF communicating to them the
agreed restrictions. 1t is known to
this government that the sealers have
FASTENED their departure to escape no.
tice Of possible modus, and that
every day almost adds to the fleet
! that must now be overhauled at sea.
Already forty.seven Canadian yes.
sels have cleared for the sealing
grounds, as against thirty, one at the
same date last year, and are engaged
in folio owing up and destroying the
seal herds. These vessels will if not
stopped and turned back at thepasses,
90 into the Behring sea and pursue to
the very shores OF our islands the
slaughter OF the mother seals seeking
| the accustomed rOokeries' to be de.
livered OF their young. This is crime
against nature. This government ex-
! poets to show, II the arbitration pro-
| ceeds, that the female seals constitute
| the larger per cent OF the catch OF the
ptlaglc sealers. That in view OF
THE SERIOUS AND CONFIDENT CONTENTION
of the government his lordship should
assume thai another suspension Of
| such sealing Is not necessary "to pre-
| vent an undue diminutlon OF the seal
herds" and should insist that pend
ing an arbitration it shall go on pre-.
cisely surprising as it disappointing.
If her malesty's government so little
| respects the claims and contentious Of
! this government as to be unwilling to
| torbear for single season to disre.
| gard them, the president cannot un-
derstand why Lord Salisbury should
have proposed and agreed to give to
those claims the dignity and standing
which reference TO q high court Of ar
bitration implies. From the moment
an arbitration was agreed upon Meth.
er party was at liberty to disregard
the contentious of the other. Itmust
be assumed that the sincere purpose
| OF the two governments was to pro.
mote peace and good will, but if, pend.
the subject OF it solely upon the basis
of its own contention and in utter dis.
regard OF the CLAIMS of the other, this
friendly end is not only attained but
81 new sense of injury and injustice is
added even if it should be found pos
aible to proceed with an arbitration
under such conditions. For it must
not be forgotten that if her majesty's
government proceeds during this seal
ing season upon the basis OF it's con-
tention as to the rights OF the Canad-
ian sealers no choice is left to thisgov
eminent but to proceed upon the
basis OF his confident contention that
pelagic sealing in the Bering sea is an
infraction OF its jurisdiction and prop.
erty rights. His lordshlp will
hardly fail to see this. Herein, IN the
opinion OF the president, consists
THE GRAVITY OF THEPREsEST SITUATION
and he is not willing to be found in
any degree responsible for the results
that may follow the !nsistence by
either government during this season
! upon the extreme rights claimed by
1t. In his opinion it would Giscredit
! III the eyes OF the world the two great
governments involved il the paltry
| profits OF single season should be
! allowed to thwart or even to disturb
| the honorable and friendly adjust.
| ment OF their differences which is so
nearly concluded; but if his lordsh,p
! shall adhere to his refusal to reunite
with us in prompt and effective meas.
ures to stop pelagic sealing, and shall
insist upon free sealing for British
subjects, the question as it affects
this government is no longer one or
pecuniary loss or gain, but one OF
honor and selfrespect.
This government, notwithstanding
the fact that It's right to take seals
upon the Pribyloff islands is undisput.
ed and wholly unlnvolved i'll the
arbitration, has proposed to take no
| profit from the island catch. but to
limit the taking OF seals to the neces.
sltles OF the natives OF those islands,
and 1T cannot consent that, with
| indemnity or without, the contested
rights OF British Aubjects to catch
seals in the Boring sea shall be
exercised pending the arbitratio u
The presidenU finds it difficult TO be-
lieve that Lord Salisbury is serious
in proposing that this government
shalt take separate bonds from the
owners OF about one hundred Canad.
Ian sealing vessels to indemnify it for
the injury they may severally inflicu
! upon our own Jurisdiction or property,
| and must decline to discuss q sueges.