Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-03-30

| nunlty, by reason OF the lmpOSSlbIlltY OF
communicating to them the agreed re-
strictions. It is known to this government
! that the Sc alerS have fastened their de-
| partuTe to escape notice of q possible
moduS and that every day almost adds to
the fleet that must ROW be OYerhauled a.
sea. Already fOrty-seYen Canadian YES
| sells nave cleared for the sealing grounds
| Gas against thirty-one at the same date last
| year, and are engaged in following up and
destroying the seal herds. These yesseis{
will, il not stopped and turned back att
! the passes, 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 delivered
| OF their young. This is crime against ma
| ture. This government expects to show
! il the arbitration proceeds, that female
seals constitute the larger per cent. or the
catch of the pelaglc sealers.
! That in view OF this serious and conf
! dent contention OF this government. His
| Lordshlp should assume that another years
| suspension Of such sealing is not necessary
| ito prevent al undue diminutiOn OF the seal
berds," and should insist that pending an
arbitration, it shall go on precisely as If no
arbitration had been agreed up on, is as
surprising as it is disappointing. Ii Her
MajeSty'S government so little respects the
| claims and contentious OF this government
as 90 be unwilling to forDear tor q single
| season to disregard them, the President
cannot understand why Lord Salisbury
should have proposed and agreed to give
! TO those claims The dignity and stand
ing which reference to a high court
of arbitration implies From the mo-
ment an arbitration was agreed up
on, neither party was at liberty
! to disregard the contentious OF the
other. 1t must be assumed that the SIN
cera purpose OF the two governments was
to promote peace and good will, but II,
| pending the arbitration, either deals with
the subject of 1t solely upon the basis OF
Its own contention and in utter disregard
| Of the aims OF the other, this friendly end
| is not only not attained, but 81 new sense
| Of IN ury and III Justice is added, even II 1t
should be found possible to proceed WA
an arbitration under such conditions FOR
| 1t must not be forgotten that II Her
| MajeSty'S government proceeds during this
| sealing season upon the basis OF it's con-
| tentiOn as to the rights of the Canadian
| SealerS, no choice is lett to this govern
ment but to proceed upon the basis
of It's confident intention, that that Pelagic
infraction of It's jurisdiction and
| property rights Ills LOrdship will hardly
fail to see this. Herein, in the opinion OF
! the President, consists the gravity OF the
present situation, and he is not willing tC
| be found IN any degree responsible for the
results that may follow the inSistence by
either government during this season upon
| the extreme rigets claimed by 1t. In his
opinion, it would discredit in the eyes OF
the world the two great governments IN
vOlYed, IL the paltry profits OF single
season should be allowed to thwart Or even
to disturb the honorable and friendly adj
! juStmenG OF their differences, which is so
| nearly concluded; but If His LOrdShlp shall
! adhere to his refusal to unite with us IN
| prompt and effective measures to stop Pc
! Iagic sealing, and shall insist upon free
sealing for British subjects the question as
it affects this government is no longer one
of pecuniary loss OF gain, but one of honor
! and Self-reSpect.
This government, Notwithstanding the
| fact that its right to take seals upon the
| PTlbylOtf Islands is undiSputed and who'll
| ly uninVOlved III the arbitration, has pro-
| posed to take no profit from the island
| catch, but to limit the taking or seals to
the necessities Of the natives of those
| islands, and it cannot consent that, with
indemnity or without, the contested rights
| of British subjects to catch seals in the
| Behring Sea shall be exercised pending the
| arbitration. The President finds it diff
cult to believe that Lord Salisbury is seri-
| Gus III proposing that this government
| shall take separate bonds from the owners
| of about 100 Canadian sealing vessels TO IN
| demnify it for the in Jury they may SeverallY
| lnt11ct upon our jurisdiction or property, land
must decline to discuss suggestion which
| only his respect for Lord Salisbury and
| his belief that His Lordship has due ap-
| probation OF the gravity OF this discussion,
| enable him to treat with seriousness. We
| should doubtless have to pursue and cap
ture upon the sea many OF the owners Of
| those vessels tOSecurethe bonds suggested,
and as the condition is to be that the
| obligOIS shall pay amy damages which the
arb1trators may adjudge," While the treaty
| gives the arbltratOrS no power TO edjudge
any damages the transaction would be
| without risk to the ObligOrS and Of no
| value to us.
| This government cannot consent to have
| what it believes to be it's rights destroyed
or impaired pending their determination
by an agreed tribunal, however adequate
| the security offered. The reference in my
last note to the Inconsistency Of Her Maj
! eSty'S government in denying responsible
| ity for the acts Of the Canadian SealerS
was not intended to suggest willingness
| on our part under any circumstances to
| see our property converted into claim for
| damages, and particularly as such c claim
| cannot now be heard or determined by the
| arbltratOrS without q reformation OF the
treaty, for His Lordship must remember
that while he now offers what he mis-
| takenly calls ''Securlty for satisfying
any damages which the arbltrat0rS may
adjudge.' he has already carried his point
| in the treaty, that the arbitrator shall have
| no jurisdiction TO award any damages. AS
| to His LOrdShlp'S suggeS o that Canadian
sealers may have some claim for compen
| SatiOn If Great Britain shall restrain
pelagic sealing, the President directs me TO
! say that he does not see how the citizens or
| subjects of either of the treaty powers
can, by any rule Of law or equity support
any claim against then respective govern
| ments, growing out of such necessary
| trade relations as the government may
| lawfully impose to promote the larger con-
| ditions OF the public good and internatlon-
al peace.
The suggestions that the conclusions of
| the board of arbitration may not be
reached and announced in time to govern
the conduct OF the parties during the season
of 1898 is, the President thinks, fully pro-
vided against by the treaty itself. His
Lordship is mistaken as to the time thathas
elapsed since the signing of the Delagoa
agreement with Portugal. 1t IS not tour
| years cid, but less than one, the date OF
signing being June Is. 1891. 1t the present
treaty is prom thy satisfied and exchanged,
our mutual interest would be an absolute
| guaranty against delay. The President
| has found no obstacle in the way of such a
consummation, except the belief, now I'M
fortunately prevalent here, that the refusal
of Great Britain to agree to the preserva-
! ton of the status quo of the property dur
| ing the arbitration, and her inslstence that
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