The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-12-10
JOHN JAYS GREAT TREATY.
Centennial Of Ills Successful Mission to
England.
An Important Commercial Agreement
That Brought Prosperity to the
United States-A Dinner in New
York City to Commemorate 1t.

brates the first centennial of the first
great occurrence in it's history One
hundred years ago the successful re-
suit of John Jays mission to England,
with the full text of the treaty he had
negotiated, had just been made known
This treaty marks the line in American
commerce between constructive success
and doubtful uncertainty.
Jays treaty secured in the first place
apromise of peace at time when such
promise was urgently necessary to in
sure that tranquility indispensable to
nations or individuals who desire 10
put their houses in order. The treaty
gave the United States business In
place of war at time when 1t was
languishing for want of profitable en-
ployment and was in no condluon
whatever to invite new conflict. IL
secured peace with honor, the exalted
craftsmanship of its author percelVlns
that it was necessary to grow IN
strength rather than aggresSlVenesS.
BY allowing no coercion OF the SUD
jects of Great Britain or of the cltlzens
of the United States, it established
principle of Individual liberty that was
most salutary in its effects. 1t opeheu
to trade the door that had seemed 10 pc
AOpSlGSSly C1OSSU. 4NOl Tic 1CeAoN - 49,
good effects of this treaty was the re
moval of all British troops and garrl-
sons within the United States, where
they We're still held in violation OF the
treaty of 1888.
The freedom of commerce and nav1-
cation, then so vital to the prosperity
OF the nation; the absence OF dlscrlnll-
mating duties on account of nationality;
the appointment of commissioners 10
decide on disputed questions OF geo
graphical boundaries; the Introduction
of the admirable principle OF arpltra.
ton to adjust the claim of subjects OF
the one against the citizens of the other
country-these are but a moiety OF the
national benefits conferred by the
treaty negotiated by Mr.. Jay. Inc
treaty. was based on the assumption
that it was an instrument affecting ma
lions possessing the highest clN!lzd-
ton. The provision that private deDlS
and moneys were not to be 1nterIereu
with between the peoples of the two
countries was a proof of this. MI Jay,
as well as Lord Granville, recognized
the truth of the principle lnat
war does not wipe out an obhgatloh
made independent of war. The regu-
lation of the East Indian trade; the
equalization of tonnage dutiess the pro-
teotion of officers passengers, and
crews on neutral vessels, and eSpeclal-
" the clause relating to the treatment
of the subjects and citizens OF one
nation in the dominions of the other IN
time of war-theSe provisions slgnallze
the wisdom. the forethought and the
unimpassioned common sense when
was the underlying principle OF the
treaty which has conferred lasting pen
Gifts upon our country
A STIMULUS TO COMMERCE.
History tells the story of the success
which followed the treaty. The mer-
chants OF the country felt the stimulus
of the new life at once. Foreign trade
S11IT461 40 in 1895, and in 1876 1t
reached $4,000 7S9 in amount. Ship
building in America saw its first great
boom Though foreign trade more
than doubled from 1894 to 1916, the
proportion of trade in American-bullt
ships was only Sc per cent of the
whole in 1874, while in 1896 it was W
per cent of the more than doubly IN
creased whole.
The fact is generally overlooked by
historians that the jay treaty was al
most as unpopular when first suggested
as it was after its provisions became
known. The cause of the French Re
public was the popular cause in Amer
lea The French Republic was at war
with England and the allied Powers OF
Europe. and looked to America for aid
as an ally, if not as a vassa4 in that con-
fiict. Self-interest drove many to ma
tired of England, for English pr1Vateers
were arresting and condemnlng AnerI-
car merchant ships in the West Ind1es,
and any appeal TO the English courts
was too expensive to be considered.
representations on the ground that
America was a neutral Power were met
by the response that England did not
propose to have any Power neutral IN
this struggle. Even where vessels were
not ao+,,allxy oOnf red thew were liable
to be arrested and taken to English
ports and compelled to sell their cargoeS
at any price an English court chose TO
put upon them, on the ground that they
were carrying flour or grain to France.
The English in Canada were encroach-
ing upon the territory of the United
States in Vermont, and so far from
giving up the Western posts 1t was re-
ported that Lord Dorchester, Governor
General of the English possessions in
America had assured the hostile In
dams of Illinois and Indiana that they
should soon again go upon the warpath
against the American settlers on their
lands in Kentucky and Ohio. Every
thing at home and abroad was tending
to augment the popular detest8tion OF
England and the corresponding glorlh-
cation of France, and the mere sugges-
ton Of a commercial treaty with Great
Britain was greeted by large part of
the people with the most outspoken
hostility.
But while Jacobin sympathizers
were able TO make great deal of
noise at no time did they carry with
them the solid, conservative business
men of the country, and this fact
should never be lost sight of when
reading of the unpopularity of the Jay
treaty. The politicians, however, were
more susceptible to popular clanor,
and there was a. considerable party in
Congress who were hostile to the pro-
posed alliance with Great Britain. The
nomination, which was sent to the Sen
ate for confirmation, was accompanied
by the following letter from the Presi-
dent which shows plainly that this
measure was indeed a last resort be-
fore going to war as an ally with the
French:
United States, Apr. 10th, 1874
Gentlemen of the Senate: The COM
munications which have made to you
during your present session from the
dispatches of our Minister in London
contain a serious aspect of our affairs
with Great Britain. But as peace ought
TO be pursued with unremitted zeal be-
fore the last resource, which has so
often been the scourge of nations, and
cannot fail to check the advancing
Drosneritv of the United States is con-
tamplated. / have thought proper 10
norninate. and do hereby nominate
John Jay as Envoy Extraordinary of
the United States to his Britannia maj
estv. Ny confidence in our Minister
PIenipotentiary CThomas Pinckney) in
London continues nnalmlhlshed. but a
mission like this, while it corresponds
with the solemnity of the occasion. will
announce to the world a solicitude for
n friendly adjustment of our COM
plants and reluctance TO hostility.
Going Immediately from the United