New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-30

more persuasive than the voices OF men VINO hau
,n,nover;shed themselves in the effort to settle
new lands for EnganG.
From the time Of Charles onward FOR TWO CEN
turtles the policy Of England was 10 Keep ''e
island a wilderness. to paralyze all progress anu
advancement, to destroy agriculture anu w
render ,mpossible the peaceful development of the
great resources of the island The coonists couid
have endured the depredations of the pirates
that swarmed upon the ocean. II they couiu nave
heen saved the persistent efforts to destroy them
made nv those who should have been their
friends The fishermen both Those who wished 10
,ao ,b. leland a wilderness and those who Would
hoya raised II into a great sels-supporting COM
rnunitv nrospered abundantly In the Hhes
uhar New-England and Virginia and New orK
were struggling with the forces or nature New
foundland was a great centre OF trade her cou-
Ash saved Virginia from famine her Peop'e
taught New-York how to fish on the oahNs o'i
Sandy Hook her trade was soon eagerly S'"s"'
hv the busy New Englanders what might nave
been the good fortune Of Newfoundland IL 'ne
Commonwealth had been perpetuateo can o'''
~ arassed As II was England relapsed under
Charles II TO the policy IL Charles l. AS the
,att.r had given up Nova Scotia. so the former
gave I'D Placentia to the French. he ola "o'Se'
The first Charles had only discouraged se'"e'S'
tho second consented to their utter dcs"uo''o''
He armed the West Country ship hshermen Win
regulations deliberately intended 10 discourage
all plantations and nhab'ting OF the oouh''''
The settlers were TO take themselves o' ~
Jamaica St Kits. or to somt other colony, or
N return home 10 England. After lohs '"o
wears Of dread and oppression. the order was sus-
9
rrev 10 every enemy Each year the navai
moars On the station made reports on the
wanton aggressions of the ship fishermen the
disorders in the island and the need FOR settled
government: but 1t was all TO no purpose.
The natural supposition would be that things
were improved under the rule OF "n''d'" %
Orange. But there little change. In 'he
first place the French practically swept inc
island clean Of its inhabitants. AS soon aS
England glanced at her ancient colony "neie
there was scarcely an nhabitant' anu "o'
hoass left standing. she began al once u 'e'e''
70 those old methods which had kept the se''le-
r,or,s benless Nothing was thought OF but the
fishery and the trade to Newfoundland. Inc con-
troll Of the colony including the administration
was surrendered to ignorant shippers VINO hau
M interest in the island above their annual
| catch and who were SO illiterate 'hat out Vi
the whole body Of these marine jusuc'aries' only
| four could be found able TO sign their NAMES.
But the trainers Of the act must nave hau nun.
| confidence in their fishing adinras' 'Ce-""
mrals and rear-admirals. for they Vir'ua's gov
| ,ho,, M mower 10 compel any 10 obey their
edic.e. all the technical words used 10 constitute
| . cour, have been very carefully omitted from
| ,n, or,arLahIe statute" From end to end the
| ar, contained not a single penal clause Never
,he,ess the Lord High Hadmiras, as some OF
these fishermen justices called themselves
| ened triangled. and whipped at their pleasure
| oil against whom they had a grudge judge
prowse tells how Chief Justice Grady on MS
erst visit 10 Western outport found that the
| apsnt Of an English firm had sat on the behch
and had given a number OF judgments In MS
| own favor.
How dare you, SIR" asked the Chief Justice
commit such a perversior OF justice!
We'll" said the agent unabashed' i mus
be a pretty sort Of fool Of judge II couio
not do Justice TO myself
The fact that Chief Justice Sir Francis Brady
was sworn in in ls47 shows to how late date
the abuse Of justice worse than anarchy "a'
continued in Newfoundland But there was ar
Improvement from the time Of Queen Anne on
ward. The incessant troubles with the frehcf
gave the planters and the ship fishermen g
|
naval officers. and these gradually curtailet
the lawless authority OF the fishing adrnirais
In spite OF all adverse conditions the colony De
gan to prosper. Repeated efforts were made Il
obtain settled government and courts worth.
of the name. In the opposition to these Judg
Prowse recognizes always the hands Of tn
Adventures from the West OF England. tn
struggle lasted TIL 1928. Apparently all thi
long history OF disorder and failure woul
have been prevented II the simple exampl
set by the Commonwealth had been followed
. Under Cromwell commissioners were appointed
the most distinguished Of them being Joh
Treworgie or Treworgay, West OF Englan
man. most Of whose life had been spent II
Maine He was the first real Governor OF tn
E colony In Newfoundland. He encouraged set
Element and protected planters maintaine
order and had his merits attested by the vic
lent opposition OF ship fishermen
3 While this struggle with trade tyranny an
I anarchy was the main obstacle to the progress
! Of Newfoundland. 1t was not the only ont
! From a Newfoundlander's point Of view nearl
r every act OF English Ministers In which New
foundland was concerned was ill-advised all
e | injudicious. In treaties with France. Newfount
: land always suffered. the difficulty bein