was not a question of Congress or of trying to influence Congress. 

 Congress had no power to make a treat}'. That power is vested in 

 the President, subject to the ratification of the Senate. The present 

 treaty expires soon. Our only danger is that a new treaty may be 

 made. In order to do that we need to bring an influence to bear up- 

 on the President not to make a treat}", or upon the Senate not to 

 ratify one if made. If we are going to do anything in this direction 

 we should put our case into the hands of an eminent lawyer like Mr. 

 Evarts or Mr. Crapo, who fully understands the matter, or as the 

 next president will be a democrat, possibly a man like Mr. Gaston 

 or Mr. Collins of Boston. We should combine with other sections 

 of the country whose interests are the same as our own, and put in 

 enough money to secure the best man to represent our interests. 



Collector Babsou said if it was a question of lawyers, next to Mr. 

 Evarts, Mr. Trescott was the best posted and ablest lawyer who could 

 be secured. He also alluded to the advantages we should have in 

 the statistics collected by the United States Fish Commission, and 

 the assistance of such men as Prof. Baird, Prof. Goode and our own 

 Capt. Collins in presenting our case. 



John J. Pew, Esq., said that the people of Provincetown had taken 

 action and memorialized President Arthur not to make a treaty. 

 Portland is ready to do whatever it can in the same direction. We 

 want to combine our influence. Boston interests are different from 

 ours, and will naturally favor reciprocity, although there is a portion 

 of the trade there whose interests are closely connected with ours 

 from whom we shall receive assistance. 



Mr. Steele thought the three-mile limit in the treat} 7 of 1818 was a 

 relic of barbarism and might give us trouble when the present treaty 

 expired. He hoped to see the time when this government should say 

 that outside of bays and harbors the fish belonged to the men who 

 caught them, and be ready to defend that proposition at the cannon's 

 mouth. 



Collector Babson said that the same laws under which our vessels 

 were seized and our fishermen annoyed were still in force if Canada 

 saw fit to enforce them. He would be willing to say to Canada we 

 are willing to give to your operative fishermen the right to sell their 

 catch to our vessels. That will benefit her operative fishermen and 

 still give us the transportation and handling of the fish. What we 



