102 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Then followed the war of 1812 by a declaration of war by 

 the United States, which declaration, it was claimed by the 

 English, revoked all our rights and privileges to the inshore 

 fisheries of the British Provinces. The American commis- 

 sioners denied that it had done so, and instead of having the 

 point in dispute settled then and forever, or fighting it out, 

 as had been the question of the right claimed by Britain to 

 stop and search our vessels on the high seas for British sea- 

 men, they shirked the responsihility^ and the treaty of 1814 

 was made without mention of the fisheries. 



The American Government claimed, and the fishermen 

 used, the rights confirmed to them by the treaty of 1783 

 the same as before : with what result ? They were har- 

 assed and troubled by British cruisers, who made captui*es 

 for alleged infringement of their fishing laws. What did 

 our government do? Fight for their rights? No: they 

 appointed another commission to settle it. And how was it 

 settled? Another treaty was made, called the treaty of 

 1818, — a treaty which took away almost all the fishermen's 

 rights of 1783, making him next to an outlaw in British 

 ports. Hear it ! After providing for right of fishery on a 

 portion of the southern, western, and northern coasts of New- 

 foundland and coast of Labrador, rights now of little value, 

 and the shores of Magdalen Islands, listen to what the 

 American commissioners inserted in that treaty : — 



" And the United States hereby renounces forever any liberty 

 heretofore enjoyed or claimed by the inhabitants thereof, to 

 take, dry, or cure fish on or within three miles of any of the 

 coasts, bays, creeks, or harbors of his Britannic Majesty's 

 dominions, not included within the before-mentioned limits ; 

 provided^ however, that the American fishermen shall be 

 admitted to enter such harbors for the purpose of shelter, of 

 repairing damages therein, of purchasing wood, and of 

 obtaining water, and for no other purpose whatever. But 

 they shall be under such restrictions as shall be necessary to 

 prevent their taking or curing fish therein, or in any other 

 manner whatever abusing the privileges hereby secured to 

 them." 



What sagacious and far-seeing statesmen to gratuitously 

 renounce the rights of the fishermen as they did ! For Rich- 

 ard Rush, in a letter to the Secretary of State, July 18, 



