261 



president of the executive council of Canada and the Hon. Joseph 

 Howe,* secretary of Nova Scotia : 



" Mr. Howe having called the attention of his excellency and the 

 council to the importance and value of the gulf fisheries, upon which 

 foreigners largely trespass, in violation of treaty stipulations, and Mr. 

 Chandler having submitted a report of a select committee of the House 

 of Assembly of New Brunswick, having reference to the same subject, 

 the government of Canada determines to co-operate with Nova Scotia 

 in the efficient protection of the fisheries, by providing either a steamer 

 or two or more sailing vessels to cruise in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 and along the coasts of Labrador. 



" It is understood that Nova Scotia will continue to employ at least 

 two vessels in the same service, and that Mr. Chandler will urge upon 

 the government of New Brunswick the importanceof making provision 

 for at least one vessel to be employed for the protection of the fisheries 

 in the Bay of Fundy." 



Canadian fishermen are by no means numerous; and the zeal thus 

 manifested to aid Nova Scotia in preventing the " violation of treaty 

 stipulations" could hardly have been awakened by the misdeeds ot 

 "foreigners" on the fishing grounds of the "gulf." The motive is to 

 be sought elsewhere. Just three days after the date of the above agree- 

 ment, the British ministert addressed a note to Mr. Webster, in which 

 the previous propositions on the subject of reciprocal trade between 

 the United States and the British colonies are discussed at some length, 

 and the overture for an arrangement is renewed. He enclosed an offi- 

 cial communication from Lord Elgin, the governor general, and other 

 papers, which gave details of the plan as then entertained. This plan 

 embraced no concessions with regard to "the fisheries in estuaries and 

 in the mouths of rivers," and suggested no changes on the coast or 

 banks of Newfoundland ; but, on condition that the United States would 

 admit " all fish, either cured or fresh, imported from the British North 

 American possessions in vessels of any nation or description, free of 

 dut}!-, and upon terms, in all respects, of equality with fish imported by 

 citizens of the United States," her Majesty's government were prepared 

 " to throw open to the fishermen of the United States the fisheries in 

 the waters of the British North American colonies, with permission to 

 those fishermen to land on the coasts of those colonies for the purpose 

 of drjnng their nets and curing their fish, provided that, in so doing, 

 they do not interfere with the owners of private property or with the 

 operations of British fishermen." 



* This gentleman is of loyalist descent. John Howe, his father, was a citizen of Boston, 

 and published there the " Massachusetts Gazette and Boston News Letter," a paper which, 

 in the revolutionary controversy, took the side of the crown. At the evacuation of that town 

 by the royal anny, he acconqjauied it to Halifax, where he resumed business, became king's 

 printer, and died at a good old age m 1835. His son, mentioned in the text, was educated a 

 printer, and conducted a newspaper for several years. As the acknowledged leader of the 

 " liberals" of Nova Scotia, he possessed great mtluence ; but as a member of Lord Falkland's 

 coalition cabinet, lost popularity with his party. His letters to Lord John Russell, in 1846, 

 evince great ability, but contain demands on the home government which are irreconcilable 

 with colonial dependence. These papers show that the Hon. Secretary is somewhat familiar 

 with the m-itings of the "rebels" of his father's time, and that what was treason then, and with 

 them, is entirely right now, and ^vith the descendants of their opponents. 



t Documents accompanying President's message, December, 1851, part I, pp. 89, 90. 



