82 [PRIVATE.] 



the origin and immortality of the latter, but we offered to concede 

 (145) much more than we could hope to gain (146) by the arrangement, 

 with whatever view its comparative effects might be estimated. 



From the year 1783, to the commencement of the present \var, 

 the actual advantages derived from the fishing privilege by the peo 

 ple of the United States, were, according to the* best information 

 that (147) I can obtain on the subject, very inconsiderable, and an 

 nually experiencing a voluntary diminution. , 



It was discovered that the obscurity and humidity of the atmos 

 phere, owing to almost incessant fogs, in the high northern latitudes, 

 where this privilege was chiefly located, prevented the effectual 

 curing of fish in those regions, and, consequently, lessened very 

 much the value of the (148) liberty of taking them there. By far 

 the greatest part of the fish taken by our fishermen before the pre 

 sent war. was (1*9) caught in the open sea or (150) upon our own 

 coasts, and cured on (151) our own shores. This branch of the fish 

 eries has been found to be inexhaustible, and has been pursued 

 with so much more certainty and despatch than the privileged por 

 tion (152) within the British jurisdiction, that it has not only been ge 

 nerally preferred by our fishermen, but would probably, on longer 

 experience, have been almost universally used by them. It was 

 to be believed, therefore, that a discontinuance of the privilege of 

 taking and curing fish, within the British jurisdiction, would not, 

 at all, diminish the aggregate quantity taken by the people of the 

 United States, or (1J3) very materially vary the details of the business. 

 That part of the fisheries which would (154) still have belonged to us 

 as a nation, being exhaustless, would afford an ample field for all 

 the capital and industry hitherto employed in the general business 

 of fishing, or merchandise of fish, and on that field might the few 

 fishermen, who had hitherto used the liberty of taking and curing 

 fish within the jurisdiction of Great Britain, exert their skill and 

 labour without any serious inconvenience. (155) This liberty, lia 

 ble (156) in a very considerable degree by the terms in which it was 

 granted, to be curtailed by the government and subjects of a foreign 

 state ; already growing into voluntary disuse by our own citizens, on 

 account of the difficulties inseparable from it, and absolutely inca 

 pable of extension ; was totally unnecessary to us for subsistence 

 or occupation, and afforded, (157) in no way, any commercial facility 

 or political advantage. This privilege, too, while it was thus o 

 little (158) or no utility to us, cost Great Britain literally (159) nothing. 



The free navigation of the Mississippi, with the necessary access 

 to it, is a grant of a very different character. If it was not hereto 

 fore used by Great Britain, it was, perhaps, because she did not 

 consider herself entitled to it, or because the circumstances of the 

 moment suspended its practical utility. The treaty of 1783 stipu 

 lated for her the navigation of this river, under the presumption 

 that her territories extended to it, and, of course, could not intend 

 to give her an access to it through our territories. The British 

 possessions to the westward of Lake Erie, being almost entirely 



