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“‘ manner, the conflicting claims to exclusive and concurrent rights 
“ of fishing.” These expectations were the natural effect of the 
promises or assurances implied in the successive concessions to 
colonial demands for the rights and privileges of ordinary govern- 
ment and citizenship on the parts of the coast in question. How 
utterly these expectations have failed of realisation, how worthless 
for all practical or useful purposes these concessions of the out- 
ward form and appearance of government, law, order, and 
civilisation have proved, how the colony has been misled by them, 
and how much the past condition of things has been made worse 
on account of the raising of new hopes and expectations, only 
doomed to disappointment, we are now unfortunately too well 
aware. . 
In order to understand and account for the complete failure 
of this new “ policy ” to effect any improvement in the condition © | 
of the colonists, or any solution of the difficulties with the 
French, it is necessary here to explain to those who have not 
studied the question that this “ policy” did not touch or deal 
with the question of French treaty rights at all. The treaties 
were made between the Imperial Governments of England and 
France, and the colonists or the Colonial Government, the © 
Colonial Legislature or the Colonial Courts, had no part in the 
making of them, or in the interpretation or enforcement of 
them. If a quarrel arises between a British subject and a 
Frenchman, either in relation to the prosecution of the fishery 
or the occupation of the land, and the Frenchman commits an 
offence against the British subject, no matter how great or how 
flagrant it may be, the Colonial Courts, the Colonial Legislature, 
or the Colonial Government can afford him no redress, no 
remedy, no help whatever. His only hope of redress lies in an 
appeal to the Imperial Government. The question being an 
international one, there is no legal or judicial tribunal for the 
determination of the question in dispute, and unless the French 
authorities admit (which they never do) that the Frenchman has 
been in the wrong, and agree to make compensation, the 
chances of redress for the British subject are dependent upon 
what the Imperial authorities may consider to be their duty, 
due regard being had for the just claims of the injured colonist 
on the one hand, and for the “exigencies” arising out of relations 
with the French nation on the other. 
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