38 
Bay, on the west coast, was within the French treaty limits, and 
French treaty rights might possibly be “ affected.” The French 
treaty rights in this case, at the utmost, would have been a 
possible claim which a French fisherman might set up to dry 
his fish on the spot designated for the railway terminus, the real 
pecuniary value of which right, at the outside, would not be five 
pounds a year, if a bona fide right really required to be exercised ; 
but, as a matter of fact, no French fishermen have fished or oeeupied 
the soil at or near the particular spot in question for many years, 
and to a certainty they will never again think of using it! 
It is needless to comment or enlarge upon the outrage 
and wrong which are involved in such a condition of facts; 
upon the folly and weakness of a policy, or want of a policy, 
which tolerates and perpetuates such conditions by makeshift — 
and patchwork “arrangements,” made with a view only to the © 
immediate necessity for keeping the peace between quarrelling 
fishermen, and ignoring the paramount and vital interests of 
the whole colony, as involved in the exercise of the sovereignty — 
and ownership of the soil and the development of its territorial — 
resources, which are rendered impossible as long as either the — 
‘letter or spirit of these old treaties is preserved. Nor can it be 
wondered at if the colonists, who are compelled to submit to the 
hardships and deprivation thus entailed upon them,—who are able ~ 
to understand what are the natural and inherent rights of British — 
subjects, and the necessary conditions of life itself, and have been — 
led to believe and expect that they possess these rights and live 
under these conditions, but who are unable even to understand | 
by what principle, either of reason or justice, these rights and 
conditions should be denied them,—it cannot, we say, be wondered — 
at if the resentment and despair of the colonists at their position 
and prospects should drive them to the use of words and the com- — 
mission of acts which, though illegal, are believed to be the only 
means of redress for the wrongs and injustice under which they 
suffer. | 
In relation to these treaty “rights” and claims of the French, 
territorial and maritime, the opinions and feelings ofthe colonists 
are set forth in the following resolution passed at the mass meeting 
in St. John’s :— 
“ Whereas it is apparent that development of the great natural — 
“internal resources of this colony is necessary to provide its 
