PEEIOD FROM 1836 TO 1854. 551 



Among the documents forwarded to us from Washington as in part 

 our guides in framing that article, were divers letters and representa- 

 tions obtained from proper sources in New England, especially 

 Massachusetts, containing information on the whole subject of the 

 fisheries. It was obtained at the instance of Mr. Adams under 

 queries he propounded on every branch of the subject. Familiar 

 more or less with it all his life, his attention had been specially 

 drawn, while Minister in England, to the state into which it had 

 fallen after the treaty of Ghent; and to that also in which he found 

 it on his arrival in Washington in 1817, when recalled from London 

 to be the incumbent of your department. Some steps for its settle- 

 ment in Washington, which proved unavailing, were taken by Mr. 

 Bagot, who first came over as British minister to the United States 

 after the treaty of Ghent. 



The queries instituted by Mr. Adams sought information, very 

 pointedly, as to the extent of the fishing grounds necessary to us. 

 When I first received your letter, I was not sure that I had in my 

 possession any of this information in the state in which it was 

 furnished to us; but on since looking carefully into plaees where I 

 had deposited ancient papers, I have discovered a portion of it, the 

 remainder having been probably taken away by Mr. Gallatin. Or, 

 it may be. that the whole is still to be found among your files. The 

 fragments in my possession have afforded me much satisfaction as 

 they go to strengthen the views which I have so fully and uniformly 

 entertained of the meaning of the first article before knowing that 1 

 had them. 



From one of the documents, a letter of some length from Daniel 

 Rose, dated Boothbay, January the 22nd, 1818, I make the extract 

 following: "A great disadvantage of having a particular, limited 

 extent oi coast is, that our vessels must then go to that only; and 

 this would lender the prospect of making a fare expeditiously very 

 uncertain. It is well known that in some years fish are plenty on 

 grounds, where in other years, few or no fish are to be found. It is 

 the practise of our fishermen to try the different grounds as they 

 proceed eastward, and where they find fish plenty, they stop. Thus 

 they sometimes get their cargo on this side of the straits of Belleisle; 

 and ;it other times they pass through the straits and proceed far 

 north before they find plenty of fish." In the same letter it is said, 

 "If any privilege is to be given up, that of curing fish is of the 

 Least importance because thai inconveniece may he obviated in a great 

 measure by the fishermen making different arrangements." And 

 again he say : " The cape Sable Bhores are the mosl used, and of the 

 mot importance Tor as in the district oi Maine, comprehending the 

 Bay of /■'"nth/ and the coasl as far easl as Whitehead at least." 



A Letter from ,F. !•'. Parrott, dated from the House of Represents 

 tivee of the I , State . February (lie 6th, L818, states that the lisher- 

 ini'ii of New Hampshire "would new with extreme apprehension 

 and concern the adoption of any stipulations Inning a tendency to 

 deprive them of the privilege which they have heretofore enjoyed 

 of frequenting the coa I of the Bay of Fundy and N<>\a Scotia, and 

 entering the cove for the purpose of procuring bait." Other docu- 

 ments agree to the importance of our holding thi 1 -' fishing ground, as 

 may be inferred from the above extract. All likewise concur in the 



