DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 321 



entertained, as is supposed, a proposition from the Government of 

 the Sandwich Islands to put themselves under the protection, or sub- 

 ject themselves to the jurisdiction of the United States. I submit 

 to honourable Senators, that they begin at the wrong end. It was 

 settled by the last precedent, that the function of annexing belonged, 

 not to the President, but to Congress. Congress have power "to 

 admit new States." Let Senators who desire annexation introduce 

 the Bill. I am ready to entertain the question for examination, and 

 to act as prudence, wisdom, and the great interests of the country 

 shall be found to require. But I cannot prejudge a question so great, 

 so momentous. 



These alleged and mistaken triumphs of England, then, form no 

 cumulative evidence to support the censures bestowed upon the Ad- 

 ministration in regard to the transaction in question. 



And, now, what is the real question before Congress in regard to 

 these fisheries? That question is simply this: The British Colonies 

 insist upon the rigorous construction of the Convention of 1818, so as 

 to exclude us from entering the large British bays, and distract and 

 annoy our fishermen ; and the people of the United States resist that 

 construction, and they never will yield it. The British Government 

 approve in words, and yet, so far as their acts are concerned, refuse 

 to support it. The controversy is thirty years old, and seems an 

 endless one. While that question is kept up, the Vmerican 

 190 fisheries, which were once in a most prosperous coi ition, are 

 comparatively stationary or declining, although supported by 

 large bounties. At the same time the Provincial fisheries are gaining 

 in the quantity of fish exported to this country, and largely gaining 

 in their exportations abroad. In 1844, those Colonies sent us prod- 

 ucts of the fishery valued at $264,000; in 1851 the value of their fish 

 which we received, was $781,000. In 1844, they exported through our 

 ports to other countries, fish valued at $3,000; in 1851 their exported 

 products were valued at $173,000 ! 



Our fishermen want all that our own construction of the Conven- 

 tion gives them, and want and must have more they want and must 

 have the privileges of fishing within the three inhibited miles, and of 

 curing fish on the shore. 



Consider for a moment the magnitude of the interest of the fish- 

 eries that it employs a fleet of twelve hundred sail, managed by 

 twelve thousand men, and a capital of $4,000,000; and that, together 

 with the whale fishery, it constitutes the basis of our naval power. 



Shall we not try to quiet and end this long and injurious dispute, 

 and to procure for the fishermen not only peace and security, but also 

 an extension of the fishing ground and its privileges? That is the 

 question; and I am for it. 



Sir, there ought to be a decision on this matter some time or other. 

 At all events, delay is injurious and dangerous. We think the right 

 is with us, and so I am sure it is. But nevertheless it is a question. 

 The British Government are our equals, and they hold it an open 

 question. They quote American authorities, especially that of Chan- 

 cellor Kent, against us. This shows us that they are as confident in 

 maintaining their position, as we are in maintaining ours. We can 

 dictate no terms to Great Britain. We will not allow her to dictate 

 terms to us. 



92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 4 31 



