BRITISH, COLONIAL AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 467 



totally different from what we have believed it to be, and in very 

 fact responsible government in the colonies is a mere delusion. 



If, on the other hand, it shall be shown that His Majesty's Minis- 

 ters had not lawful authority to deal thus with this colony, and that 

 the modus vivendi was an instrument entirely ultra vires within the 

 jurisdiction of this colony, then it is clear that an attempt has been 

 made to override the constitutional rights of this people, and this 

 government was justified in resisting each attempt by every consti- 

 tutional means at its disposal. 



The question that presented itself to us was not a mere party 

 political question ; it was a great constitutional question. It was not 

 a mere local question ; it was one that touched every colony possess- 

 ing responsible government, and it therefore awakened the sympathy 

 and support of all those who are deeply interested in the integrity of 

 the Empire and who are proud of their origin and inheritance. 



In order to view the present position aright it is necessary for us 

 to have regard to the condition of things that preceded it, and for 

 this purpose I shall rapidly review the history of our relations with 

 the United States in respect to the fisheries since the termination of 

 the Washington Treaty in 1884. 



On reference to the journals of the house of assembly it will be 

 found that on the 1st of August, 1885, a telegram was received by 

 the officer administrating the government of this colony from the 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies, intimating that His Majesty's 

 Government deemed it " desirable that steps should be taken by the 

 government of this colony to decide definitely on the exact nature of 

 the proposals to be made to the Government of the United States in 

 anticipation of the negotiations which were contemplated in view of 

 the termination of the temporary arrangements that were made by 

 His Majesty's minister at Washington with the United States Gov- 

 ernment arising out of the termination of the fisheries articles of the 

 Treaty of Washington of 1871, on the 30th June, 1835." The answer 

 which appears to have been given by the government of this colony 

 to this representation was the introduction of the Bait Act in the 

 year 1886. That the adoption of that measure had special reference 

 to the United States of America is clearly evidenced by a despatch 

 from Sir G. W. DesVoeux to the Colonial Office, bearing date 25th of 

 May, 1886, wherein he stated that 



" The people in Newfoundland, like those of Canada, desire to use 

 the right to withhold a supply of bait as a means of inducing the 

 American Government to remove the import duties on British fish." 

 And again, in that remarkably able despatch from Sir. G. Wm. 

 DesVoeux to the Colonial Office, bearing date 4th of January, 1887, 

 in support of the Bait Act, wherein he stated that 



"American fishermen are protected in the markets of the United 

 States, which take all their products, by a duty of 56 cents per 

 quintal, which is almost prohibitive to the results of British in- 

 dustry ; " and 



" Though the measure, if allowed, would to a large extent place the 

 fisheries in this neighborhood within the control of the people of this 

 colony, they have no desire to monopolise them, and I feel satisfied 

 that they would willingly modify the provisions of the measure in 

 favour of such governments as would grant a proportionate reciproc- 

 ity. ... I have very good reason for believing that as regards 

 92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 6 38 



