252 



their fishing privileges on her Majesty's coasts but too practically evince 

 its desire and ability to promote this element of national and individual 

 prosperity. As far as I can learn, a liberal tonnage bounty is given on 

 their fishing craft, besides a bounty per barrel on the pickled fish — thus 

 guarding the fisherman against serious loss, in case of the failure of his 

 voyage ; and he is, I believe, further favored by privileges allowed on 

 the importation of salt and other articles, while a market is secured him 

 at home which insures a profitaljle reward lor the fruit of his labor by 

 a protecting duty of five shillings per quintal on dry fish, equid to fifty 

 per cent, of its value, and from one to two dollars per barrel on pickled 

 fish, according to the difierent kinds, equal to at least twenty per cent, 

 of their values. 



"The duty on American fish imported into the colonies is much less, 

 and the British colonial fisherman is unsustained by bounties ; but the 

 chief cbawback to his success is the want of certain and staple 

 markets, those on which he is principally dependent being very limited 

 and fluctuating. 



"In the contrast, therefore, drawn by Mr. Everett, between the ad- 

 vantages of the colonial and American fisherman, the extensive home- 

 markets of the latter, independently of the encouragement he receives 

 from bounties and other sources, much more than compensates, I be- 

 lieve, for any local conveniences enjo3'"ed by the former. 



" The colonists cannot understand the principle on which concession, 

 in an};- form, should be granted to the American people in a case 

 avowedly ^touchivg the highest grounds of national "policy^ even although 

 concession did not involve consequences, as it unhappily does in the 

 present case, both immediate and remote, most injurious to colonial 

 interests. 



"The strong and emphatic language of the treaty of 181S is, that 

 the United States ' renounce forever any liberty heretofore enjoyed or 

 claimed by the inhabitants thereof to take, dry, or cure fish on, or 

 within three marine miles of, any of the coasts, bays, creeks, or har- 

 bors of his Britannic Majesty's dominions in America not included 

 within the above-mentioned limits : provided, however, that the Ameri- 

 can fishermen shall be admitted to enter such bays and harbors for the 

 purpose of shelter and of repairing damages therein, of purchasing 

 wood and of obtaining water and for no other purpose whatever. But 

 they shall be under such restrictions as may be necessary to prevent 

 their taking, dryilig, or curing fish therein, or in any other manner 

 whatever abusing the privileges hereby reserved to them.' 



"If this national contract joes not exclude the Americans from fish- 

 ing within the indentations of our coasts and firom our bays and harbors^ 

 the people of Nova Scotia, while it remained in force, could not com- 

 plain of the exercise of the right. 



"But we beUeve the treaty does exclude them, and we but ask a 

 judicial inquiry and determination before these valuable privileges are 

 relinquished : the highest law opinions in England have justified our 

 belief^ — her Majesty's government, in theory, avows and maintains it. 



" The compact, too, was in its nature reciprocal ; and had the treaty, 

 in this particular, been (as it was not) hard upon the United States, 



