261 



president of the executive council of Canada and the lion. Joseph 

 Howe,* secretary of Nova Sdotia : 



" Mr. Howe having called the attention of his excellency ond tlic 

 council to the importance and valn(> of the gulf fisheries, upon which 

 foreigners largely trespass, in violation of treaty stipulations, and Mr. 

 Chandler having submitted a report of a select committee of the House 

 of Assembly of New Brunswick, having reference to the same subject, 

 the government of Canada determines to co-operate with Nova Scotia 

 in the efficient prot(>ctionof the fisheries, by providing either a steamer 

 or two or more sailing vessels to cruise in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 and along the coasts of Labrador. 



" It is understood that Nova Scotia will continue to employ at least 

 two vessels in the same service, and that Mr. Chandler will urge upon 

 the government of New Brunswick the importanceof making provision 

 for at least one vessel to be employed for the protection of the fisheries 

 in the Ba}' of Fundy." 



Canadian fishermen are by no means numerous ; and the zeal thus 

 manifested to aid Nova Scotia in preventing the " violation of treaty 

 stipulations" could hardly have been awakened by the misdeeds of 

 "foreigners" on the fishing grounds of the "gulf." The motive is to 

 be sought elsewhere. Just three days after the date of the above agree- 

 ment, the British ministert addressed a note to Mr. Webster, in which 

 the previous propositions on the subject of reciprocal trade between 

 the United States and the Bi-itish colonies are discussed at some length, 

 and the overture for an arrangement is renewed. He enclosed an offi- 

 cial communication fi-om Lord Elgin, the governor general, and other 

 papers, which gave details of the plan as then entertained. This plan 

 embraced no concessions with regard to " the fisheries in estuaries and 

 in the mouths of rivers," and sjiggested no changes on the coast or 

 banks of Newfoundland; but, on condition that the United States would 

 admit " all fish, either cured or fresh, imported from the British North 

 American possessions in vessels of any nation or description, free of 

 duty, and upon terms, in all respects, of equality with fish importt^l by 

 citizens of the United States," her Majesty's government were prepared 

 " to throw open to the fishermen of the United States the fisheries in 

 the waters of the British North American colonies, with permission to 

 those fishermen to land on the coasts of those colonies for the purpose 

 of drying their nets aivl curing their fish, provided that, in so doing, 

 they do not interfere; with the owners of private pro})erty or with the 

 operations of British fishermen." 



* This pontloiiian is of loyalist descent. John llowo, hia father, was a citizen of lloston, 

 and piililished there the " MassnchiisettK Gazette and Hoston News ly^-tter," a paper which, 

 in the revdiiiiionary controverKy, took thi- side of the crown. At the evacuation of that (own 

 by the royal army, he accompanied if to 1 lalifax, where lie resumed hn.^^iness, became kinjjj's 

 printer, and dicil ut n ^ood ohl aye in \>*'.\'>. llin son, mcntioni-d in tiie t<'xt, was educated a, 

 printer, and eonducti-d a iiewspM|)er for several years. Aw th«* acknowledtjed h'lidi'r of tho 

 " lihcraU" of Nova Scotia, he possessed sreat. intlnenc<s hiif, aw a menil)er of l^ord FiJkiund's 

 coalition cahinet, hist iiopuiarity with liis party. Mis letters to J.,ord .J<dui Kusscll, in 1H4(», 

 eviiu-e fjreat ahility, hut contain demands on the home government whieh are irreconcilaiilo 

 with cfdonial <lependence. These |)aj)prR show that liie I (on. Secretary i-s sonii'what familiar 

 wiili till- writings (d"the " rrhrls" (d" his father's time, and that what was treason then, and with 

 ttum, is entirely ri>,'ht iioir, and with (he descendants of iheir o|iponeuts. 



t JDocuuieuts acconipanying rnsidcnfs nicssugc, Deccuibor, If',")!, part I, pp. 89, 90. 



