AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1687 



choose to throw all open, do so. We prefer the latter as the gen- 

 erous, the more peaceful, and safe method for both parties. If .you pre- 

 fer the former, take the expense of it, take the risk of it, take the 

 ignominy of it. If you give it up, and it costs you anything to do so, 

 we will pay you what it is worth to us." 



I certainly hope that after our otter to open the books of any mer- 

 chant in Gloucester, or any number of merchants, to the other side, it 

 will not be said that we have selected our witnesses. The witnesses 

 that we brought here, both fishermen and owners, said that the bay 

 fishery was dying out. They show it by their own statistics, and the 

 statistics of the town of Gloucester show how few vessels are now 

 engaged in the bay fishery ; that they are confining their attention to 

 cod-fishing and shore fishing, and fishing with nets and seines. 



We did not bring the bankrupt fish-dealers from Gloucester, the men 

 who have lost by attempting to carry on these bay fisheries, as we might 

 have done. We did not bring those who had found all fishing unprofit- 

 able, and had moved away from Gloucester, and tried their hand upon 

 other kinds of business. We brought, on the other hand, the most pros- 

 perous men in Gloucester. We brought those men who had made the 

 most out of the fisheries, the men who had grown richest upon them, and 

 we exhibited their books ; and as we could not bring up all the account- 

 books of Gloucester to this tribunal, we besought the other side to go 

 down, or send down a commission, and examine them for themselves. 

 We did not ask them to examine the books of the men who had become 

 bankrupt in the business, but the books of those who had been prosper- 

 ous in the business; and after that, I certainly think we have a right to 

 say that we have turned Gloucester inside out before this tribunal, with 

 the result of showing that the bay fishing has gradually and steadily 

 diminished, that the inshore fishery is unprofitable, that the bay fishery 

 has been made a means of support only to the most skillful, and by 

 those laborious and frugal methods which I have before described to 

 this tribunal. 



At this point Mr. Dana suspended his argument, and the Commission 

 adjourned until Saturday at noon. 



SATURDAY, November 10, 1877. 



'The Commission met at 12 o'clock, and Mr. Dana continued his argu- 

 ment. 



May it please your Excellency and your Honors : 



We are met to-day, the seventieth of our session, to hear what may 

 be said by me in behalf of the United States, closing the argument in 

 our favor, a post which, by the kindness and partiality of my associates, 

 has been assigned to me. While without, all is cheerless and wintry, 

 we have within the bright beams of friendly, and, if not sympathizing, 

 at least, interested countenances. I feel most painfully that, having 

 the last word to say for my country, I may omit something that I ought 

 to have said ; or, perhaps, which is quite as bad, that I may say more 

 or other than I might well have said. Yet the duty is to be performed. 



I have no instructions from my country, gentlemen of the Commis- 

 sion, and no expectation from its government, that I will attempt to 

 depreciate the value of anything that we receive. We are not to go away 

 like the buyer in the Scriptures, saying, "It is nought; it is nought"; 

 but we have referred to a Commission, which will stand neutral and im- 

 partial, to determine for us ; and no proclamations of opinion, however 

 loud, will have any effect upon that Commission. My country stands 



