199 



.equently discontinued, are both utterly destitute oi foundalion. i 

 have been the more anxiously earnest in the developement ot this 

 demonstration, because the error of Mr. Russell, both as to the 

 principle and its consequence, is by no means confined to him. In 

 the above extracts it will appear, that it was entertained by lord 

 Auckland himself, until called upon in the deliberations upon the 

 peace of Amiens, to examine thoroughly the doctrines of the wri- 

 ters on the laws of nations relating to the subject. Be the opinion 

 of Mr. Russell what it may, the portion of the fisheries to which 

 we are entitled, even within the British territorial jurisdiction, is 

 of great importance to this Union. To New-England it is among 

 the most valuable of earthly possessions. But the whole fisnery 

 of the Bar.ks, and in the adjoming seas, is at stake, upon the^P'^^^- 

 ciples of Mr. Russell : by his doctrine we now hold it at the breath 

 of Great Britain ; for, by a declaration of war, she can extinguish 

 it forever. The foundations of the Union itself are shaken by 

 this opinion. If the fisheries of New-England are held at the 

 pleasure of Great Britain, one of the main purposes ot the Union 

 to the people of New-England is taken away. So long as Great 

 Britain holds a preponderating power upon the ocean, vvaenever 

 a'war between her and the United States may occur, this great 

 interest of New-England will be the first to suffer, and in the most 

 distressing manner. If, besides the endurance of this peculiar hard- 

 ship which is unavoidable, New-England is to be told that her liber- 

 ties in the tisheries themselves, are nothing but voluntary donations 

 of Great Britain, which she has a right to resume, on the hrsl nrmg 

 of a gun, the vital interests of New-England are not on the same toot-. 

 mg of protection, by the Union, as those of its other portions. In the 

 reitive proportions of power and influence between the different 

 s'ctrs of the country, New-Englan will behold without envy 

 Ind without regret, her sisters of the Soutli and of the ^^' est rising 

 to pre-eminence in wealth, populati^on, aiid resources ov^^ ^^/^^j^' 

 But never again let her be told, and least of all by one oi hei own 

 sons, that her rights, her liberties, or ^^^ possess^ons are ot triflmg 

 or insignificant value to the nation, and that at the hrst sound ot a 

 oS^umpet they will be abandoned to the mercy of the com 

 men enemv ; or surrendered to the desperate chance of a repur- 

 rbase for an equivalent wherever it may be Jouncl. ... ^ 



In mv remarks on Mr. Russell's letter, 1 expressed the hope, 

 tha from he whole history of tins transaction, the statesmen o his 

 Uni'on would take warning through all future time, >" heir ^^ 

 .vlth foreign powers never to consider any of the liberties ot this 

 B L as abro'-ated by a war, or capable of bem. extinguished by 

 any^ther agency than our own express r^"""^^>^^\^"- , f [^,^^, ^ ,^^ 

 takes alarm^t this lest the .*"f ^^^^^^7""^;'^*'^" '7, ,^f|J;^^^^^^^^ 

 the right to navigate the Mississippi should no. be sufficient and 

 he «av^ that according to me, that right is unimpaired. Mr. Rus 

 eir^c^^^^^^^^^^ as usual, is broader than his premises. He m.gh 



^es^M the object of my remark was to give warning to the 



