MISCELLANEOUS. 1249 



of colonial delegates, by the president of the executive council of 

 Canada and the Hon. Joseph Howe,* secretary of Nova Scotia: 



"Mr. Howe having called the attention of his excellency and the 

 council to the importance and value 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 protection of the fisheries, by providing either a 

 steamer or two or more sailing vessels to cruise in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence 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 importance of making pro- 

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

 fisheries in the Bay 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 

 agreement, the British minister f addressed a note to Mr. Webster, in 

 which the previous propositions on the subject of reciprocal trade 

 between the United States and the British colonies are discussed at 

 some length, and the overture for an arrangement is renewed. He 

 enclosed an official communication from Lord Elgin, the governor 

 general, and other papers, which gave details of the plan as then enter- 

 tained. This plan embraced no concessions with regard to "the fish- 

 eries in estuaries and in the mouths of rivers," and suggested 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 imported by citizens or the United States," her 

 Majesty's government were prepared "to throw open to the fisher- 

 men 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 dr} T ing their nets and 

 curing their fish, provided that, in so doing, they do not interfere with 



* This gentleman is of loyalist descent. John Howe, his father, was a citizen of Bos- 

 ton, and published there the "Massachusetts Gazette and Boston News Letter," a 

 paper which, in the revolutionary controversy, took the eide of the crown. At the 

 evacuation of that town by the royal army, he accompanied it to Halifax, where he 

 resumed business, became king's printer, and died at a good old age in 1835. His son, 

 mentioned in the text, was educated a printer, and conducted a newspaper for several 

 years. As the acknowledged leader of the "liberals "of Nova Scotia, he possessed great 

 influence; but as a member of Lord Falkland's coalition cabinet, lost popularity with 

 his party. His letters to Lord John Russell, in 1846, evince great ability, but contain 

 demands on the home government which are irreconcilable with colonial dependence. 

 These papers show that the Hon. Secretary is somewhat familiar with the writings of 

 the "rebel*'' of his father's time, and that what was treason then, and with tfiem, is 

 entirely right notr, and with the descendants of their opponents. 



j- Documents accompanying President's message, December, 1851, part I, pp. 89, 90. 



i)2909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 3 40 



