1266 MISCELLANEOUS. 



"These circumstances, and the incidents above alluded to, have led 

 me to think the moment favorable for a reconsideration of the entire 

 subject of the fisheries on the coasts of the British provinces, with a 

 view to place them upon a more liberal footing of reciprocal privilege. 

 A willingness to meet us in some arrangement of this kind is under- 

 stood to exist on the part of Great Britain, with a desire on her part to 

 include in one comprehensive settlement as well this subject as the 

 commercial intercourse between the United States and the British 

 provinces. I have thought that, whatever arrangements may be 

 made on these two subjects, it is expedient that they should be 

 embraced in separate conventions. The illness and death of the late 

 Secretary of State prevented the commencement of the contemplated 

 negotiations. Pains have been taken to collect the information 

 required for the details of such an arrangement. The subject is 

 attended with considerable difficulty. If it is found practicable to 

 come to an agreement mutually acceptable to the two parties, conven- 

 tions may be concluded in the course of the present winter. The 

 control of Congress over all the provisions of such an arrangement, 

 affecting the revenue, will of course be reserved." 



Our latest accounts from two of the British colonies show that oppo- 

 sition is still manifested to an adjustment of the dispute on terms 

 which would be satisfactory to the United States. 



The resolutions which follow, and which were adopted at a public 

 meeting at St. John, New Brunswick, December, 1852, indicate, prob- 

 ably, the temper of the commercial class of that city: 



"Resolved, That this meeting consider the coast fisheries of the 

 North American colonies the natural right and property of the inhab- 

 itants thereof, and that they should not be alienated, conceded, nor 

 affected without their consent, in any negotiation with the United 

 States government, or any other foreign power, without their consent, 

 inasmuch as the value of the fisheries to the British provinces, with an 

 increased and increasing population, cannot be estimated aright at the 

 present time. 



"Resolved, That this meeting view with deep anxiety and concern 

 the announcement in her Majesty's speech to the imperial Parliament, 

 that negotiations are now pending between her Majesty's government 

 and that of the United States, relative to the fisheries of the North 

 American provinces, and also the recommendation of the President of 

 the United States, in his official message to Congress, to negotiate a 

 treaty for a participation by the citizens of the TJnited States in the 

 said fisheries, irrespective of any question of reciprocal intercourse 

 between the United States and the North American colonies. 



"Resolved, That a committee be now appointed to prepare an hum- 

 ble address, praying that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to 

 refuse to entertain any proposition from the United States government 

 for any modification or alteration of the treaty of 1818, unless such a 

 proposition embraces the full and entire question of reciprocal inter- 

 course in commerce and navigation upon terms that will be just and 

 reasonable, inasmuch as the value of a participation in our fisheries by 

 the citizens of the United States would greatly exceed any concessions 

 that the United States government can offer to the inhabitants of the 

 British colonies, and that, before any treaty affecting the fisheries is 

 agreed upon, her Majesty will be graciously pleased to afford her Maj- 

 esty's loyal and faithful subjects, in the provinces, an opportunity of 



