126 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



reconsider this subject on the 24th of March, Richard Henry Lee proposed that the United States 

 should have the same rights which they enjoyed when subject to Great Britain, which proposition 

 was carried by the votes of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the four New England States, New York 

 and the Southern States opposing. New York, under the leadership of Jay and Morris, perempt- 

 orily declined to insist on this right by treaty, and Morris moved that independence should be the 

 sole condition of peace. This was declared out of order by the votes of the New England States, 

 New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, against the unanimous vote of New York, Maryland, and North 

 Carolina; Delaware, Virginia, and South Carolina being equally divided. 



"But France had a vital interest in this matter, and the French minister interposed his 

 influence, and on the 27th of May Congress returned to its original resolve, ' that in no case, by 

 any treaty of peace, should the common right of fishing be given up.' 



" On the 19th of June the equanimity of the French minister was suddenly and rudely disturbed 

 by Elbridge Gerry, who being from Marblehead, was the steady and persistent champion of the 

 claims of New England, and who, in the prolonged discussions, always came to the front in defense 

 of those rights. Entirely unexpectedly, Gerry, avoiding ' a breach of the rules of Congress by a 

 change in form, moved resolutions, that the United States have a common right with the English 

 to the fisheries on the banks of Newfoundland, and the other fishing-banks and seas of North 

 America. The demand was for no more than Vergennes confessed to belong to them by the law 

 of nations ; and Gerry insisted that unless the right received the guarantee of France, on the 

 consent of Great Britain, the American minister should not sign any treaty of peace without first 

 consulting Congress.'* A most stormy and bitter debate ensued. The friends of France resisted 

 strenuously. Four States declared if the resolution was adopted they should secede. The matter, 

 however, was somewhat compromised, and the common right of fishing on the Grand Banks 

 affirmed ; Congress asking for that right the guarantee of France by means of a supplementary 

 article explanatory of former treaties. 



" The French minister became alarmed, and sought an interview with the President of Con- 

 gress and two other members known to be equally favorably disposed to the policy he represented. 

 The vigor and zeal with which New England had pressed the matter had disposed them to concede 

 to the desires of this section. He as sured them ' that disunion .from the side of New England 

 was not to be feared, for its people carried their love of independence even to delirium,' and con- 

 tinued : ' There would seem to be a wish to break the connection of France with Spain ; but I 

 think I can say that, if the Americans should have the audacity to force the King of France to 

 choose between the two alliances, his decision would not be in favor of the United States ; he will 

 not certainly expose himself to consume the remaining resources of his Kingdom for many years 

 only to secure an increase of fortune to a few ship-masters of New England. I shall greatly regret, 

 on account of the Americans, should Spain enter into war without a convention with them.' 

 Five hours of discussion failed to induce the members to undertake to change the views of Con- 

 gress, and a new interview was held on the 12th of July, between Gerard and Congress, in a 

 committee of the whole. As a final result the question was left to be settled when a treaty of 

 peace was formally arranged with Great Britain.* 



"In the mean tune how fared it with the whale fishery? The people of Nantucket^with whom 

 alone it was still encouraged, though in the face of the most terrible discouragements, were reduced 

 to the severest straits. To live, they must eat; to eat, they must have provisions ; to obtain pro- 

 visions, they must give in exchange money or its equivalent; to obtain the exchangeable com- 

 modity, some business must be pursued. The whale fishery was the only business available to 



" * Bancroft's U. S., x, pp. 216 to 210." 



