rji'-ifctji<>t«im.ja> ■. 



1 



318 



It lias been tlie policy of certain American Statesmen to lay tiio blame of most of 

 their lisheries (litliciilties on tin- sliotilders ot" colonists, in order to ol)tain their easv 

 settlement, at the huntls of a distant, and ((jiioail lurium) disinterested, imperial and 

 snpreme I'ower. From a natural eoniieetion Iwlween canses and etlccts, onr maritime 

 provinces most in proximity to tlie United States, had to bear tlie i>runt of a lrianp;iilar 

 thiel, tlie chief jiart of whieli fell to Nova Scotia, who shosveil herself ecpial to the 



casion. It can be shown that what was stvled as idniost harlvirian lep;islafion 

 till' jiart of the Nova Seola Parliament, exists at tliis very iiour in lli- h\u:islati(in of 



L' I'liited States. And it is not a n-proach tlial 1 am eastin;; here against the United 

 Stati s. They have don(! like otiier nations, who made ell'ectnal provisions a;^ainsl tli(> 

 v!ol:;tiirs of thiir cnsioins. trade or navigation laws, and tiiev co\dd not do h-.-s or 

 otherw'se tiiaii the leiiisla'.ure of Nova Seoiia. 



'I'lie <> ii.-ioins Statiile (if tiie Donfmion. Ml Vict. cap. \'l 1 1 H(i7| contains similar 

 provisions to those ct" llic '''isliiii:;' Act of the sate.e session, cap. (i I, sects. 10, 12, j.j, 

 ai\(l lavs up, 111 the owner and claimant of Ljoods sci/.ed by Cnstom (Mlieei*s. the burden 

 of pi-o\in'4 till' ille;:ality of t!u- s,-i/.nre; it ohli^es tlie claiiiiaul ot'an\ vessel, ijoods or 

 thi:ii;s seized, in j.ursuance ol an\ law relating to the eiisionis, or to trade or na\if;alion, 

 to ;.'.ive secnrilv to answer tor I'o-is. Oilier parts provile liir all tile l!iiii;;'s contained in 

 the Nova Scotia Slalnte. so much animadverted upon, as beins; contrary to common law 



occasion. 



on 



the 



'•". ■ '. .., „ ^ 



princiiiles, but which are applicable to Uritisli sul'ject;! as well as to fiirei;;iiers. The 

 Imp'rial .\ct, " Sc 4 W'ni. IN', cap *>!>, sees. liT, ti'.', 7t), 71, eoiisolid.. led toriner Acts. 

 daiiii::- a- tar back as wlien llie !:> revohi'd colonies were part of ilie iOmpire, contains 

 similar pro\i.-ioi;s as our Dominion Acts conceriiini;' customs and lislieries, and as the 

 Nova Scotia Statute of Is.'^d. 1 had intended to cite some words of the .American 

 law on the suhject. but the vobune is not at hand. F supiilement tlu' omission bv — 

 I. liallison. iia!:;e I'.ll : 'J. (iallisen, pai;e oD") ; M. (jreculeaf. sec. 11)1, and note "J, page 

 Sdd; .">. Wheaton. see. 107, jiaue dCi, and sec. 111. pa;;e KVA. 



Mr. D'inii. — .Mr. Doutre, <lo veil not consider that to tlie same ellect as if the judfje 

 say.s that the (io\<'rnn\eiil nuisl make out a iirimii t'tirir case? 



Mi: Doiilif. — I hav.' only ri'.id a small [lortion of tin- decision: but the seizure 

 constitues a jirimil fiirio ease. 



Mr. Ddiifi. — Oh no. 



Mr. Doiiin . — Seizure was made fiir open violation of the law, and it is for flic 

 ciaimaiit to show lliat he ili<l not violate the law. 



}[r. Dunn. — 'I'he decisiou is that the (iovernment must make out a primd fucir ca.se. 



Mr. I> iiiln: — it is impossilile ha* me to saiisl'y ynir mind on that joint ; the report 

 is very loii'4. and it' you read it you will be convinced that 1 am ri^lit. 



Mr. Ddii'i. — it says the (iovenimem are obliged by statute lo prove a primd facie 



<\a.~ 



\fr. Doitlrc. — These cases are ail of a similar character. I admit that the ordinarv 

 'ere reversed. Tile reason is that liie niainti-uance of tin 



. 1u. 



rillis (if e\ilen ,, 



ordinary rules, eoneeriiin;.;- evidenc", would work ^reat mischiet', if applied lo such 

 mailers as these. 



Ml- I'o.-tir. — This is a judL;aieni bas< .1 on suspicion, in tlie opinion of tin; Court, and 

 not on the opinion ot'llie lioardiuu' oflieer. 



^fr. Donhf. — The boardini;' oHicer makes the sei/nre, and reports that he has mad(r 

 it, and unless ihe defindanf comes and shows that tiie seizuic has iieeii illei;ally made; 

 the (,'oiiia r.ililic-^ the s i/.iive, and ciPii ieinns the i;iiods or ships seized, 



Mr. 1)11)111. — .Are \ou sjieakin;; ot'w;ir, now V 



.\[r. Dmitrr. - No, of iii'otiaind peace. 



.Mr. DniKi. — This was i.a time of war, ;.nd in the very (ase \ou ( ite. it is said that 

 ilie acts must 'le eslahlislied by tlie (lovcrnineiii, which has lomakeoni ,i inimn t'nrir r.xAi'. 



MrPoii:,: — I will take the law of the I'liiteil Stahs on this point as eslablishiii!; 

 niv \\i\\. 1 will now uive the reason why snch le^^islalioii lias been adopted in i'ln^land. 

 ill liie United Slates, and in Canada, in an extraci taken from a jiidumenl rendered bv 

 the di-tinu'uished Chief .Iusiict> of Nova Scotia, Sir William Vouiil;, in Decemlter, l!S7(>, 

 ni rr Schooner Miiini'', Court of' Vice .\dniiralty : — 



It li.i:'-t he ;■<'■ 'n"'-!."! lliiil < 'usti.in ||<>w 



It li.i:-! he ici ill"'-\'"l mill I iisiiiiii iiuwse uiw . nri' iiiiiiicii in cien-ai iin' iiiiiiiiiciy vnr.i. 

 illl<i IU|'illeli-< iilnl ili'.'enielH cli'vire; til ili'lViilhl llle liM-nilr 111' till' iiiiiii11-V. Ill Mil eljici- '•\s|c|ll is lie 

 Iiallv ai( u •■ d i'Mii.'ci| |ii |ir"Vc .'IS ilillm clire- IJic wiiijlil i| |i|iiur is i<li liiiii. I'cNrlsiiiL.' cine dlllii' lilsl 

 |irilp i|ilis 111 eliliiiliiil lii«. \Vli\- Imve llif lA';;i.sliilincs 111' liiviil I'lliliiili, iilnl iil llie riiilcil ,'>l,itivs, and nl 

 I III' liiiiiiiiiieii alike, .SHIM liuin'il ill in ilijiaMint' IVniii I lie iipm liiniiaiii. ;iiiil. iis it '.MriiM '^n ni .il tlie lii.sl 

 jijll-^li, ill'- lunv |i;isiinal'|i' lull-' riMlM ii iin-r^silv. i|elil'i||st|-atiil li\ iXpi'lji IIJC — th" llt'ClMsity el' 

 |,lel( Tliuj.' liie I. iil inuli 1 iilul 1 ipliMlel-VM'll.ill^ alll |iinii'^liili'.' llie siini'.'vler." 



