I transmit herewith a report from the
Secretary of State, with a copy of the draft thus proposed.
I am of the opinion that a proper treaty for such purposes would result
beneficially for the United States. It would not only open or enlarge
markets for our products, but it would increase the facilities of
transportation from the grain-growing States of the West to the
seaboard.
The proposed draft has many features to commend it to our favorable
consideration; but whether it makes all the concessions which could
justly be required of Great Britain, or whether it calls for more
concessions from the United States than we should yield, I am not
prepared to say.
Among its provisions are articles proposing to dispense with the
arbitration respecting the fisheries, which was provided for by the
treaty of Washington, in the event of the conclusion and ratification of
a treaty and the passage of all the necessary legislation to enforce it.
These provisions, as well as other considerations, make it desirable
that this subject should receive attention before the close of the
present session. I therefore express an earnest wish that the Senate may
be able to consider and determine before the adjournment of Congress
whether it will give its constitutional concurrence to the conclusion of
a treaty with Great Britain for the purposes already named, either in
such form as is proposed by the British plenipotentiaries or in such
other more acceptable form as the Senate may prefer.
Pages:
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539