laced in the
President's hands power to suspend commercial intercourse between the
two countries. Later in the year a bill was introduced in the House
cutting off all commercial relations with Canada by land or water. The
Senate advanced a more moderate proposition, to limit the proposed
arrest of traffic to water commerce and to Canadian vessels, also to
leave its enforcement optional with the President. This became law on
March 3, 1887. Under this legislation the President, on being assured
that fishing masters or crews were treated in Canadian ports any less
favorably than masters or crews of trading vessels from the most favored
nations, could, "in his discretion, by proclamation to that effect, deny
vessels, their masters and crews, of the British dominions of North
America, any entrance into the waters, ports, or places of or within the
United States."

[1888]

The President, however, did not think best at once to use this fearful
power, likely enough to lead to war. He preferred to make another
attempt at a peaceful settlement, through a new treaty. This had
constantly been the wish of the British Government. Accordingly, later
in the year 1887, a joint commission, consisting of Secretary Bayard,
President Angell, of Michigan University, Hon. William L. Putnam, of
Maine, on the part of the United States, and of Rt. Hon. Joseph
Chamberlain, Sir Charles Tupper, of Canada, and Sir Lionel West, the
British minister, on the part of Great Britain, met at Washington. The
commission toiled nearly all winter, and passed to the President the
result of its deliberations on February 16, 1888.

The treaty which it drafted was necessarily a compromise. Canada thought
the British commissioners had yielded too much; many in the United
States believed our commissioners to have done the same. The document,
approved by the President, went to the Senate, where, after long debate,
it was refused ratification, August 21st.

The commission had agreed upon a modus vivendi, to hold good, unless
revoked by the Governor-General and Council of Canada, till February,
1890, under which our fishermen might obtain in Canadian ports, on
payment of a license, the privileges of merchantmen. Many such licenses
were taken out during the season of 1888, showing the advantages which
they conveyed. Most of the fishing-masters, however, did not seek
licenses and were averse to the new treaty, preferring the terms of 1818
to granting their rivals an