Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1837-01-24
VIRGINIA. E.E2ssz&HAATAAsEs.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.-Sr Saturday, Jssa.'l7.
TILE pLUr LANS.
DEFERpED PROCEEDINGS.

The following resolution, submitted by Mr.. Lofts; was
on his motion. taken up:
Resoircd, That u Select Committee he apPoif,eu 10
take into consideration the laws OF this State, re!ahng 10
pilots: thai they BE- instructed to send inl sach ship own
srs, masters and other prrscNs, as to them NAY seem tx.
pe6ient ior elcitiHg all Necessity Information 10 perfect
those laws.
AIR Srnv,yr said the compensation Of the Pilots was
last wear the subj. ct Of the action OF !hc lint!se, aud con-
sumed much time. The compensation OF the rii''s was
then fixed at VIVA; they considered lair rates, ana he trust
ed il would not auaiE BE- unsettled. They lad within .
few DAYS. read Of many shocking disasters III the vlclnl-
ty of New York, which we're unanimously. ieu'eo't"
the negligence Of the pilots, aud constis!ed as the 'iuits
of injudicious legislation III regard 20 'aieili. tiiis Ger
tainly ought to admunish the Legislature TO maintain a
liberal policy towards the Virginia pilots, who! had never
been known to lose a ship. The committee I" be ap'
pointed were. he perceived, 10 send for persons and pa
pcls: aud much inc :rsnicnce might be caused The Pl-
lots in obryiEg Tie SUMMONS al This sraaon. With a
view TO the termination o! the proceedings or this sub
iect, Mr.. S. moved that the resolution be indefinitely
postponed.
MIR. Boris said tha, his resolution was nat in,erded
10 be confined TO the mere question of compensation OF
the Pilots; but to extend to any defects which might en-
ist in the laws. The action Of the Legislature ut The last
session ought not TO control the further action on the sub
jcct 1t was not intended HAT, i: should be imperative
upon the committee 10 send for persons and papers; but
only to rive it The power. In be used if found. necessary.
The subject was one Of great Importance; and the facts
alluded TO by the gentleman from Elizabeth City, IN re-
gard TO the disasters at Sew York, showed the necessity
Of having 4 rood system Of Pilot laws. They were now
intricate, and Mr.. b. thought, required revision,
kir. SERVANT objected 10 any action on this subject,
which should render The pcIinanency et The Legislation
of las. year doub,!Il.-Undcr the suPpnsillon that the
compensation then fixed, would be stationary, several Of
the Pilots had commenced the construction Of boats
if the fees were 10 be reduced, il would he useless for
them to procced-and while this subject continued 10 be
agitated, they would be doubtful as TO the result, and
would consequently suspend their operations.
Mr.. SEc.H was in favor Of the r!ut!nn for indefinite
postponencnt. He saw no necessity for the raising Off
aaIert committee IN Tho subject OF the UllIt la VS., and he
hoped the gentleman from Henrico would not consider
him discourteous. in opposing The adoption oI his rrso-
luton, though one Of enquiry. 1t appeared to Inn thai
the subjcct-Inattcr proposed to be referred to tins select
committee, when raised, belonged m're appropriately
to one Of the standing committees of the HouSe-,he
committee Of Propositions and Grievances. That com-
,nittee was US we'll qualified To enter into an lnHes''eH,
ton Of this subject Us any 81" cial committee that coalu
be raised. There was nothing in lis organization That
disqualified il for action upon it-and Il so, like ihH peil'
tons which had been presented for the repeal OF the p'
lo, law Of the last scSsivn, Lac whole subject should take
that destination.
lie agreed with Tie gentleman from llenrico most full
" us to the Importance Of this subject. q good system
of pilot laws. every CHE mast SEE, was Indispensable to
The safety ol the commerce Of tic country, and so much
Of its property as is fisked upon the ocean. We
should have faithful and skiiiul pilots. if we would con-
duct safely into our ports the t!ch Heights that sought
them. But he, Mr. 5. entirely disagreed with the gen.
man from Hcnr!co Concerning the luiticacy of the p-
lolage question. or the necessity Of any revision, 1T this
time, Of The pilot laws OF The State. There vas no pro-
position touching tins question that was hkrIy to come
up, which the Committee Of Propositions and Gre van
cs coald no, decide os PROMPTLY and Correctly as any If
the numerous Il !icc's usually rrit rred /" lis G"nsIdera-
ton. And he totally disasread with The idea OF any re-
Cessiiy for revision.
1t seemed to h!m. Mr.. S., that the principal, if not the
only question, likely I" aiise Oh this %suhJec, tclurc any
oinmittec was that OF the Compensation received y the
pilots-and surely no proposition touching ;Eis point
could be OF so complex Il character, Us 10 occasion dis.i.
Guilty in the mines OF any committee. ANY standing
committee OF the House could as well estimate how
much money SIOUX! be- paid for 80 nucl! service, as any
special committee could do. /, involved but The simplest
exercise OF Judgment.
He, Mr.. $, did not hilndiy assume, thai this WAS the
only question likely TO arise. The petitions OF all those
who wished i repeal "I The law OF last session. and now
referred to the Committee of Propositions ana GI!e"an.
ces, were directed to this single point: They Complain
Of the compensation now received by the pilots. and
not Of any crying defect or vice Of our system ui pilot
laws. He not only believed that this was the only light III
which this subject would lie considered by Il special com.
mittee, but he, Mr.. 3, was .! opinion that it ought not
now TO be contemplated in any other aspect. le claim
ed to know some little Of the pilo. laws OF this S;ute:-
He once lived among the pilots, ana had had his ultcu.
ton called 10 the subject. He had several lints given
these laws an attentive end careful examinatiun-a
the result had b, Ell u conviction on his mind, that the
code OK pIo, laws Of this State was equal, if ~.
SUPERIOR 10 n"y III Tie country. IL seemed 10 have
receive" not en-! an especial but unusual degree Of lie.
glslallVe attention.. II had been amended and amended
REVISED and revised until it had become perhaps Us
complete 4 code OF rl!ot iaws ns any ia The u. States
In loi9, the wi"ie >ntyeet underwent revision, and all
the acts upon the Suulcct, Were reGrced into or: genc.
raj act, constituting a series Of the most wholesome
rules and regulations. In le2p, u. -, "a. Is. 20.
70, 81, and 81, they lad been succcssively amended.
perhaps no series u laws IN lie Statute book had rrceiv.
I'd more frequent reviSaI. There was one dei,c, and rr.
ly one, pervading The whole vi these laws, and that WIZ.
The inadequacy Of the compensation allowed The iluls
in proportion to the useful and dangerous service they
performed, and the constant variation of hat comprnsa.
lion. The law of the last session remcdied this defect,
by allowing them something like al adequate compen-
salion-and it was now for the Legislature 10 decide
whether the other alternative Of the evil should be kept
up by continuing the varying character of this colnpen.
sation. With respect, therefore, TO the general merits CT
the pilot laws, as u system, lie saw no necessity for re.
ferring them TO a special committee for revison-the
Committee Of Propositions and Grievances, with whom
the subject now rested, being fully competent TO pass
upon the only point likely 10 arise upon this |