Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-10-22

never loss for riipi sSsept whcs great influx OF
rivals took place, and e plIoss all esgged, which
has years past bsen the and caused small ~
tenos Since that the dsfct has been rsu.eded by ae
increase in the nupbs Of the po,s Ass
been SUCH shortly will be greater by the expiration OF
the that they will scarcely be able
pay expenses This board would as matter OF impair
ai Justice beg of either repeal of the laws
which do moi allow the Jersey pilots TO pilot in waters,
place under the restrictions as those 10 which
pilots subjected, sr ~'
These sworn officers of the State who are men Of
experience and placed in position to ascertain all
the facts and udge OF the peutions of the law,
call upon to decide on its repsal as unjust and
necessary. And yet are told that all New York
is against the cison OF the act OF Congress If we
may Judge by the piles Of memorials presented here
on every possible subject, and the known faciln
with which they obtained, surely the jud mt
Of the soncrs Of pilots is entitled 10 more
respectful consideration than dozen such memo
rials.
They tell us that the &C; Of Congress was wholly
imperative in brin gng about the reform said Ia have
been produced; that The whole merit,is due excln-
syeiy to the State law That such must be the fact
a light exam nation will demon strate. The direct
tendency of the act Of obviously 10 break
up the conflicts Of Jealousy betweea the New Yo's
pilots-to draw more closely together the bonds
o. their common interest, and To give new viser
10 the vi!lihed combination.
As long as they were left to compete with
ther, individual enterprise would necessarily be ac
tive and industrious. But soon you attack
them in a body, and bring whole squadron Of rivals
70 contend against them masse, the neviiable
sequence must be the Oblivion Of in iividua jealous
d'corps of the profession becomes paramount to in
dividual self shine for at least in this
case because individual interests were inseparable
from common ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. The combination
there did not sink under the weight Of the act of
Congress, but was crushed solely by the power OF
the State law. which expressly prohibits combina-
ton between different boats, uader the penalty OF
forfeiture of license. 4la. 'H. "a 3D.
What. then. is the effect Of the act If Congress?
Why, imme datsiy TO bring the pilots Of the
two contiguous States into unequal competition.
~ nntit h.aa, fha lav
the equally their restric-
tions. The pilots Of New York are subjected to
many disad vantxses and disabilities under which the
Jersey pilots do not labor. Under the act OF Goa
yress the injustice nth peet To other States
at any moment exist to far greater extent than in
the of New ork and N ew Jersey; ana may ter
inmate not only producing an angry conflict be-
tween two States il enc, Jealous to promote the in.
terests Of its citizens should remove all restrc-
tions, and its neiyhbor should emulate its zeal but
may ultimately prove seriously injurious to the mer
camille interests by admitting through the force Of
sectional conflict, any one and every one to act as
pilot. 81. $685.
mis- hief would ensuels Nms whatever, even to the
New Jersey pilots. Jsstice only would be restored
70 its proper course. The New Jersey pilot would
not be prohibited from conductn vessels into the
harbor of New York; he would only, as is perfectly
equitable, be directed TO the restrictions
the New York pilot. The State law ff New York
without requiring the candidates for the profession
Of branch pilots to be citizens or residents Of the
State, erey enaets that " they shall! be Of full age,
good mo raj character, and ofapproved competency"
TIE result OF the repeal would not be to diminish
the competition bat 20 destroy the nnfarBess OF the
competition The only feet Of the act Of Congress
is the creation Of absolute injustice present and of
probable mischief in future II susht, therefore, to
be repealed.
But il is said that the only complaints addressed
to come from the pilots, and other portion of
the community seems interested IN the repeal OF the
law. This is one reason urged why the memorial
should not be egarded For moment, confess, |
under the impression that this argument was
not meant 10 be serious. But the earnesiHess with
which II was pressed, soon convinced me of my err
ror What. is this prime iple advocated in an Amer
lean Congress, Must we lend no TO the prayer
of citizen aggrieved, unless his position Is endorsed
by those BY whom he 10 oppressed Must a court
refuse to ssue writ Of habess At the prayer ct a
prisoner, uness his prayer is backed by the autori-
~ that imprisoned hint Ii the Executive should
dismiss oifcer from he army must Congress re-
fuse all TO his petition unless the President
should unite with him in a concurrent memorial
Such argument Is too ridiculous for reply. And
vet il has been strenuously urged sufficient
son why we should dismiss the memorial OF the pr
lots. We must give attention TO their PRAYER,
because is end rsed by other portions of the
csmnunity Nay, further, II is argued that no mis-
chief nav. rather benefit has been done TO the
munity at large, by the reform hich 10 pretended
has been produced by the law Of Congress because
ns complaints have been heard from any except the
pilots them selves. The argument is con sistentiy
ridiculous. suppose Congress- in the pl.ui,ude OF
its wisdom, should enact law land II has been
asked to do many things As strange) fixing at low
rate TIE wages ~ one Cl1ss sI mechanics. or. ~
you please, OF the day lsborer without establishing
any such regulation fer other trades professions.
No doubt the balance Of the comm snity would be
benefited by receiving the artc produced by that
trade at a proportioBa,ely low price, lille the
other trades would be left to exact, without restric
tion OF law, what payment they please for their
productions. The mass OF the community would
not complain; demonstrates would be heard but
from the members of one profession This would
be sufficient, cording TO the argument used in
ference to the pilots. why shosd turn deaf ear
- L.. - -.
suffer or complimentary one poor elias. Of Is OPP
pressed for the benefit OF the rest. This argument
may embody some rceondite theory Of pretended
philosophy, but II As in contradiction to the plain
principles Of common Justice IL is idle TO that
injury is done to the community. In Republi-
can Government at least, no iDjury can be indicted
long the community BY the operation Of any law.
Oppression can rest on part-scner. lly on small
part-oniy OF the community, To redress injustice
done 10 small number Of citizens must be the only
case in which petitions will be presented to Con-
gress. III law oppressed a majority, or even aiarge
number, there would be no petition. IL is really a
wonderful discovery that the fact Of petition be-
ing presented is Sufficient for its rejection.
The friends OF despotism can find in the gentleman
from New York worthy recipient Of a magnificent
present. for the originston Of doctrine which JUS
es their royal masters in tresdisg under foot the
petitions OF their subjects.
Mr.. Speaker, fear Ibave tres passed too long on
the time and patience Of the House; but wish to
com snt OF insinuaton., a. well as TO reply 90 ar.
gumcnts thrust therefore, you will hear with me
a few moments longer. Sinister motives have been
attributed to me, Is web TO others. I, at least,
have beep sctssted BY preparations, either po-
litical personal. As have already st.ted, I IN
no volunteer IN this matter have been driven into
the position which al present occupy by the impor
tunities of the gentleman who now stands opposed
to In co7seicnce, feel obnoxious 20 ne imPu-
tations While he 50 hastily nvcats motives for me,
will he be equally ingenious in fsthoning and
pounding the m tives Of himself, in his oppositicn
here. and Of his friends in New York. How does il
happen, that after pilot Of his csy has con
ducted vessel fro n sea into barber, New Jersey
pilot obtains the privileges, contrary 20 usual prsc
Tee, of taking herou', even when the New York pr