The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-05-05
Youths Department.
I @g 81 M ss Il u x - u dA 10 Ea

ceived from naval officer formerly pupil Of his
who has recently returned from voyage to South
America and the Mediterranean, % birds and a but
terily all perched upon little tree the body and
branches of which wound with moss aud linchen,
looking MS natural as life. Tho birds comprise 22
varieties, many of them decked with SPLENDID plu-
mage, and all in excellent order. Looking at them
from little distance, person would expect TO hear
Them break forth into singing. Much we were
gratified with this generous token Of remembrance
from an esteemed FRIEND we could not help regret
ting that many lives should have been taken, and
so many harps sienced for sake. But we COM
forted ourselves that not accessories till Of
ter tho fact, and that the same, also, probably
the case with our friend. And now, as the best a
mend that we make 10 he feathered tribe, we
republish the following article, which first made its
Appearance In the Boston Courier year or two ago,
and which wo hope will be needed by every man and
boy in the aud.-,M Y Journal Of Commerce.
'God henreth the ravens when they cry"
SPARE THE BIRDS.
The Courier lately copied article this subject
from the New England Farmer versus the birds. 1t
certainly has some little appearance Of reason, but il
Is all of the selfish kind. The writer may be
phanthropist, so far, nj east as 'himser and iam-
uIe CoHCeTHcui out He Is an HnllpnUOuHuHt Of
the most inveternte class His whole argument is,
"They eat some Of my cherries and other fruits
whereas I want every one of them for my owa spec
ia enjoyment; ergo, let us murder all the birds.''
This reasoning is not altogether conclusive and be-
Sides il is not very liberal, hospitabe, humane
Ho is exceedingly tenacious Of his oDn rights; but
have not the birds their rights also | think they
have They may be unwritten rights; but they
the sacred, original unulionabe rights of nature.
When God created the earth and It's animals. he
provided food FOR all and gave them the right of taxi
Ing il from his great store house. The trees and
bushes, at his command. bore delicious fruits, suta-
BILE for and his monkey brethren, and for certain
kinds Of birds. They much given to the lat
ter to the former. But man. assuming the right of
the strongest down millions OF these trees and
bushes, reserving few for his own special use
What natural moral right had he to destroy the
of susenance for hundreds of millions of ami
mails which God himself had provided for them s. free
iy given them? The birds, not finding their own prop
food in its wild and natural state, now take it !
where they find it; and this too, innoceuily, from
the instinct implanted in them by God HIMSELF and
Puy believing they have perfect right to it. The
birds gather this food gnorantly, whereas robs
the birds Of their OF susenance knowingly and
with the clear perception that il given them by
the great Father Of all The birds might say to
knd, "Yuu take our life, who take the where
we live' But man is not satisfied with this
constructive murder this writer, who facetously or
ironically signs his "Justice'' is for positive
deliberate, bloody murderfor shooting all the birds
in cold blood. He is mol satisfied with robbery and
starvaton nothing but the life blood Of the innocents
will satisfy him. "Mysef and my family" are all |
the world to him. They magnifed in his mi
croscopic view, that nothing else 10 nature is seen:
all else is eclipse.
''IIe leaves his carriage in the barn and il is de-
fled by the swallows" Then let him shut his barn
doors and windows; or, If circulation of air is re-
quired, let him apply attce.work doors, or some
thing Of the Sort But he complains that another kind
of swallows build in his chimneys, This is easily
prevented, by placing wire network over
the chimney tops. Indeed, most of the evils he COM
plains of, are easily prevented lie should consider,
that if he has treated these little fellow beings so ill.,
in robbing them, and taking away their jus, rights
he cannot complain il they retaliate by robbng him;
and surely he'shoud no, grudge little trouble and
expense in keeping them off without killing them.
''Tho birds sing" True, he says;-bu, he had
father hear "his family sing and rejoice, while they
may, but others do not. Other lovers of nature and
parakers ofthe delights enjoyed by all animals--the
happiness of all Gods creation-prefer the thankful
and joy-insPircd songs of the birds, to all the music
of "his family" however charming the latter may be
TO his ears. He is only in the creation. He
should not arrogate to himself the privilege of making
everything submit his notions of right and of TASTE
and forget that others have equal rights with HIM
self If he never thinks Of the rights of birds, nor
delights in their songs let him, Notwithstanding bear
in mind the claims Of others Of his own race
Flo is afraid our Legislature will, by aid by, make
laws FOR the protection of birds. Bless his simple
soul, they have already done It is statute crime
uow to kill birds at certain times of the year. fear
Mr. Justice does not live the great road to hear the
news; or he must be at least twenty years be-
hind the age. We wish him more light, more cult
walton, more humanity, more philosophy, more con-
sideraton and respect FOR natural rights more bowels
Of compassion, more sympathy with all Of Gods ami
NAL creation: and, in addition pair 70 periscopic
spectacles, by means of which he may look around