The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-19
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HON. TIMOTHY DAVIS,
OF MASSACHUSETTS,,


On the fishing bounties delivered in the House OF Repre-
sentatives, February 10, 1851
The House being in the Committee Of the Whole on the
state of the Union
Mr.. DAVIS of Massachusetts said
Mr.. CHAIaMAH: In the House this morning had the
honor to present resolutions from the legislature of the
State of Massachusetts setting forth very reasonable and
truthful objections the repeal of fishing bounes and
propose 10 submit few general remarks upon that sub
ject shall do 1t now in obedience to sense of official
duty which presses upon My immediate constituency
is largely interested in the subject and judging from
demonstrations in this and the other branch of Con-
gress forced the conclusion that effort
will be made to repeal the bounty laws although perhaps
the subject cannot be reached during the present session.
II may, and probably will SO happen that shall have
opportunity to say something at the moment OF action
the proposed of repeal If so shall not hesi-
tate, If think then add strength OF opposition to a
fraught with much Of evil is this proposition
to repeal the bounty law. will not, however, take the
risk of being off from speaking altogether might be
If should await the final action of the House, which,
der the rules may be taken without debate.
In the remarks which propose to submit, shall not
deal with my subject as If entertained doubt as to
what the original design and intention of the bounty
system whether it thought best by predeces
pay bounties conditions which, if carried out
would result in repenshng the treasury by aiding heavy
consumption of dutiable SALT entertain doubt that
indirect adopted at the outset but tend
ing towards direct and important result and that
the building up of American fisheries How it to be
done matter for trial. and the result to be
after experience had afforded proper opportunities to test
system be defended upon every point OF sound policy
judging from the past submit that its continuance is
question vital to the commercial interests of the country
looking solely to the future.
The early history Of the country marked with
directly traceabe the fisheries 1t the catching and
curing of fish that attracted the early adventures to
shores and out of nconsderabe shpg-satons grew
up ourishing communities all along northeastern
board. Long before the war of independence ealouses
between the English and French colonsts which
suited in appeal to arms; and when peace nomi
nay restored still the matter open to bitter dssen
sons and called into action all the skill of dipomatists to
prevent frequent interruptions of the general harmony
read of the siege of ousburg and how gallany the
fishermen rallied, and how for ty-nine days they
beseged the French who strongly enrenched with
in the walls of the city. We learn that these same
fishermen finally drove out the usurpers of their rights
and captured and occupied their stronghold result
which many of the bravest among the English
colonsts declared to be too grand for contempa-
ton--an event which could never have resulted from
the chances but which achieved by the sterling valor
of impressed with the Importance and the Justice of
their cause. Fishermen did not then, do they now,
shrink from the hazard where there is hope OF
Their business altogether of hazard Their bread
stake Their rights had been trodden down by the
French coonsts, and they in in their defence.
What they did, and how well they performed their part in
that early struggle ia matter of history 1t is enough for
my purpose in briefly tracing the events bearing my
subject to that alter the contest at Cape Breton Amer
fishermen pursued their business meeting occasional
Interruptions until the manifestations of uneasiness among
the polonstp Immediately preceding the of independ
ence induced Lord North l7TS to introduce into the
American fishermen into subecon to the requirements of
the British governmental proposition at once tyrannical
fishermen particularly and laying upon them unjust and
humiliatng restrictions and finally out of the passage of
that grew much of the spirit of disoyaly Brit
ish rule this continent
During the war of independence the fishermen performed
their full part In l745 they had aided the mother coun-
try in beating down the French coonsts and in establish
ing their rights to the sheres and many of the
some prominent in commandment the Kings troops
upon Bunker Hill in defence of the rights which they had
powerfully aided in establishing Throughout the war
independence find the great body OF fishermen in the
service the country history bears evidence of their
fidelity to the of liberty Upon every vessels deck
and upon every field they performed the patriots part Ny
own town of Gloucester sent two companies to Bunker
Hl and Marbehead furnished one entire regiment to the
army under ashngton and through the disastrous win
ter in New Jersey these men were patient faithful and
brave. Standing upon the banks of the Delaware with
meagre army of haGsarved and suffering men, driven be-
fore wel-appoined and superior force and when the
rush of current and the drift of ice made the passage
that river difficult and dangerous these Marbehead
men, as General Knox afterwards affirmed in the Massa
chusetts legislature the first to respond the call of
the commanderin-chief for lead the passage So
we read that Mugford and Samuel Tucker both Marble
head men, afoat performing deeds of vaor nsur
passed in the record of personal daring
Incidents in the life of both these men are interesting
and deserve to be placed among the events of the early
days of American history So general the enlistment
Of Marbehead men in the Of independence that its
close the number of polls reduced from thousand
two hundred to six hundred and the number of widows
atheress children nearly thousand The same spirit
Of patriotism that pervaded all hearts in this old town of
Marblehead at work throughout fishing comrnun
ties and all along the New England the people were
rallying, ashore and aoa In Salem, Newburyport Bev
erly-the towns Cape Cod-and in Portsmouth New
Hampshire men were ready to meet the demand Of the
times find 1t recorded in document of this House that
the towns of Salem and Beverly fitted and manned fty-
two vessels mounting hundred and fifty guns and
employing nearly four thousand men, to help in the war OF
independence And in addition to the force sent to Bun
ker Hill from Gloucester large number of fishermen were
aoa in prvateers; and thirty married from that
town perished in the wreck of single privaeern Much
is recorded, but cannot make mention of particular
instances Of merit displayed by the fishermen The His
tory of the Revolution speaks for them in this regard
And in the Of 1912 there less Of the fire of
liberty in their hearts, of vigor in their efforts rs they
called to serve the country board national or pr
vate armed ships. will not go farther into details upon
these points, but as much have said is just and proper
During the pendency of peace negotiations in l7s3 the
rights of American fishermen insisted upon No ad-
justmen without direct acknowledgment of the right
the position upon which Mr. Adams planted himself
The parties to the treaty the part of Great Britain were
disposed to grant certain liberties to the American citizens
but the rights must be admitted. Mr. Adams said in the
the fishing grounds:
" Gentlemen, is there, there be- clearer rght
In former treaties that of Utrecht Paris France
and England have claimed rightsusing the word. When
God Almighty made the banks of Newfoundland at three
hundred leagues distant from the people of America and
hundred leagues from the people Of France did
He not give good right to the former the latter
II Heaven in the creation, gave right IL least as
right have it clear you II and and treas
ure give right, good yours. We have been
constantly fighting in Canada Cape Breton Nova SEQ
tia for the defence Of this fishery and have beyond
all proportion more than you. this right cannot be denied
why should 1t not be acknowledged and put dispute ~
And again. in the course OF the discussion he savs.