Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-20
TEE FISHING RouNrrRs.

The bill on this subject row before the Senate, to
which frequent reference has been made through
dispatches from Washington, proposes to repeal all
laws OF parts Of laws allowing bOunties vessels
employed in the bank or other cod fisheries TWAS
introduced into the Senate by Mr.. CLAY, Of Ala
bama and seems to meet with the general support Of
the Democratic members.
This system was established as early as 1892. Its
original design was to return to those engaged IN
this business, the duty paid salt used in curing
their fish. AT that time the duty on saltWas about
twenty cents on the bushel. This return Of duty
was termed draw back When The duty on salt
was reduced, these cunning yankees continued their
estimate Of the salt required, and procured an
amendment Of the original act, giving them con-
tinuance Of their appropriation in the nature Of
bounty. They now receive about twelve dollars from
the Government for one dollar paid upon their con-
sumption Of salt An additional argument USED ioF
the encouragement Of these fisheries was thst ihey
we're tbenursery for seamen. This argument tho0gh
plausible at the time, has grown obsolete, the COO
fishermen being insignificant in numbers al ire pre-
sent day, compared with the number engaged II Inc
maokerel and whaling interests.
! These cod fishermen of New England have up to
the present time received from the pa6io treasury
in the wsv of bounty, upwards Of Sl2,O00,OOO and
are now receiving annually 100000! Mr.. CLAY
presents the injustice of this law with great force in
the following extract which we make from his
speech
"NoW, sir, ask what can be more unjust than
this bounty paid to the cod fisheries. Is it just to
exact Of the mackerel and herring, and other hsh-
ermen, payment Of the duty upon their salt, and
to exempt the cod fishermen from the payment OF
| the same duty? Is this uniform taxation? Where
in, repeat lies the difference between exemptiDg
cod fishermen from the duty and returning them the
| duty? Is il lust to require Of the beef aud pork
packers Of the West and Of the farmers Of the en-
tire Union the payment Of duty on the salt when
they consume, and TO relieve the fishermen OF the
same burden in support of the Government Is It
lust or rather can anything be unjust than not
only to relieve the cod fishermen from this burden
| IMPOSED upon other citizens Of the United States,
| but 70 give them the proceeds Of that burden as
I bouutvY I should like to know what excuse the
representatives Of the other tWenty-nlne States Of
this Union can render to their constituents for sus-
/ tanning system which taxes a common necessary
of life the salt which they use IN order to raise
/ bouuties for a privileged class Of two thousand or
three thousand or at most fifteen thousand persons!
sGSince the doctrine Of protection has been eXplU
ded and is without party In the country, or even
| an advocate in Congress, upon what principle can
| tbis bountv ne maintained or defended 1t is the
| EXTREMIST greatest and worst kind Of protection;
exceeding protecting duties, or prohibiting duties
or exemption from paying duties, or remission OF
duties 1t is taking money derived from taxing the
many and giving it to the favored few. Here are
| Twelve or fourteen thousand men, If the fishermen
get the bouptv or less than two thousand if the own
/ ers get it, receiving 100000 annually from the
Treasury as pure gratuity not for what they have
DONE or doing, or will do for the treasury or
| The Government the people Of the United States;
| but for what they are doing for themselves, for
pursuing their own business for working for them
| selves for catching Goldfish The consideration OF
of this bounty is the catching and selling, or COOK
ing and eating, of Goldfish; the filling Of their own
| purses, or stomachs For this they are made pen
sioners Of the GOVernment-the only CIVIL the only
honorary pensioners; for this they sre preferred
above all other fishermen all other occupations Tor
| this they are made peculiar, extraordinary, and
exclusive favorites; for this they are honoTed and
advanced abave all other classes Of pensioners.
We cannot commend too highly the beauty and
wisdom Mr.. Clay's concluding remarks;
But. sir, it is demoralizing in another aspect It
encourages sentiment already too pervading IN the
country, of dependence on the Government for sup
port. Such sentiment is baneful to individual as
well as tOna prosperity. 1t parayzes tReIndustry
enervates the mind, and enfeebes the will OF man to
| teach him to look to Government as natural or
foster parent for support and aid in every enterprise
/ Il keeps him in his minority through life, ana ne
can never feel or exercise the freedom, independence
| and self-reliauce of mature manhood. 1t reduces
him to a state of puplage, in which he cannot think
without instruction, act without assistance II
discourages enterprise, enslaves the spirit sup
presses noble ASPIRATIONS and prevents brave efforts
dissatisfied desire is the natural aliment Of human
exertion whether 1t be mental or physical, and with
out it man would cease to labor. Labor, by divine
Decree is the condition Of success, and without 1t
nothing great or valuable is achived. Poverty Is
the nurse of great souls and necessity the parent Of
heroic Efforts and the fountain Of the Muses. burst
ing from barren rock, is apt emblem Of the hard
source whence spring the nOblest aspirations OF the
mind, and the most glorious achievements OF the
hand. Whenever Government understakes TO sup
ply mans wants and relieve his labors, 1t violates
law Of nature which will sooner or later vindIcate
its own majesty.
We trust these investigations will 60 on until
tariffs, navigation laws, tonnage duties on foreig
vessels in the coasting trade of the United States,
and all other vsstiges Of government bounties to
local and private interests, shall be abolished Let
the condfsh srisoeracy be deprived Of their excu-
sive privileges of nobility and left to labor for their
support like other people.