St. Mary's beacon., 1858-03-04
=. rcoNMCxIcATED. |
81. 6.igOes. Harck lsE, 1855.


! have patiently examined the proceedings
Of our Legislature since the Introduction Of the
memorial published in your paper on the 2lst
of January last, asking the passage of law
granting certain privileges to our citizens en-
gagged III the ''oyster trade" and have failed TO
perceive that any movement has been made to-
wards meeting the desires Of the nemorialists.
Objections having been made by some Of our
citizens, fear the Legislature has been i'm
fosed upon by those ignorant Of the advan-
tages to bc gained by our people, and feeling
deep interest for the welfare Of our community,
and knowing the importance Of this question,
l must express my sincere regret, that SO much
seltShness is permitted 10 enter into the minds
Of any Of our citizens. communication pub
Llshed in your paper Of the 4th ult., exhibits
the feelings Of q peculiar clan who are artdated
more by motives Of opposition TO iHdiridsGls
favorable to the proposed law, than by the in
terest they feel for the welfare Of the county
His protest against the whole memorial. not
even excepting the discrimination in favor Of
the lower end Of st. Georges Island" does not
show knowledge Of this question sufficient to
entitle it TO any weight in this locality, where
all classes of our citizens are acquainted with
its merits. aF
He says, 81 am opposed 10 selling our birth
right for mess of pottagc, to al catch-penny
concerns, TO nlonopOlies, asad II legislating cor
the few against the Interests Of t.lo many.
Now, the memorial Of the 2lst of Januafy.
to which be objects, proposes 10 doaxaclly tie
EereTse. by allowing the usasof scnnx.kaId <ir8zS
In taking oysters from the Potufnac river a10
Chesapeake Bay, contiguous to this coglnfy. -
none but bona tide citizens, in water d twelve
feet deep and upwards, and not les than Iaol
hundred yards Of the shUre, upon paying li-
cence for every vessel engaged, to be applied
to the school fund, for the purposes of educa-
ton, would certainly have the effect Of benefit
ting large majority of our community, If not
the entire people. The facilities thus proposed
to be extended to our citizens engaged in this
trade, would enable them to take their supplies
from the deep water with more case and haste,
and they would consequently desert the shall
low waters of our rivers and bays. where they
at present take large quantities with rakes,
within the reach Of cur farmers and others who
desire then, Tor home consumption, and thus
Tar we would be secure against depredations
within our creeks aud cOyes, which are being
daily committed, to the great annoyance and
injury of large portion Of our community.
. de Is opposed to scoops and drags, carry
ing death aud destruction wherever they go
killing what they fail TO catch" Persons at all
acquainted with this business. viii laugh at
such ideas, as it j. well known that oysters
have been taken for q long time in many places
IN this way, and sold to persons who seed them
for improvement and sale. Now, il the taking
Of them with scoops and dEags "kiiled and de-
strcyed," them, how would il be possible for
them to grow afterwards? They would be
spoiled and worthless; and If those taken and
c.
being carried to the place fer seeding, DO nat
sp0d is it not ridiculous nonsense 20 assert thet
those the drags have only passed By or turned
over in their native beds, are killed and de-
stroyed? 1sss4 rt-
i might proceed 10 show many saEantages |
which would be gained by our citizens-One Of
which will call attention TO, as it is Of partic-
I,lar interest - our farmers who live adjacent
to our harbors The habit in dredging fw oys- |
Eers in "a lead the decks Of the vessel and then
nm into harbcr and Gull them. Large guam !
Eities Of small oysters would thus Be taken from
IL deep water beyend the reach If raazes, and |
placed where they would fnpross and, be con- |
renient for catching with Tekcs. IAFgc guam
liiies of shells would also be deposited in this
way. which, wuuld add to their means OF pro-
curing lime Cor the Improvement Of the soll.
Your correspondent win certainly concede, |
Afaer reading the above, that the Iegisiataon
proposed in the said memorial aif successful
would be Of considerable advantage 20 our cit
liens, be they "poor men or capitalists, not
his objcesion TO the "peculiar pop
ulasion" which, he says. would be insroduced,
the "wide dpOr" being open. and which / think
. very easy matter - Shut
.dt iHaalh1 - hours &csfs ss.n sy
81 e = - p