Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-09
For The EHqdlTeT.
OYSTER FUNDUM.

For the enquirer.
OYSTER FUNDUM.
Messrs, Editors his ExcelleDcy Governor
Wise rst presented to the consideration of the Legis
ature the proprety of protecting the great beds
ia the waters of Virginia and securing 10 Tue STARE
revenue therefrom, gentlemen representing the
Eastern shore were enabled by the evlty win when
thew treated the subject and the great amusement
which they were enabled to elicit from the Oft repeat
ed word, fsndum, to bring the matter somewhat into
rdoule they therefore laid the hsttering JUNCTION TO
their souls that the fundum was s deep IN the DO
som of the ocean buried" but our interchangeable Gov.
erpor, not willing ITO give it up so, Mr.. Brown"
again, by strong and powerful argument pressed the
subject upon the consideration OF The Legislature.
That portion of bis message was referred 10 Inc CON
mittee on Finance, and We are informed that mosl
vigorous opposition was organized to make resistance
in the Committee, and those who were favorable 10
the scheme would labor under great disadvantage
for want Of information; as every one possess
ing it, Or at least most Of nsie p0 ,Ss%
and the oyster or Eastern shore gentlemen,
would be we'll posted as TO facts, and might
either defeat the whole matter, or, 6y pro
tracing the investigation before that committee, al
ready almost overwhelmed with other business pre-
vent it's consideration before the House; but tho
friends of the measure, desiring tull information and
fair investigation, proposed TO raise special com
mttee. Certainly, there was nothing at all unfair III
this. Yet it met the most determined resistance
Every inch of ground began to be disputed the COM
pressing the investigation. As to the exact state OF
the testimony before that committee, we are not able
to speak with entire certainty, nor would we II we
could but this we can say that, so TAR mas pro-
creased to the entire satisfaction OF the friends OF TINS
measure; and upon the other side there is quite a
shaking amongst tho dry bones. One declares that
the whole Navy of the United States cannot protect the
oyster beds-n the next breath he tells you Mary and
has all the oysters, and there are but lew IN Virgins
the third time you him. he tells you that thousands
upon thousands of poor men are thrown out OF EN-
ployment who are dependent upon the fundum tor
their daily bread mest, perhaps, would os oetter'
Another tells you that you might as we'll attempt
to tax the eagle flying in the air as 10 attempt 10 tax
the Yankee oyster catcher The third party eIclaims,
for what you going to arm steamersi no Yankees
trouble your oyster beds; are not we law-aoidine
citzens' The good old Wing is now dead up against
proteotion-the old line Democrat is now fully coll
WINGED and vehemently contends that the consumer
does not pay the tax. They denounce it as West
ern measure, but as il WAS ie> ,mmended oy an East
ern Governor, he has 10 be- charged with nhdellty
| aud his independent aud manly course on The Oaais
question thrust into his teeth by the newspaper scrb
blers. Low flung pieces ridiculing his recommends
tions and trying TO reuder him odous by referring 10
his Tammany Hall letter, are spread before the pup
lic high places are no protection IN inns hgn bu' ,e
gentlemen 20 on with their rat killing; abuse the
Governor, they may; deter him they certainly cannot
and, although he may be sorely pressed by theil
sharp wit, and sstire, still it is hoped that he will sur
vive and venture to predict, that when tney nave
tie" the Governor will still be a living entity, the
same old coon, "Ebo shin, Gizzard Foot, and all -"
But whilst the brains OF our opponents are as promo
of varying and inconsistent arguments az the 10
male oyster ito which they are 80 much attached ina
spawps about three million times year. yet on one
point they seem all TO agree The section heretofore
considered quite aristocratc as any other mas SUD
denly had it's sympathies wonderfully aroused aud ex
cited in behalf of the poor man. The poor sDorine
man-the poor oyster man. the poor tonger, has sud
den broken 10 upon the fountains OF their affecon
and the Mark Antonies of oysterdom are eIclalmine
with accord, "f you have tears prepared 10 snea
shed them now" Oh! what wondrous love- History
records but few such Instances.
Now suppose, Mr.. Editor for momen that we az
certain the sincerity the depth, and the cause OF thin
affection. The friends Of this measure In tue firs
place. 90 to the poor tonger the entire IongnI
business, to drive off his Yankee competitor. Wha
injury do we reflect upon the poor longer 10y this
measure, to call forth such flood OF sympathy! In Inc
next place We want to protect the beds in the spawn
ing season. so that now where he can gather hv'
bushels per day. he can hereafter gaiher twenty bush
es per day. In what have offended in all o! ths Ii
the next place propose renting out those planting
grounds which the lordly possessor OF the adJacen
| shore is claiming and from the USE OF which he ex
| cudes the poor tongman.
Let us look into this matter little further and see
who is the poor laborer'a friend. We claim thai
there are now bushels of oysters taken from
the Chesapeake Bay, ito trbutsr les and the Eastern
Shore of Virginia. and that one-hslf of this amount
| at least, is from Virginia. Suppose we reduce Tbs
amount down to IL 0U0 200 bushels and give Virgins
only 600 OO0 now what do the poor lsbOrers Of Vir
ginia derive from Virginia oystsrs'- nothing but the
| longing. The longing ia worth about . cents per
bushel one third Of this would likely be done by The
Marylsuder and the Yankee; them say We have
1000 0UU bushels tonged by the Virginia citizen, this
would bring to Virginia in pay to her tongmen the
sum Of s3aOOOO only; but can you not see that by re-
quiring these oysters to be planted in Virginia we
double at once the labor of the Virginia citzsnsl-
that the planting and raising would be at least equal
to the longing and then there would be received for
labor 10 Virginia the sum Of elk hundred and forty
| instead of three hundred aud twenty thousand dol
ars But then lot suppose that We so act as to give
to Virginia the entire field Of labor from the oysters
or even allow that one half would arcrne to the c
zensiof Virginia. Estimating the number of bushels
taken from Virginia at six million, the labor connect
| ed with them W. uld be about as follows: