American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-08-21
Communications:

Mr.. EDIToB will you afford me
small space in your paper: I will try to
be brief as possible. | have waited for
some years, hoping some more able or
influential correspondent would call ct
tention of the community to the matter
l allude to tmatch huLts," which, think
to be wrong for several reasons lst. 1t
is waging war of determination against
creatures which do not now exist in
such numbers as to do any material dam
age to the farmer, and he is the only one
they can injure. IF this destructive
cause be persisted in for few years
longer our children will not have the
pleasure of seeing the beautiful symme
try and active movements of the squirrel
nor hear the mysterious drumming of the
pheasants, Cor grouse,) which was as
good, In some respects, as an almanac
to the pioneer settler, its persistent
drummings being considered an almost
certain indication of rain. End. 1t is an
unwarrantable, and uncalled for destruc-
tion of Gods innocent creatures. and of
that life which man can neither give
nor restore and is cruel, and tyrau,
nical exercise of thai dominion whic h
God in his godness, gave to man over
the inferior creatures. 0 do not kuo y
but suppose for the greater part of the
| game slain in the hunts is thrown away
and never usel) 3rd. 1t is an impositis
on the community in general. For in
stance man thinks there is no more
game on his premises than he wishes !;
(and it is certainly his as long as it re.
mains on his premises, 50 he thinks that
after the ,oils of the week, he will take
an hour of saturdays aft tJrnoon to go out
with his fowling piece ard obtain one or
two to be treat for himself and family;
but, ere that day, along come these raid
ers, roam recklessly over his premises,
where they have not the least right to
be, and destroy all the game upon his
premises. 4th. 1t is an imposition upon
the poor; There are many families who
can but seldom reach a treat of beef or
mutton, when it comes to be sold at from
IL to ~ cents per. pound, whose mem.
bers might, on their way home from the
labors of the weeek, by carrying their
fowling pieces, obtain a good treat for
their families, each at the expense of
only couple of charges of powder and
lead 9th. 1t is an imposition upon the
sick: Physicians often recommend the
soup of wild game, and the sick often
desire it. ! once hunted 3 days to obtain
squirrel for sick person, but they
were SO scarce | did not get one in all
that time. | know person at pre- sent
who has been confined under a severe
Illness, during seven or eight months
past, aud who scarcely desires food of any
kind,but yet seems to relish little soup
and little of the feshof a we'll dressed
squirrel. Now, if thes quirrel get occa
si1naIly an ear of corn or a head of wheat
from our fields let us not grudge it to him.
we will get greater bles,inglwi.h h the o
malnder, and some day get his whole
body in pay, and his head too; which.
by the way, is one of his best parts.
When well cleaned, and cooked, the up.
per and under jaws part easily, and you
come at his cheeks and tongue and a
little effort rolls back the cap of his sculi
and you come at his brain, all which
parts arc delicious.) But, it may he
urged that these hunts are for The de.
struction of foxes and other carniverous
creatures Well, sometimes one fox is
taken, but it is seldom; and, | believe,
neither hawk aor owl ever appears on
the dead list; no, it is the innocent and
useful which suffer. IF these hunts be-
urged as necessary trials of skill, let men
and boys be reminded that there are
plenty OF inanimate objects to serve them
as targets.-l hope judicious and right
thinking citizens of Butler county will
ia ke this matter into consideration.
WASHINGTON