Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-05-07
FISH AND OYSTERS IN THE DELAWARE
ANN cuFsAPEAKE

Nature has most bounteously supplied the
waters of the Delaware and Chesapeake with
fish and oysters. In return for this, men have
first abused her kindness by capturing them at
improper times and with such barbarous appli-
ances as to greatly reduce the number and quail
ity Of the original stock; and then have quarrel
ed, contended, and fought with each other over
questions of State supremacy. Pennsylvania
and New Jersey have bitter feud about oys-
ters the quarrel between Virginia and Mary
land has almost reached condition of war
and now Delaware and New Jersey are verging
: upon dispute over shad. e.
Now, there are two things that ought to be
DONE In the first place, the matter Of State
supremacy, State license laws, &c, &c, would
be greatly simplifed by the consolidation Of the
Peninsula in one Commonwealth. Then the
streams, rising in one State and flowing into an
other, such as the Choptank, Nanticoke, and
Pocomoke, would be all in one State, under one
system Of licensing, and subject to one code Of
regulations so that the oysterman or fisherman
could pursue his calling, from source to mouth,
without being in danger Of arrest, fine, imprison-
ment, and ruin, if he happened to cast his net,
or fix his dredge, a foet over the Imaginary line
dividing the several States l.r- r
This, we say, would greatly simplify the mat
ter. The Peninsula is magnificent fish and
oyster State. 1t has coast, all the way down
the west shore Of the Delaware River and Bay,
from Marcus Hook to Cape Henlopen thence
down the Atlantic Coast to Cape Charles, (tht
whole line irregular with inlets and bays, full o.
fish, and then up the east shore Of the Chesa
psake, taking in some Of the finest fishing ant
oyster grounds in the world, clear to the moutl
Of the Susquehanna. This great line OF coaht il
a prodigious, and most magnificent possession
Its control belongs, Of course, to the peopl'
who dwell upon the land enclosed by /
- that is, to the people of the Peninsula
and for their own great convenience an,
advantage, they ought to consolidate thei
territory into one State, and then utilize thi
magnificent bounty of Nature to the utmost
Properly guarded and protected it would foreye
yield food for millions Of people and at tn
same time, it would produce a revenue ths
would support the government of the consolidi
ted State, without a cent of tax upon the people
for that purpose.
But another thing ought then to be done. Th
five States whose territory borders on the Della
ware and Chesapeake should appoint Oommi'
sioners-men who know what oysters and is
are, and understand the situation of affairs
meet and agree upon code OF regulations,
which the whole matter should be governe
thus making the system of protection, licens
&c, uniform. They should agree what are Il
boundaries of the jurisdiction of each State, al
either plainly mark them, so that no one cou
possibly mistake. or have all the revenue &C
lected in a lump, and divided in an equitable a
fair proportion.
The present condition of things is not credit
BILE to the people Of Pennsylvania, New Jerse
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, who are {
gagged in disputes, instead Of attempting to set
the causes of dispute, and are leaving the 6
rious oyster and the noble fish to be exterminat
by barbarian devices, while the quarrel continu
Is it possible that nothing better than this c
ba dona