The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-07
LOCAL MATTERS.

TEE TROUBLES BETWEEN TIE MARYLAND
AND VIRGINIA OysTERaEN-CoRREsP0N
MADE PUBLIc.--The correspondence ofthe
Governor of Virginia with the Governor OF
Maryland and the authorities Of Acconac
county, also the opinion of the Attorney-Gen-
eral OF Virginia, in relation to recent difficult
| tics in the waters of the Pocomoke," have
been prir ted under resolution of the House Of
Delegates passed December 81, 1874. On the
1lth of September last Thomas Riggip, a
citizen Of Maryland, while engaged in taking
| oysters in Pocomoke sound. was wounded
severely By men commanded by Captain
William z. Curtis, an oyster inspector of
Virginia. The Marylanders represent that
"Mr. Riggin at the time was on that side
| Of the Pocomoke river, or sound, or bay (as
| that body of water is variously termed),
| most remote from Accomac county, and
| within mile of the nearest shore, which,
although of late claimed by the State of Vir-
gnia. forms part of the territory out of
| which the State of Maryland, which has al
| ways held it in actual possession and subject
to her jurisdiction, created Somerset county.
After icing thus so severely wounded as to
be rendered helpless, he was abandoned to
his fate, and was driven by the winds and
W
"The crew of the said armed canoe on the
| same day captured four canoes occupied and
owned by citizens of Maryland who were
taking oysters in the same locality.'
The letter Of the Governor Of Maryland
| was accompanied by several depositions re-
lalng to the arrest. The correspondence
also includes letters from Governor kemper
| to Judge Garrison OF Accomac, to the Com
monwealth's attorney Of Accomac through
| the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and re-
plies thereto. Hon. r. I. Daniel. At.orney-
General, was sent by Governor Kemper to
| the county of Accomac, and he made full
| investigation and report, in which he said:
| II found that three citizens of Maryland
| 1.-TWO white and one colored) had been sen.
| fenced by the County Court Of that county
| to fine, aud imprisonment until the fine
should be paid, and TO the forfeiture like
| wise Of the vessels used by them in taking
oysters in the Pocomoke in contravention
of the law Of Virginia. This conviction
| was had under a misconstruction, as / be-
| lieve, of the laws Of Virginia passed last
winter, which in terms excerpts from the
prohibitory clause of the law citizens of Ma
| ryland taking oysters in Pocomoke rlrer.
| This was construed to refer TO the riUer AS
| distinct from the sound, where the parties
| were operating when taken; hence the con-
yiction. It IS not in the constitutional
power of the Governor of Virginia to release
these fines and forfeitures. But the de-
| PENDANTS were relieved from Imprisonment
upon their proved inability to pay the fines.
| And as to the vessels, an arrangement was
made which was deemed satisfactory by
| Mr.. Gunby, who represented the owners,
who were others than the accused. 1t was
| tn
Judgment in the case for paIpable legal er-
ror in the proceedings and in the mean
| time, as keeping and guarding the vessels
would be very expensive, to permit them to
be sold aud purchased by the owners (Which
was done at an under value), the sheriff to
| retain the purchase money, pending the pro-
ceeding in error, and TO pay it back to the
purchasers when the judgment shall be re-
| versed, of which reversal there can be no
| doubt. This course will be actively pur-
sued, and promises, l am persuaded, salts
factory ISSUE"
Mr.. Daniel could get no information about
the shooting of Riggin.
| On November 30th Governor kemper adj
| dressed letter to Governor Broome, say ing:
=" Communications addressed to this Office
| from Accomac county alIege that steamers
and other armed vessels belonging to the
| State OF blhry rylanu " OCCupy poIIlou vi oCo~
moke sound, and forcibly exclude the citi-
zens of this State from the waters so occu-
Pied" and stating that he proposed to re-
| commend to the General Assemblythe passage
| of an act expressly extending to Maryland
ers. until the settlement.of the boundary line,
the privilege of taking oysters in all waters
claimed by both States, provided there is
reciprocal act on the part of Maryland. The
Governor of Maryland replied that the Gen
eral Assembly of his State would not meet
| until January. 1876, but he had no doubt
they would then take the reciprocal action
suggested. As to the Maryland vessels in
Pocomoke sound it was claimed that the yes.
sells went there very seldom, and then only
! to see that Maryland oystermen at work have
their proper licenses, and they mad never IN
| terfered with Firginians.
There is in the document two opinions
from Attorney. General Daniel furnished Co.
vernon hemper, and upon which the action
of the Governor was based.
The Governor and Attorney-General OF
| Virginia hold that, under the act of our AS
sembly approved April IS, 1874, "the priyl'
Iese of taking oysters and other shell-hsh Is
accorded to citizens of Maryland, equally
| with citizens OF Virginia, in the waters OF
the Potomac as we'll as the Pocomoke, and
the privilege is not limited by the terms OF
the statute to the pendency of the aroltra-
II