The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-19
NO EXTRA SESSION.
THE GOVERNOR REFUSES An AP-
PEAL FROM MATHEWS COUNTY.
rhs People of that Section Beg Him to
con,ene the Legislature So that They
MAY Continue 20 Gather Oysters.

February 18th. The report contains the
following statement:
Mr.. 4. II. Williams was elected chair
man Of the meeting and MIR. J. f. Phillips
secretary. The chairman briefly stated
che object Of the meeting, namely, 70 pc
,ltion the Governor Il Virginia TO call an
extra session Of the Legislature, and as
s,rning reasons therefor.
ON motion OF n. L. Fox the following
resolution was unanimously adopted:
Resolved. That committee of nine te
appointed 70 prepare suitable petition
10 Ills EXcellency. p. w. Mckinney. Gov
c'nor Of Virginia, asking him TO convene
the legislature in extra session, stating
reasons for making this appeal.
The following committee was selected:
y s. Fox. John Acey. G. Il. Digs. G.. w.
Ycstcr. William l.. Williams, A. Il. Will
Jams. John Spriggs. John II. Winder and
John r. Smith.
on motion. 1t was ordered that Senator
J. \. Stubs be requested TO act with the
above-named committee:
The committee presented the following
retition. TO Governor Mckinney which
vas read and unanimously approved by
tne meeting:
We the undersigned, in pursuance Of
the request Of the inass-meeting OF lie
citizens OF Mathewc county. most re-
epcctfu'ly, but earnestly. petition Your
LXcellency to call an extra session Of
tie Legislature, hoping II It is done the
LEGISLATURE viii extend the time for work
iuc on the natural oyster rocks from the
lst OF April to the lst Of May We will
state some Of the reasons why we make
this appeal.
IL IS true, we take IT, that this relief
asked for can only be granted by the
legislature. The trainers and patrons of
the last oyster law did not intend that
the working season should stop on April
LIST. this was mistake, which we cannot
explain; IT is, however. true. our t,ngmen
and planters were suddenly deprived of
fhc benefit Of working on the rocks dur
I the month of April. 1892 which brought
much surprise and disappointma and
financial embarrassment to our people.
Prom September. 1892. to December q,
l@2. the laboring class Of our community,
on account OF the weather. did not make
One-half Of the time, and from December
i. 1892, the date the cold weather COM
menced. up TO this time. the same class
las not made single days work on the
roclIs Since December 21st we have had
me seve1est cold weather experienced
since 1851. and believed by many even
worse than the period Of 1857.
large proportion of our population live
and support their families simply by
working on the rocks. and since this cold
spell many. many families have actually
suffered for the necessaries Of life. as
they had no money TO buy with. Those
who are fortunate enough TO obtain credit
have embarrassed themselves, as they
have 70 rely on their labor on the rocks
% pay their bills and live also. and the
time for making a living is so short. that
IL Us impossible TO come out SQUARE
Again, X is not possible that the labo-er
can have more than One-half Of the DAYS
@ April lst fit for working, as the month
OF March IS generally windy and bolster
Gus. There are only forty-Gve DAYS re-
naming TO April 1st and if the tongmen
can Work twenty days "a large estimate)
80 is the very best they can do.
We hope Your Exccllency may consider
this petition favoramy. II granted. IL
VIII be Of the greatest benefit to thousands
ana thousands, and 10 harm can or Will
result 10 the oyster Industry. Ii IS true
an extra session will entail an expense
on the state, yet our petition. which is
just ana right, as We believe is our rea-
son Tor an extra session. and all taken
to6ether' VIII prompt a call to be made
by Your EXcellency.
We have not nor can we state foo
strongly the great interest manifested by
our people In this move for the relief Of
50 many Of our people. Suffering people
can and viii appreciate the favorable
course should you take it in this matter.
We hope We do not make this appeal
IN vain to the Governor OF Virginia.
The petition is signed by all the mem
bers OF that committee.
Governor Mckinney yesterday sent the
following reply 20 the committee:
Your favor informing me of the action
~ public meeting held at Mathews
courthouse February 70. 1893, was re-
ceived by mail this morning. On exami-
nation the proceedings of the
Meeting i find its object was to
petition the Governor to call an
extra session Of the Legislature TO re-
peal certain portions Of the present oyster
lT. and 10 extend the time for working
0u the oyster rocks from April LIST to May
ls'. and assigning reasons for asking the
change.
II have considered the facts presented.
and do not feel that / would be justified
40 this time I'm calling an extra session Of
the Legislature. In looking TO the journals
~ the General Assembly. / find that the
vote on the bill in the Senate was 30 for
70 and against: in the House the vote
stood 60 for It and IS against it. This
shows that the vote in favor Of ii was
700 overwhelming 10 believe that the same
legislature would in so short a time re-
peal IT, Besides they might make other
amendments far more distasteful 10 you
than that 10 which you refer. Let the
law be enforced. and you can
better show by experience that
s, Is injurious 10 your interests than
you could possibly do without having
suffered the injury which you anticipate.
III my memory serves me rightly the
time fixed by our law FOR oysters was the
same as that fixed by the Maryland law,
The Legislature being Of the opinion that
:. was best that II should be the same
than that there should be such inducements
for lawless persons from other States TO
make inroads upon our oyster bottoms.
80 being unlawful for them TO work their
rocks al home.
"The reason which you assign for the
REGAL is that the severe cold had pre-
vented your working. This is an act OF
Goa which man cannot foresee and Leg
isatures cannot prevent. and we must
belr Il without murmuring in the hope
that IN the end Il Will be for our own
good
You are so much better of than the
other sections Of the State where
drourhts have burnt W the crops, and
on the water courses where they have
been swept by dcsolating floods; but with
you u IS different. The oysters which
y9l have failed to take this season VIII
remain until the next. when you will
gather them fat and full grown. which
VIII be equivalent 20 a large interest for