Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-11-03
To The Public.

lie the following explanation of
my connection with what is
known as the Hog Island bill passed
by tie legislature. On the 18th day
of January, 1883, I came out of the
courts committee room into the Sen
ate chamber about II o'clock a. ~,
and saw Mr.. Mcdonald, the senator
from Northumt arland, in CONVERSE
ton tn a gentleman whose face
appeared familiar to me but whom at
the time l did not know. In few
minutes they separated and l asked
Mr.. Mcdonald the gentleman's name.
He replied that his name was Lewis,
that he was originally from my coun
ty, but was then living in his; and
asked if l wanted to be introduced,
replied | did, and was taken over to
him and introduced by MIR. Nc
Donald.
After q few moments of general
conversation in which no reference
was made to any bill that would come
before the legislature we separated
the Senate was called to order, ard
l went to my seat. While in my
seat, during the session Of the Sen
ate, Mr.. Mcdonald came to me with
bill and stated that he wanted me
to offer it, stating further that it was
a local bill of interest to his county
and that he being Republican and
in the minority, he feared he could
not have it passed. but that ii
would offer it had influence enough
to insure its passage. | asked to look
at the bill which he handed me and
which was the exact bill passed, it
never having been amended or
changed in any form. The bill as
the act shows describes the land
which is made oyster p anting ground
as lying in and adjacent to North
cumberland county. 1t authorizes the
taking up of this ground by any per-
son upon application to any inspec-
tor: provides what shall be done in
case any it was then occupied by
oyster planters, and describes the
land embraced by land maps and
buoys. The explanation he gave was
10 the effect that this land was intend
ed for oyster planting purposes. No
intimation was made to me nor did
suspect that a natural oyster grew in
its limits. The boundaries conveyed
to me no information as to the size
of the land embraced in the limits
set forth. | knew Mr.. Lewis pro-
posed to take up part or all Of it, for
Mr.. Mcdonald told me so in this
conversation. He said his people
wished it and that it was local; the
Potomac river was not mentioned in
the bill, and / did not know the land
lay in that river, for / surely knew
it required the concurrent legislation
of both the States of Maryland and
Virginia to make laws to govern the
waters Of the Potomac. Thinking /
was accommodating a Senator and at
the same time, an old Accomac cit
izen, in matter in which the people
of this shore had no interest | offered
the bill. The bill was not hurried
through the legislature but was regu-
larly referred to the committee on
Fish and Game. On the 18th of Jan
uary, 1888, Senator Stubs, Chair
man of that Committee, reported it
favorably to the Senate. On the
goth day Of January, 1888, the bill
was taken up, read second time and
ordered to it's engrossmen Without
q division no one opposed it. On
the 23rd OF January it was called up
and passed by on motion of Senator
Lovenstein. On January Goth 1t
was taken up, read third time, and
passed without division, there being
no opposition. These facts the Jour
nal of the Senate will show. The
bill then went to the House. 1t was
there on the 31st of
January; on the same Gay was regu-
larly referred to the committee on
the Chesapeake and its Tributaries;
on the 18th of February it was re-
ported favorablyfrom that committee
on the Sth of February it passed the
House without opposition no one
it; on the 18th of February
it was communicated to the Senate
and then went to the Governor for
his signature which it received |
While it was in the House Committee !
Mr.. Lewis came to Richmond and
asked me to see the Chairman OF |
the Committee and get him to have
some action upon the bill. This I
lid. On the 5th of March, the last
lay of the session of the legislature.
Mr.. Mcdonald came to me stating
here would be trouble over this bill
le feared. l asked how, he said
Lewis had gone before the inspector
md taken up all the land and that
>ther oysterInen were mad because
hey got none of it. He said he
Aoaeho it might go into the courts
IND that Lewis had written him to
zee and employ NE as attorney in the