Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-03-10
| Special Message from Governor
0'Ferrall.
GOVERNORS OFFICE,
VA Mnrnh D Il

| able BODIES q JOINT resolution Oh Ille
General Assembly of the State of Ma
ryland, which was presented to me
last evening by Senator Waters and
Delegates Wilkinson, Tull and Car
ter, committee appointed by the
State General Assembly of Mary
land.
From information communicated
to me it appears that forseveral days
prior to the 10Th day of February
last large number of citizens of the
State of Maryland, in defiance of
our laws and rights, were engaged in
the waters of Virginia in the Tan
gier sound in dredging and CARRYING
away oysters; that they kept up Their
illegal operations day and night
that when they We're ordered to stop
| by the commander of the oyster pc
lice schooner Tangier they opened
fire on him and his crew and forced
him to retire and leave them to con-
tinue their violations of the laws OF
Virginia and the rights of her citizens.
That on the night of the said 18th OF
February last the Virginia oyster
police steamer Chesapeake, acting
under orders from me as Governor
and COMMANDMENTS chief, reached the
waters of said sound and found these
nonresident dredgers at work; that
as soon as they discovered the steam
er they opened fire upon her; that
thereupon the steamer returned the
fire from her rife gun, whereupon
the dredging fleet retreated, some of
the vessels firing as they retreated.
- g n1ro1S of
bushels of oysters on board, taken
from Virginia waters, were captured
by the police steamer within the
boundary line of Virginia and they
and their crews are now in the custo-
dy of the officers of the law of Acco-
mae county; their captain escaped
under cover of darkness in yawls OF
small boats.
am further Informed that since
the 10Th day of February, taking
advantage of the absence of the po-
lice steamer Chesapeake, more dredg-
ING has been done in said sound by
residents of Maryland.
In view of the fact that the joint
resolution of the General Assembly
of MARYLAND charges that the conflict
between the Chesapeake and the
dredging vessels began in Maryland
waters, about one mile from the
boundary line, and continued until
said steamer was within Maryland
territory at least four or five miles,
and that the two vessels captured
were taken in Maryland waters, l
have deemed it proper to make this
statement and to say that from infor-
nation given me by Capt. w. b.
Hudgins. commander OF the steam
err Chesapeake, AN honorable. upright
and efficient officer, Virginia's terri
tory was invaded and Virginia's laws
and rights alone were violated.
But inasmuch as the charge is
made by the State of Maryland in
her sovereign capacity, that her ter
ritory was invaded by the said steam
er Chesapeake, and vessels belonging
to her citizens captured in her own
waters, however unlawfully may have
been the acts of those vessels which
led to their capture, we must treat
her charges with the respect that is
| due her as a sovereign sister State
and particularly as State with whom
Virginia's relations have been so cor
dial and Virginia's interests so close
" connected. 1t is true that the
joint resolution, to which l have re-
ferred, is, in my opinion, rather
strong, in its language; it demands
immediate and appropriate redress
and restitution" upon eX parte
statements.
But no harm can result from this,
as Virginia will, in calm and digni.
fled manner, investigate the facts,
and then act as her sense of right
TahgieF sound; the oyster rocks upon
which the late depredations were
committed is immensely valuable II
proper protection is guaranteed. 1t
embraces about 1900 acres of prime
oyster ground; every foot of it is in
Virginia waters; the boundary line
between the states is beyond dispute.
But above her material interests are
the maintenance of her laws and the
preservation of her honor.
| would respectfully recommend
the appointment of committee of
five. two from the Senate and two
from the House of Delegates, to act
separately or conformity with q like
committee to be appointed by the
General Assembly of the State of
MARYLAND, to investigate and ascer-
tain the facts in connection with the
said conflict between the steamer
| Chesapeake and the dredging vessels
with the power to send for persons
and to enforce the attendance OF wit
nesses and such other powers as your
honorable bodies may deem necessa-
ry and proper
In considering the question of re-
stitution it might be well, in the
event the charges made in the joint
resolution are sustained, to consider
whether it is equitable and just to
make restitution to Maryland for
the seizure of the vessels of her citi
zens in her waters when such resti-
tuition will inure to the benefit of the
owners Of the vessels, unless Viz
GINA is reimbursed for the large
quantity of oysters which these YES
sells illegally took and carried away
from her waters.
In my special message on the oys
ter trouble in the Tangier Sound,
which | had the honor 10 send to
your honorable bodies on the Goth
day of February last, expressed the
hope that some arrangement would
be made by which violators of the
law in the Pocomoke and Tangier
sounds could be pursued from one
State to the other.
BY reference to the joint resolution
find that the General Assembly of
Maryland declares therein that it is
mot adverse to such an arrange
ment. provided the State OF Vir
ginia is willing to do full and com
plete justice in regard to all the mat
tiers in dispute between the two
States in reference to the use of the
waters along the Southern boundary
lines of that State.
That Virginia will do what she be-
lieves to be full and complete jus
! +;ae.,, I'd To in