The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-07
PLEA OF THE BIRDS.

| The legislature of Massachusetts re-
Gently passed law prohibiting the wear
ing of song. birds feathers on women's
hats or otherwise in the state. It is ex.
pected that the law will be carefully en-
forced.
| One of the most remarkable features
attending this novel bit of legislation
was petition drawn up by United
States Senator George F. Hoar. purport-
ing to be signed by thirty-ive undomes-
ticated song birds of Massachusetts.
This petition, which has Just come to
light, is bound to add materially to the
reputation of that genial and scholarly
statesmen, who usually saves his abund-
ant fund of sentiment for his friends,
and seldom shares it with the public.
| Here is the petition in full:
ITO the Great and General Court of
| the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:
We. the song birds of Massachusetts and
their playfellows, make this our humble
| petition. We know more about you
| than you think we do. We know how
good you are. We have hoped about
the roofs and looked in at the windows
of the houses you have built for poor
and sick and hungry people and little
lame and deaf and blind children. We
have built our nests in the trees and
sung many song as we few about the
gardens and parks you have made 30
beautiful for your children, especially
your poor children, to play in. Every
year we fly great way over the country,
keeping all the time where the sun is
bright and warm. And we know that
whenever you do anything the people
all over this great land between the seas
| and the great lakes find it out, and
pretty soon will try to do the same. We
know. We know.
1--WE are Americans just the same as
came across the great sea. But most of
the birds like US have lived here long
while; and the birds like US welcomed
your fathers when they came here many,
many years ago. Our fathers and moth
ers have always done their best to please
your fathers and mothers.
Nov, we have sad story to tell you.
Thoughtless or bad people are trying to
destroy US. They kill US because our
feathers are beautiful. Even pretty
and sweet girls, who. we should think
would be our best friends, kill our
brothers and children 80 that they may
wear our plumage on their hats. Some
times people kill US for mere wanton-
ness. Cruel boys destroy our nests and
steal our eggs and our young ones.
| People with guns and snares lay in wait
to kill US; as il the place for bird were
not in the sky, alive, but in shop win
dow or in glass case. If this goes on
much longer all our song birds will be
gone. Already we are told in some
other countries that used to be full of
birds that they are almost gone.
Nov we humbly pray that you will
stop all this and will save us from this
sad fate. You have always made law
that no one shall kill harmless song
bird or destroy our nests or our eggs.
Will you please make another one that
no one shall wear our feathers. so that
no one will kill US to get them? We
want them all ourselves. You pretty
girls are pretty enough without them.
We are told that it is as easy for you to
do 20 lid 10 NH
"It you will, we know how to pay you
hundred times over. We will teach
your children to keep themselves clean
and neat. We will show them how to
live together in peace and love and to
agree as we do in our nests. We will
build pretty houses which you will like
to see. We will play about your garden
and flower beds-ourseves like flowers
on wings-without any cost to you. We
will destroy the wicked insects and
worms that spoil your cherries and cur.
rants and plums and apples and roses.
We will give you our best songs, and
make the spring more beautiful and the
summer sweeter to you. Every June
morning when you go out into the field,
oriole and bluebird and blackbird and
bobolink will fly after you and make the
day more delightful to you. And when
you go home tired after shutdown vesper
sparrow will tell you how grateful we
are. When you sit down on your porch
after dark, fitebird and hermit thrush
and wood thrush will sing to you. and
even whip-poor-will will cheer you up