Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-03-29
THE PETITION OF THE BIRI

The American Humane Educstis
Society asks careful attention to N, :
humane teachings of the follouiu
petition drawn by Hon. George
Hoar. senior Senator from Massachp
sets:
To the Great and General Court Of a,
Commonwealth OF Massachusetts: w
the song-birds of Massachusetts Al
their playfellows, make this our bun
bic petition:
We know more about you than yu
think we do. We know how good ,o,|
are. We have hoped about the rcd,I
and looked in at the windows Of III,
houses you have built for poor and ID
and hungry people and little lame All
deaf and blind children. We have bull
our nests in the trees and sung mas,
a song as we Jew about the gardens ali
parks you have made SO beautiful h
your own children, especially your bod
children, to play in.
Every year We fly a great way ovsI
the country, keeping all the time when|
the sun is bright and warm; and vi
know that whenever you do anything
other people all over the great lala
between the seas and the great lakH|
find il out, and pretty soon will try n
do the same thing. We know; we know
We are Americans Just rs you as|
Some of us, like some OF you. csr,|
from across the great sea, but most Il
the birds like w have lived here q lOu,
while; and birds like us welcomed You'd
fathers when they came here mani
years ago. Our fathers and mothS
have always done their best to plead
your fathers and mothers. II
Thoughtless or bad people are trying v
destroy US. They kill us because oui
feathers are beautiful. Even pretty Ava
sweet girls, who we should think would
be our best friends, kill our brothss
and children so that they may wsa
their plumage Cd their hats. Sometims
people kill us from mere 'wantonnsa
Cruel boys destroy our nests and stel
our eggs and our young ones. Peops
with guns and SHARES lie in wait to XII
US, as il the place for q bird were ns
in the sky, alive, but in shop windo'
or under glass case. III this goes q
much longer. all your song birds vii
be gone. Already, We are told, in SON
other countries that used to be full .
birds, they are almost gone. Even th
nightingales are being all killed !
Italy.
Now we humbly pray that you vii
stop all this, and will save us irol
this sad fate. You have already msd
law that no one shall kill a harmle'
song bird or destroy our nests or %
eggs. Will you please to make anoth'
that no one shall wear our feathers,
that no one will kill us to get them
We want them all ourselves. Ycr
pretty girls are pretty enough witboV
them. We are told that 1t Is as eal
for you to do it as for blackbirds
J whistle.
, II you will, we know how to pay 70
hundred times over. We will teal
your children to keep themselves cle'
and neat. We will show them how
, live together in peace and love and
| agree as we do in our nests. View
: build Iretty houses which you vi
r like to see. We will play about y,
: gardens and flower beds-ourselves Y
> flowers on wings-without any cost
, you. We will destroy the wicked
7 seots and worms that spoil 70
cherries and currsnts and plums a
apples and roses. We will give you Q
best songs and make the spring mo
beautiful and the summer sweeter
you. Every June morning when y
go out into the field, oriole and blae
, bird and bobolink will fly after J
, and make the day more delightful
t you; and when you go home tired
shutdown, vesper sparrow will tell !
Q how grateful we are. When you sil
. your pore after dark, fife bird
hermit thrush and wood thrush Y
Q sing to you; and even whip-poor,'S
n will cheer up little. We know Wh
. We are safe. In little while all
: birds will come to live in Massachuse
n again, and everybody who loves mu
8 will like to make summer home '"
q | Won. 2g.f--s