Petition to amend the "Oyster Laws", 1861 - Gloucester Co. VA GLOUCESTER COUNTY Legislative Petition February 13, 1861 Gloucester Fby 13/61 To The Honorable the Senate and House Delegates of the General Assembly of Virginia:- The petition of the undersigned citizens of Gloucester County, respectfully represent —— that they have been informed that a petition signed by a small portion of the citizens of this County, residing near Mobjack Bay praying for an amendment of the Act of the 31st March 1860; which prohibits the catching of oysters in the waters of this commonwealth in the months of June, July, and August; The petition above referred to, as we are informed, that they be allowed to catch oysters in those prohibited months within the waters of York River, Mobjack Bay and its tributaries; now we have no objection to the privilege being extended to the waters of Mobjack Bay and its tributaries; but we do most humbly beg that it may not be extended to York River. We, your petitioners, further humbly beg, that you may amend the said act, of the 31st March, 1860; which reads thus: Hereafter it shall not be lawful to take or catch oysters in the waters of this commonwealth in the months of June, July, and August &c We simply pray that the act will be amended as to read thus: Hereafter is shall not be lawful to take, catch, or plant oysters in the waters of York River, in the months of June, July, and August &c, to the end of the Section —— Our reason for asking that the act be so amended & added to, is, that during those prohibited months last year there were a great number of vessels employed by men of capital to bring oysters from other states and plant them in York River, and we have every reason to believe from circumstances coming immediately under our notice that a great portion of the capital now being used in bringing oysters from other states and planting them in York River is Northern Capital; We see men, citizens of Va., engaged in it who we know have no funds of their own; yet they buy from other states and plant them, during the prohibited months in York River; consequently, the men of capital have monopolized all the trade, by having them ___eady planted and ready for sale; while the laboring class of the people of whom there are 10 to 1, are deprived to great extent of the sale of oysters from their natural beds, thereby rendering the business nearly worthless to them; Wherefore your petitioners most humbly beg that you will grant us our request by amending the act above referred to, as requested above in duty bound we will ever pray &c Submitted by Edwin B. Washington, Jr. **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************