Richmond Enquirer

The gravity of some of our readers has doubtless been disturbed on looking into our report of the proceedings of the Legislature, to find that body engaged in legislating on the momentous subject of Crow killing. To our farmers who are not content with gathering less than ten or twelve barrels of corn to the acre, it may seem a trifling matter, but to the good people of Fairfax and Isle of Wight, where there are almost as many Crows as ears of corn, it is a question of infinite importance.

The following sketch of a spirited debate which occurred in the Senate last winter pending the consideration of the Crow bill, was written at the time by a member; as a renewal of the debate is anticipated at the present session on the proposition lately submitted to the House of Delegates, to amend the bill, we have been induced to give publicity to the arguments then used, in the hope that such as design participating in the expected discussion, may derive some valuable hints from the labours of those who have preceded them.

[Winchester Virginian.]

DEBATE ON THE CROW BILL.

In the Senate of Virginia,

February 9, 1826.

-Crows and Choughs that wing the midway air

Show scarce.

-Shakspeare, King Lear,

Mr. McC.

By that bill, Mr. Speaker, 'tis meant to propose

The form of a law for the killing of crows;

A County requests us--the county Fairfax,

To place it as one in the list of our acts

In saie, Sir, that you avd that every one knows

How very destructive to corn are the Crows,

There is not perhaps any bird, Sir, that hops

That pulls up as much of the corn planter's crops;

They gather by thousands and tear with their bills

Each plant as it peeps through the top of the hills;

I see, Sir, this subject produces some mirth,

But let not a Crow, Sir, remain up on earth,

If the West is to pay for the wolf and its whelps

Why may not the East for the crow or its scalps?

I hope they, the Senate will pass, Sir, the law,

We wish not in Fairfax to hear a crow caw.

Mr. R.

Mr. Speaker, I move to amend the crow bill

By adding to those who have license to kill--

Insert after Fairfax the words "Isle of Wight,

Southampton and Surry" you also may write,

Tis not that I have--oh no, heaven knows,

A thirst, Mr. Speaker, for blood of the crows;

Prince George and the crows are on very good terms,

We want them to eat up that pest, the cut worms,

But some of my counties complain with Fairfax

And isn't it right they should come in for snack??

Mr. McC.

With this bill, Mr. Speaker, some wage down below

Are strongly suspected of "picking a crow."

Against this amendment, I therefore shall vote.

We might just as well catch the bill by the throat;

I will excite such a laugh in a certain great Hall

They'll scout from the House the amendment and all--

I hope, Sir, the bill will be then let alone,

This amendment will cause it to die with a groan.

Mr. P.

Mr. Speaker!!! I hope the amendment and bill

Will find in the Senate no jot of good will-.

To hold out a bounty in any such case

Is simply rewarding the vagrant and base;

From labour productive 'tis taking away, Sir.

Your hundreds to idle and waste all the day, Sir;

Instead of promoting the true wealth of nations

Is taking men off from their suitable stations,

From digging from grubbing and other hard blows,

To shooting their guns at a parcel of crows.

But Sir, I assert it--'tis true on my word,

The crow is in fact a carnivorous bird;

He doesn't like corn Sir--he wouldn't eat grain,

He'd strut by the thing on a bit of disdain;

If he only could get flesh enough for his turn,

What you think is his passion, he'd caw at and spurn;

'Tis mere "Hobson's choice," with him when his scorn,

Is seen to relax, and he gobbles your corn.

I would ask too the member who urges this tax,

If it be not unwise in the county Fairfax?

If the end is effected, this crow bill enforces,

What is to become of his mass of dead horses?

Mr. Ca.

It may seem Mr. Speaker, To some of the counties

To be a small matter, this granting of bounties;

But long have I thought, Sir, 'twould be very wise

In planters, some plan of the kind to devise.

The interests of husbandry, calling now louder,

Must have something stronger, than smell of gunpowder;

These birds come upon us like hordes, Sir, of Huns

And take care to keep out of range of our guns;

Some people have tried a contrivance we know

Which all have consented to call a scare-crow;

But I've seen 'em light on it with great nonchalance

And hopping about as if learning to dance.

A plan I once thought of, I'll freely disclose,

Twas to grant, Sir, a pension to each of these crows,

If I gave them as much of my corn as they'd eat

I thought that to steal it, would not be so sweet;

But alas, Mr. Speaker, they'll just as soon go

To the corn you have planted as that which you sow.

I own, Sir, farm in the old Northern Neck

Where crows would outnumber the grains which they peck,

And unless some provision is made in our laws

I fear, Sir, the planter must give up his cause.

Mr.R.

Although, Mr. Speaker, I moved that three counties

Should also partake of these ruinous bounties

I did it alone from a sense of my duty,

And not that I saw in the scheme any beauty,

What the gentleman said who was last on the floor

In the truth of my dogmas, but rivets me more;

The plan of a pension we've heard him rehearse

He proved like the poor lass an infinite curse.

His system, Sir, failing, conclusively shows

It swells but the number of paupers and crows

Malthus and others have proved that such laws

Increase but the cramming of bellies and craws.

I, therefore, shall vote, Sir, against the whole bill.

And I wish that the Senate would help me to kill.

Mr.J.

That he, Mr. Speaker, proposes to tax

All who reside in that county Fair-fax,

The grower of corn and he who grows none:

Tis wrong, Sir, injustice like this should be done.

Mr. F.

A law about wolves, Mr. Speaker's been made

And a tax on the county requesting it, laid.

The man who grows wool and the man who does not

Are surely involved in a similar lot.

The principle here is the same, Sir, I trow,

If you tax for the wolf, you may tax for the crow.

Mr. S

A single remark, Mr. Speaker. the man

Who doesn't make corn, eats bread if he can.

The more that is made, the cheaper he buys

Then doesn't he profit when any crow dies?

The Speaker arose from his arm chair at last

And ask'd if the bill in his hand should be passed.

And the "ayes" seemed to have it, he said, by the sound,

And the foes of the crows, how they crowed on the ground:!

Feb.10.

We hasten to notice an error we fell in

Reporting this bill, as regards Mr. A-

That gentleman moved an amendment, to wit.

If laws on the subject were thought at all fit,

Those laws should be general, and each county court

In its wisdom, to scalping of crows, might resort;

He thought that a body so grave as the Senate

Should not have a thing like a crow bill within it;

If the bill should go through with its one-sided features

Then year after year we should hear of these creatures

'Twas best in his judgment to deal such a blow,

As would shut up forever the bill of the crow;

And this was the speech which gave Mr. R.

What Fairfax would call, a fit of "humgruffin"

He had no objection he said to the bill-

As regards other counties--enact what you will;

But as for his county, he warmly protested

By bell, book and candle, if crows were molested

The worms there would fearlessly riot and revel-

All chance of a crop would be sent to the devil."