THE RENAISSANCE OF THE FISHERIES 133 



South were called upon by " every tie of justice, friendship 

 and humanity, to relieve their distress. ' ' 1 



The first measure of relief for the fisheries came, July 

 4, 1789, through the second act passed by Congress after 

 the establishment of the Federal Government. The sub- 

 ject of the fisheries came up in the course of the debate on 

 the bill to levy duty on imports. The deplorable condition 

 of the industry and the necessity of immediate assistance 

 were set forth at length by the representatives from Mas- 

 sachusetts: Ames, Gerry and Goodhue. Fisher Ames took 

 a leading part in the discussions, during which he said: 

 "We exchange for molasses those fish that it is impossible 

 to dispose of anywhere else ; we have no market within our 

 reach but the islands from whence we get molasses in re- 

 turn, which again we manufacture into rum. It is scarcely 

 possible to maintain our fisheries with advantage, if the 

 commerce for summer fish is injured, which I conceive it 

 would be very materially, if a high duty is imposed upon 

 this article ; nay, it would carry devastation throughout all 

 the New England states; it would ultimately affect all 

 throughout the Union. When gentlemen contemplate the 

 fishery, they admit its importance, and the necessity we 

 are under of encouraging and protecting it, especially if 

 they consider its declining situation; that it is excluded 

 from these advantages which it formerly obtained in British 

 ports, and participates but in a small degree of the benefits 

 arising from our European allies, whose markets are visited 

 under severe restrictions; yet, with all these discourage- 

 ments it maintains an extent which entitles it to the foster- 

 ing care of government. ... In short, unless some 

 extraordinary measures are taken to support our fisheries, 

 I do not see what is to prevent their inevitable ruin. It 

 is a fact that near one-third of our fishermen are taken 



i Sabine, pp. 155-156. 



