XIII -PLEADINGS BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE 

 ON FISHERIES, OF THE RHODE ISLAND LEGIS- 

 LATURE, AT ITS JANUARY SESSION OF 1872. 



[I have already, on page 104, given the argument by Mr. Powel, before 

 the Legislature of Rhode Island, on the subject of regulating the fish- 

 eries by law, as also the report of the special committee of the legisla- 

 ture on the same subject. The testimony and arguments presented to 

 a subsequent committee have not been published, and I therefore em- 

 brace the opportunity, afforded by the courtesy of Mr. Pitman, to print 

 from his manuscript the argument presented by him in January, 1872, 

 in favor of legislation. I also give the substance of a lecture delivered 

 by Captain Nathaniel Atwood, of Provincetown, Massachusetts, before 

 the same committee, with the special object of showing that no such 

 interference was necessary or proper. 



As will be seen from my own report, I do not agree entirely with either 

 line of argument thus presented, although both gentlemen present con- 

 siderations worthy of careful consideration. — [S. F. Baibjd.] 



ARGUMENT OF J. TALBOT PITMAN IN FAVOR OF A LAW 

 PROHIBITING THE USE OF TRAPS AND POUNDS IN 

 RHODE ISLAND. 



Mr. Chairman: I do not propose to go into an examination in detail 

 of the evidence presented at this inquiry further than is necessary in the 

 course of the remarks I shall offer. 



The record of this evidence, although necessarily imperfect, from the 

 impossibility of taking down all that was stated by the witnesses, is in 

 your hands, and where it is defective your recollection will doubtless 

 supply the omissions. 



The remarks will be chiefly confined to the discussion of the main 

 points of the general question, in the endeavor, by the assistance of the 

 information within ray reach, and by the comparison of the facts pre- 

 sented with each other, to lead the minds of the committee to the con- 

 clusion that the grounds and theories upon which the trappers base their 

 claim to continue this fishery, are unreliable and fallacious. 



I shall take it for granted that the report of the joint special commit- 

 tee of 1870, and also the testimony of the witnesses annexed to it, al- 

 though not allowed to be introduced in this inquiry, will not be entirely 

 ignored by your honors, and that you will read that report and some of 

 the testimony, especially that of Joseph Church, Daniel Church, Beuja- 

 min Munro, and Benjamin Tall man, all the witnesses presenting them- 

 selves on the part of the trapping interest ; and also of Jeremiah B. and 



