THE SOUTPIERN SPRING MACKEREI. FISHERY. 
221 
of their jiirisdiotion, but as the ([iiestioii was referred to them by the House aud the questiou of 
jurisdiction seems to be a. matter of doubt, they assumed, without arrogatiii”- the functions of others, 
to report the ))ill. Why, my friend from Arkansas, who has evidently looked into this with some 
degree of care, doubts, as it must be apparent here, the right of this House, the right of this Congress 
to pass such a bill. 
Mr. BiiKCKiMiiOGE, of Arkansas. The gentleman is mistaken in that. 
Mr. Lore. Ami? In what respect? 
ISIr. lliiECKi.NRiixiE, of Arkansas. I was relerring to that as a parliamentary question, not as a 
legal question. 1 did not know whelher or not it should have been referred to some other committee 
under the division of labor required by the rules of the House; and it was purely a parliamentary 
(prestion. The gentleman is going a long way to get at his argument. 
Mr. Poke. I beg the gentleman’s pardon; I see upon a closer scrutiny of the language of Ihe 
leport that it bears that construction. 
Mr. Hkeckinkiuge, of Arkansas. That is exactly the construction it was intended to bear. 
Mr. Lore. And you did not consider the question of the right of Congress to deal with the 
subject? 
Mr. Breckiniudge, of Kentucky. We had no doulit of the right of Congress to deal with the 
sirbject. 
Mr. Lore, 'fhen let me ask the gentleman how far will (’ongress go beyond the line? 1 conies.^!, 
sir, that 1 have some very grave doubt upon that point. I have some doubt as to whether the l ight 
of Congress exists to go beyond tliree marine leagues, in addition to the (questions raised by the 
gentleman from Te.xas [Mr. Reagan] who throws grave doubts njion some features of the bill. 
I doulit very much the equity and justness aud lairness of any lull you may bring in here the 
object of which is to lay an embargo uiron a class of our people occujiying three or four or live States, 
if they seeprcqier to embark in this particular class of busin ss, aud that is practically what this bill 
does. And what is the argument of gentlemen? If it is so prolitable, aud you pass this bill, then they 
may not engage in the iudnstrj'. The Middle States are not now engaged in mackerel lishing to any 
great extent; but, non, constat, if it prove profitable, as it seems to be, may they not see [iroper to 
eipii]) themselves and go out upon the ocean aud engage in the business while the fish are on their 
coast, in the months from Alarcli to June? 
Pass this bill, and you throw the entire mackerel catch into the States above the south line of 
Massachusetts. You lay an absolute prohibition upon all the States south of the southern line of 
Massachusetts, 'these are grave questions and ought to be consideied in all of their phases. If 
the vessels are norv exclusively owned in Maine and Massachusetts, if this business proves to be so 
prolitable, or oven if it be a lottery, men will be I'ound willing to embark in the. enterprise, and lor 
live years you absolutely prohibit them from going ni)on the coast and catching the mackerel and 
landing them upon our shores. It will prohibit them from catching the mackerel at all; because 
after the 1st day of .June there are no mackerel upon our eastern coast north of Cai)e Hattcras and 
south of Massachusetts. They are all north of that ])oint, and you give the whole business to Maine 
and Massachusetts, a proposition so modest that it strikes one with amazement. 
Mr. Boutbli.e. Does the gentleman from Delaware think that there is any reason or expecta- 
tion that large interests will embark in this business? 
Mr. Lore. 1 see no reason why they should not, or why any people should be excluded. But the 
main objection to the bill, so far as the small catch is concerned, will be remedied by the amendment 
which has been suggested. 
Mr. Boutelle. Can not the constituents of the gentleman from Delaware, if they choose to go 
into this avocation, come down to Maine and Massachusetts and catch them as our people go from 
Maine down along your coast to catch them? 
Mr. Lore. But that does not answer the objection 1 make. Of course they can do so; but I see 
no justice or propriety in saying to the New Jerseys or DelaA\'are or New York man who desires to 
engage in this lisheryr business that you shall not catch the lish when on your shores, but you must 
wait until the mackerel have passed by you and gotten up to the coast of Alaine before you can be 
I)ermitted to catch and land them. 
Mr. Reed, of Maine. But will not any man in Maine or Massachusetts be jtrohibited as well as 
your constituents? Is it not a prohibition which prohibits everybody^ alike? 
Mr. Loric. Precisely'; but you prohibit our people while the fish are passing our shores and 
compel them to wait until they get up in front of the door of your house. We can not catch them 
