The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-04-07 00:00:00, page 3

the products of foreign countries,
which not only prevails in cities and
towns, but pervades the whole country,
and is gradually drying up every source
of industry and wealth.
No man of reflection, who feels a real
concern for the prosperity and happiness
our country, can view the state of so
c^t>b even in the rvUds of Ohio, without
the most memncholy forebodings* In
tb>is rich and fertile country, abounding
with all the necessaries, with many of
the luxuries, of life ; far removed and
secluded from the “stir of commerce,”
and all its scrofulous concomitants, we
find the simplicity of agricultural man
ners, and the produce of our soil, held
equally in contempt. So soon as a far
mer, by industry and frugalitv, has ac
quired a little independence, his whole
family economy must lie changed. His
sons must wear broadcloths, NVindsor
choids and velvets. His daughters must
be rigged out in calicoes, muslins, and
.ulus ; luce, Dunstable, and hlorocco.
Nothing is decent that is manufactured
at home. Their linens, cottons, anti
woollens, are exchanged, at half price,
for the flimsy manufactures of Europe
and India. Our farmers’ crops, before
they have attained their growth, some
times before they are put in the ground,
a; e mortgaged for the support of the
cot ■.on and hare manufactories of the
old world. Their butter, cheese, and
heel, arc consumed before they get to
market, by the use of coffee anti tea, su
gar and spices, and at the end of the
year they have nothing for their labour,
but the reflection that their children
nave enervated their constitutions, and
acquired habits of idleness, dissipation,
and extravagance.
It we trace these evils to their source,
we shall find that thev are onlv to he
attributed to the enormous wealth which
a few individuals h ive acquired hvcom
mercial enterprise and prosperity. The
desires, the vanities of the human heart,
are without hounds ; and money, which
is the means of every sensual gratifi n
tion, generally prompts the possessor to
a gorgeous display of his taste and
splendour. This excites emulation, and
emulation gives new life and vigour to
enterprise. Thousands embark in the
3ame speculations, and, without equal
success, make an equal displavof wealth.
Bankruptcy is ihe consequence. Bank
rupts are sometimes rich, sometimes un
fortunate. A fear of detection, or a false
pride, induces them to abandon the
scenes of their late pomp and magnifi
cence. They retire from the seaports
to the towns and villages of the country,
and carry with them their habits of lux
ury and extravagance. No longer able
to make a figure in the citv, they aspire
to lead the fashion, and direct tile taste
of lesser places. The village shop
keeper, the village lawyer, and the vil
lage doctor, pay their respects to the
new comer, and are dazzled at the ele
gant appearance of his house, furniture,
and family. He gives an entertainment.
It is served up in a superior style. A
superb table equipage, costly dishes, and
viands of exquisite flavour, surprise and
astonish the quality of the village. Their
emulation is excited. They aspire to
make an equal show. Purse, property,
credit, every nerve is strained, to enable
them to receive the new comers in equal
style. From these village gentry, the
contagion spreads to their country ac
quaintance, and becomes genera) among
all who have any thing like a compe
tence.
Nv here will the remedy lor these evils
be found ? In some general calamity,
some national disaster : to which there
is reason to believe we are now fast ap
proaching. With the loss of commerce,
the sources of wealth and profusion will
be dried up. We will be compelled to
live within ourselves. Necessity may
possibly force things to a proper chan
nel, and teach us to respect our own ma
nufactures, and the provisions which
are produced in our own soil. We can
well afford to lose some of our sources
of acquiring property, if with them we
can shake off our habits of extravagance.
Should wc, in a pecuniary point of view,
suffer much ; yet if we find ourselves a
more wise, more industrious, and more
frugal people, we may justly count our
losses for a great gain. t
“ If two negatives make an affirma
tive, what will half a dozen negatives
make ?—A market woman going over
Roxbury Neck, observed that she had
left a box at some of the stores in town,
the lid only being left in the cart. She
sent her husband back to inquire among
a few shops, where she must have left
it. With an anxious, inquisitive coun
tenance, he asked in sevt ral stores,—
Nobody dont know nothing about no box
that nobody left here, with no kiver on>
as nobody knows otij does there ?”
CONGRESS.
The Speaker laid before the house the
following communication from the Se
cretary of the Treasury :
Treasury Department, Feb. 29, 1808.
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit here
with a statement of goods, wares and.
merchandize, exported from the United
States during one year prior to the 1st
day of October 1807, and amounting to
108,343,160 dollars.
The goods, wares and mer
chandize of domestic
growth or manufacure,
included in this state
ment, are estimated at S548,6§9,502
And those of foreign
growth or manufacture
at 59,643,553
108,343.150
1 he foreign goods mar be
divided into 3 classes,
viz. 1st. Articles on the
importation of which n®
duty had been collected,
they being free of duty by
law 2,080,11 /
2J. Articles liable to duty,
but which were on re
exportation therefore en
titled to drawback 48,2f5,948
3d. Articles liable to duty,
but which were not on
re-exportation entitled
to drawback 9,357,501
59,643,558
The duties collected on the importa
tion of the articles of the third class,
and which, not being paid by consu
mers within the United States, are de
rived directly from the carrying trade,
amount to 1,393,877 dollars, exclusive
ly of the additional duties designated by
the name of “ Mediterranean Fund.”
The articles of domestic growth or ma
nufacture, exported during the period
aforesaid, may be arranged under the
following heads, viz.
Produce of the Sea 82,804,000
Forest 5,476,000
Agriculture 37,832,000
Manufactures 2,4( 9000
Uncertain 179,OCX)
48,700,000
I have the honor to be,
With great respect, sir,
Your obedient servant,
i Albk&t Gallahtt.