Star.
London, England, 1809-08-16 00:00:00

ittIfERICA.

Wl** op REPPESENTATIVII4, JUI4I fil. MOIL
' Mr. 1411Evvvqr,ifotn the Contrilttie Caw slercc antr halm.
factures,. to whom was referred so much of tbre Message of tit::
President of the United States as relates to the revision of our
Commercial laws, for the purpose of protecv‘ing and fostering the
thanutactures of the Ignited States, and also the petition's au4
memorials of sundry maimfacturers of hats, of cotton goods, of
hemp into linen, of shot, of woollen cloths, and of salt; respect--

fully submit the following
Ittroe'r.—The Committee are fully impreesed with a eonvic.
tion of the importance, difficulty, and delicacy, of the subject suit.
mined. It is a mine which even the Industry and laborious re,-
searches of philosophers cannot exhaust. The. Committee a 4
apprised that on this subject men of great science and experienro
have supported, and do still support diversity of opinions. Wish
such impressions they cannot approach it without circumspection.
On a review of the reports made on the policy of fostering and
protecting our manufactures, the Committee find that the plan
therein recommended and pursued !in received tha suppo'rt of
I Congress, and likewise the countenance of the nation, if stienca
on, and long acquiescence in that plan, can authorise therm to
infer it. In giving to-our manufactures the support necessary to
withstand foreign competition, skill, and capital, the Committee
have on all occasions endeavoured to avoid the danger of fastening
on the community oppressive monopolies. For a manifestation
of the solicitude which they have at all times felts and the caution
which has always presided over their deliberations on this Inter-
estkag subject, they beg leave to refer to the following reports,
1 which they solicit may be taken as parts of the :resent :—Report
I on the Memorials and Petitions of sundry Manufactures of Gun-

powder, &c. Feb. 10, 1808. First Vol. of Reports, p. 217.
On the Petition of sundry Manufacturers of Paper, &c. &c. Feb.

18, 1402. Ibid. p. 219..
On the Petition of sundry Mitaufacturers of Paper, &c. Sct.

March 8, 1802. p.
On the Petition and Memorials of snudry Callao Printers and
Dyer:, &c. &c. Jan. 25,1804. p. 394.
On the Petition of the President and Directors of the New York
Duchess County State Companies. Nov. 15, 1804. p. 491.
On the Memorial cad Petition of the Philadelphia Typographical

Satiety. lan. 2S, 1805. p. 5913.
And on the Petitions and Memotian of Paul and Joseph W. Be•
vere and sundry coppersmiths. Jan. 21, 1808. vol, u. p. I'-"t.
The like spirit which dictated those reports maintains, without
any diminution, its influence over the Committee, and represses
every dispoetion to depart from restraints, the observance of which
becomes indispenglible, if the public good be the siee cal j e tin view.
The shortness of the present season, and the want of materials,
preclude the Committee from giving this subject a full investiga-
tion. Though the Committee have to regret that they are pre-
vented from going into a minute discussion of the advantages that
would result from a judicious encouragement of manufactures,
fet they cannot refrain from expressing an opinion that additional
duties at this time may be laid with advantage on the importation
of cerrain articles. Itentut be obvious to every person, on the
slightest attention, that the Citizens of the United States possess
sufficient ingenuity and skill to make up all the articles of wearieg
apparel and millinery that may be wanting for use. It is no less
clear that shot, over and above our own consumption, can be
supplied ; and that other manufactures, in whirl, lead is the articles
of chid value, have progressed so rapidly, as to deserve t'te :las-
i tering care of Government. The importation of einem manu-
factures from beyond the Cape of Good Hope, interferes not only
with our own cotton manufactures, but also comes Into competi-
tion with fabrics imported from Europe, made of the cotton of
the United States. Manufactories are in operation for supplying,
and ',reparations are in great forwarder's for increesing, the sup.
ply of coarse cotton miinufactures. It some encoureeement be
given to establishments of this description, the probability is, that
a quantity of that manufactures equal to the demand may be
supplied.. Bed-ticking, of a quality superior to that which is =-
1 pored, can be had in abundance.
The use of salt, as a necessary of life, cannot be dispensed With.
To keep in the merket a quantity commensurateto the consump-
tion of the nation is certainly an object of moment. In times of
peace, importations of this article are abundant, and the price
low i but should the United States at any time be forced lam a
war by 'a concurrence of. inauspicious events, and they have no
power to prevent it, the scarcity consequent in such a state of
things would greatly increase the price of this article, and the
vessure would, ot course, be sensibly and severely felt by that
portion of the community least capable of lnariegat. The scar•
city and high price of salt during the Americah war produced no
little distress. Thoapprehension lately entertained; that a defee-
ency in the necessary supply of this article would be :he couso-
quence of an interdiction ot commerce with the bellignent nations
of Europe and their dependencies, g....ve rase to some objections,
not easily removed, against the adoption of that measure. To pre-
vent effectual!! a want of salt, on the occurrence of any event, is
certainly an object deserving the serious attention of Congress.—
Assurances art made with confidence that a supply of this article
can be furnished by our own manufactories, equal to the demand,
if encearagement be given by a moderate duty on imported salt.
A nation ereete a solid basis for the support aed maintenance of
its independesice and prosperity, whose policy is to draw from its
native sources all articles of the first necessLy As the tncuurago.
matt sought can be given, it is vet y respectfully submitted to the
consideration of the House, whether the niannfacture of salt is not,
in a national point of view, an object of primary importance, and
highly deserving its patronage.--The Committee, with gent
deference, submit the following resolutions:-
Resolved, '1 hat additional duties ought to be laid on the follow-
ing articles imported into the United States; vii: On ready made
cloathing and millinery, two and one Neff per tent. ed "dorm.
—On cotton manufactures from beyond the Cape of Good Hope,
on bed ticking, anton corduroys, and fustian*, two. and one half
per cent. ae waren; and on shot, and other manu'a'-tures
which lead is the article of chief 'Caine, one half cent. per pouna.
Resolved, That a ditty of eight cents. per bushel on importud
salts, would giv e encouragement to the manufacture of that snide
in the United Suites.
A motion was made• to refer the Report' to a Committee of
the whole.
Mr. Su rree wished to mate to postpone It Indefinitely ; but
the motion for committment being first made, the question oa
was first put.
The motion for cOMMltlatent was orposekon the round that
it was useless in name to pay any attention to a subject which in
fact could not be considered at this late period of the present ses-
sion , that it was a question which admitted of much doubt, and
probably would excite much debate, bow far it was proper to
force any part of the capital of the country front its natural chan-
nel into an a'tlhcial one.
The motion was supported on the ground that it was the ordi-
nary course of legislation to refer reports to a Committee of the
whole, except they were so objectionable on the first blush as to
be wholly unworthy of consideration.
After some debate, the motion for commitment of the Ist Re-
solution was carried by yeas and nays, 77 to 41, and made the or-
der of the day for the first Monday in August next, 57 to 50.
The motion to commit the 2d Resolution to a Committee of
'the whole was negatived, ayes SS. It lies on the :able of course.
The result of the proceedings on the subject is presumed to be,
that nothingwill be dope in relation Cutoit during the present Sow
icon.

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