The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-17

! yellow fever of the American cities is diieafe
of temporary duration and inconIi ierable NOR
tally, when compared to the never-ceaEng pei
| thence OF the thick.y-ietted and manufacturing
towns of Europe.
| It feems to be general fact among the civil
lied people ofthe temperate and colder regions
of the globe, that want is the caufe of uncleau-
nefs in their perfons, clothes, beds and habita-
| tons, and Inciearnels is the fore-runner OF the
fore and divcriihed maladies whic'l are delineat-
| ed in fuch woful colours by thofe who have
| entered into the abodes of mifery to behold
them.
There is juft reafon to believe that thee petit
, iential ailments are more frequent aud fatal d
mong the necefiitous and crowded poor OF trad
ing and manufacturing cities, than in the more
fcattered settlements ofthe country and the airy
labours of the field. This long ago appeared
10 evident to the Italian phyhcian Rammazzni,
that he wrote a detailed and elaborate book ex-
prcfsly on the dictates TO which tradetnen and
artzans were peculiarly liable from the nature
of their occupations.
This Fate of things, confentdly and undena-
bly, prevalent in many parts of modern Europe,
is TO he traced to the tenure of landed property,
in large f,f; or manors, by fmall number of
proprietors---to the laws regulating defcents,
whereby the eftate is vefted in the edef fon, or
/ next male relative, TO the EXECUTION ofthe youn-
! ger and collateral branches of ths family-and
10 the plenum of population at which many
countries have arrived, rendering labour cheap
among the multitude of competitors, and, con-
fequently, making fub6itence difficult to pro-
, cure.
We have been induced to make thcfe rehec-
tions, with an intention of repelling fallacious
doctrine contained in the publication before us,
that Congrefs have been inattentive to the ma
nufaeturing interefs of the United States, and
that, therefore, nothing efeetual therein can e.
yer be done by individual exertion. The wri-
ter inhfts upon it, that the clothing and cutlery
manufactures ought to be encouraged, by lay
ing high prohibitory and protecting duties ;that,
becaufe Congrefs has not given fuch encourage
ment, the finer products of the vice, the anvil,
and the loom, can fcarcely, if at all, be intro
duccd into the country and that the only me-
thod of rendering the interior tracts valuable, is
by efabliihng manufactures ofthe fine articles
of cotton, fix, and the metals. In his zeal for
thefe branches of indutry, he feems to forget al
mott all other considerations. His enthuiiafm
leads him to write in poitive and qualified terms
and becaufe his long, partial, and tedious me-
mortal has not been TO much needed in Congrefs
he thinks fuch an extraordinary competition
deferved, heinduigesav ein of fpeen & ill-humour
againit both houfes of the national Legislature.
In the plenitude and certainty of his knowledge
upon a fubie6t of no fnall intrcacy, he charges
with profond ignorance of their duty and buff
neis, and treats their report on this and other f.
miar petitions as diftnguifhed for its Ioofenefs,
c3releisneis, and want of information. This
fort of vanity, intemperatenels, and diirefped,
is not calculated to make converts or to conci-
hate efteem. 1t is, however; natural enough for
pcrton to be difcontented who is fruffrated in
his fchemes of buiinefs and profit. But the Con-
grefS polieded too much wifdom and patrotifn
to &c
60rd1Oaye manufactures TO any felffh applicant
and his afiociates, whereby there would be great
diminution of the public revenue, the ruin of
our foreign commerce, the interruption of our
navigation, and ferrous dctriment to the great
body Of the good people of the nation. IF he is
determined to be Immediately capital manu-
facturer in theie branches, we aCivife him to fet
up his favourite buinefs in Bengal, Great Bri-
tain, or fome other country where policy pre-
walls more accordant to bis wifies. 1t is not
likely that he can carry his point in America,
either by that kind of temper or that degree of
logic which diftinguiih his piece.
In the land which this writer 70 much adj
mires for its manufacturing exertions and ikill,
there is a fate of fociety very different from
that in the United States. There the people
multiply fafter than the means of regular fubiif-
ence, by spontaneous induftry, can be procured
for them in the parifhes of their refdence. Re-
frcted within the limits of fInall iiland, there
is no fpace to accommodate this growing popu-
lation. There are no new lands for them to
occupy, and very triling iiibdivilions of the old
fefs. Thus hands ncreafed more rapidly than
employment could be found for them. Some
of thele betook themieves to pilfering, ftealing,
and robbing; and, after going through the pro-
ceis of jails and courts, were fIfpended from the
galIows. Others ofthemthat were eithertorpidor
honef, were packed together as paupers in the
pariih workhouies. From the wretchcs immur-
ed in the prifons and bride-wells, "A portion was
lifted for folders to keep up the land efablifh-
ment; and another part taken out for naval fer
vice on board the public niips of war BY the
fame pinching extremites are vat numbers dri-
ven intothe iervice of the rich as domeftics of
various kinds. Bat experience at lait proved
that although 70 many of the prefent race were
diipoJedof nc fcryants, Marines folders, paupers,
and felons, there was a furpufage of great
multitude for whom no adequate provilion had
been made. Here was condition of fociety ex-
aetIy adapted 20 the Introduction of manufac.
tufes...crowds of INDECENT perfons, cheapnefs of
Iabour, and nothing elfe TO betake themfevcs to.
Under thefe circumstances the government
wiiely inieifeed, and, by legnating in favour of
doneitic arts and trades, has formed, out of the
INDECENT members of fociety, the cafs of labour-
ing manufacturers, who, together with the CAPT
fb,si, e