Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-11-22
COTTON MANUFACTURES.

COTTON MANUFACTURES.
Copy of Circular Letter addressed to
their distant friends By the Cotton Ma
mtactarers of Providence, u. L.
PRsvIDENcE, Oct. 90, 1915.
SlR-The Manufacturers Of Cotton in
this town and vicinity, having taken into
consideration the ANNOUNCEMENTS under
which they now labor from the competition
with foreign goods, have resolved on pre-
senting memorial to Congress praying
Tor relief and encouragement, and have
appointed Committee to correspond with
the Manufacturers III other parts of the
Union. The committee take the liberty to
enclose to you copy of their memorial 20
Congress, and to request you to co-ope-
rate with them by your advice and inhu-
ence, and respectfully suggest the expedi-
ency ofcalling meeting in your neigh
b6urhood, and of presenting petition to
Congress, similar in its prayer to the one
to be presented from this vicinity.
The committee would be happy to re-
ceive communication from you of the
steps taken on your part, and will gladly
avail themselves of the benefit of your ad-
vice and assistance.
To the Honorable the Senate and House
OF Representatives of the U. States, in
Congress assembled.
The Petition Of The undersigned Citizens
ofHe United States. being committee
appointed by and acting for and IN be-
half Of the Cotton .Manlfacturers resid,
ing an Providence and its ricinity, res
pecJatty ishe,ceth:
THAT liz consequence of the Interrupt
ton OF commerce, and relying ON the favo-
rahle disposition uniformly manifested by
the government oft United States to-
wards domestic manufactures, your peti-
TONERS have, at great expense of money
and labour, erected and put into operation
extensive works for manufacturing cotton
goods. Most of the establishments for this
object have been completed within few
years, and owing to the numerous and un-
ay0ldable difficulties always attendant on
the introduction OF new branches of busi-
ness, and the enbarrassments arising from
the situations OF foreign relations of the
country. the proPrietors have hitherto been
prevented from reaping the reasonable pro-
fits which they calculated to obtain
During the continuance of the late war, in
addition to the ordinary expenses and diff
cultIes of prosecuting the business, they
had also to struggle against the enormous
advance IN the price of almost every article
they used, together with the trouble, cost
and delay which accrued from the necessi-
ty of transporting by land the raw mate
rial and every other commodity required
for the supply of the manufacto les, and
for the support and maintenance of the
people employed therein. The same bur
thensome expense and disadvantage were
also experienced in conveying the goods,
when finished, to distant markets for sale.
But while your petitioners have had to
lament that the circumstances of the times
did not permit them to realize the profits
which they had a right to expect, they had
the satisfaction to perceive, that the nation
was deriving great aud Important benefits
from their labOrs, receiving from tie skill
and industry of our own citizens vast sun
plies ofuseiul and necessary commodities,
at moderate prices, calculated for universal
consumption, and at period when they
could not be obtained from abroad; and
that employment and the means Of earning
comfortable livelihood were at the same
time extended to thousands of poor people.
dependent on their labor alone for support.
and who must otherwise have been reduc-
ed to state of misery aud want. The
event has also fully proved, in the opinion
of your petitioners, that by due encourage
ment on the part OF government to domes-
TIC manufactures, there may be insured to
the country, from this source alone, an
abundant and regular supply of the most
essential and important kinds of cotton
goods, at fair prices, aud independent of
foreign nations.
Your petitioners would now respectfully
represent, that in addition to the accumu-
lated embarrassments and losses under
which they have labored, the pressure of
which has been so great during the last
year as to induce many of the mInuiactur.
ers to contract their business, and some to
suspend it entirely the free aud unres-
tr1cted admission at present allowed into
the United States, Of cotton fabricks OF
foreign production, not only extlnguishes
the hope ola reasonable profit in future
from the manufacture of similar goods at
home, but threatens the speedy destruc.
ton of the establishments already erected