Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-05-18


delight, as the surest means of cnrichiag
The country and securing its independence,
when the manufacture of these indispensi-
he articles of clothing shall have been ex-
tended IN degree equal to the demaud for
home consumption.
1t has been stated to one of the commit
tees Of Congress, during the present ses-
sion, that there are five hundred thousand
splndles IN the Uuited States, employ ed in
spinning cotton. Il 10 not recollect that
the number employed in wool has been
nenti0ned-but 1t must be considerable
Cloths and kerseymires of domestic fabric,
and superior quality, are to be met with i'm
Amos, every store throughout the country,
Tor sale at prices, at least, as cheap as those
o. like quality imported from abroad. The
government appears dis posed to afford pro-
lection to these establishments, and it may
be hoped that the iull supply of wooden and
1 cotton goods may, at no remote period, be
derived from our own looms. The best in
formed on this subjec are of opinion that,
under complete protection from foreign
competition, four or five years would be
sufficient to enable our manufacturers to
meet fully the home demand and that this
might be done without any sensible subduc-
ton from the labour of the field, as the
work is performed in great measure by
machinery, and the labour of women and
children.
Our country abounds with the raw ma
terials Tor these manufactures machinery
20 considerable extent is already cmploy-
1 Ell on them and considerable knowie,l,,e
OF the su!lect has been acquired by many
of our citizens.
IT. rs probable that about thirty millions
OF dollars are annually imported into the
Chited States, IN wO,en and cotton fab
rics now 1t these articles were made in
TINS County It would produce the most
beneficial results. A saving of at least thir-
ty millions of dollars annually, from the
use oil machinery, aud labor of women and
chi dren, and agriculture or commerce
would not be interrupted or diminished hv
IT. 1t is said that in the Steam Wo ks IN
i'aitlmore, belonging to Messrs. Robe.t Il
AeXander Mch,m, where 100 persons arr
employed IN carding and spinning cotton,
mere Is but one man employed, about fif-
teen women, and eighty or ninety female
children, from 8 to 10 or IS yeaas of age.
These, am reformed, manufacture about
- bales ct raw cotton in year, averag.
ing three hundred pounds per bale, making
an aggregate of $4,000 pounds or s25
pounds each. Great benefit would result
from having the capital thus employed at
home our citizens would receive the
price OF these supplies; and after they arc
paid Tor, the money would still be in the
country, passing from hand to hand, diff
tusing life and activity through every
branch OF our industry and what is still
more important, il would stop that drai
OF specie from the country. that has DIES.
troyed our circulating medium.
A treasury report to Congress, at the
present session, shews an excess of imoorts
beyond the amount Of our entire exports for
the last year, of upwards of seventeen mil
lions OF Dollars our specie, as FIR az cogid
ne procured, has been sent out of the coun
try to discharge the balance due abroad.
this has destroyed our medium of trade
deranged every kind of busines,-and
leaves the industry of the present wear.
mortgaged tor the debts of the pa t. q the
amount OF seventeen millions of dollars.
IL is fatal error, to purchase from foreign
nations, more than we have to sell to them.
1t is sure to involve the country i'm poverty
and distress and country that has no
guards against this evil, leaves its DESTINY
at the disposal of its worst enemies. Such
has been our case, but Congress has now
taken up the subject, and remedy NAV be
hoped for.
1t manufacturing had been encouraged
at home, by wholesome restraints OH the
Importation of foreign fabrics, our situa
ton Tor the last year, would probably have
been nearly as follows We should have
furnished our own supplies of wooden and
cotton goods, principally by the aid of ma
chnery, and the labour Of women and chill.
hren. This would have amunted to about
thirty Milo 9 of dollars and would have
been net saving to the country to that
amount; no other branch of our industry
would have suffered by it--nothine would
have been given in exchange for it'll
would have arisen from the use of macbin-
cry, and brought into action species off
LABOR, hitherto in great measure without
OBJECT, and without empiOy.-By this
course we should have avoided the exnense
OF SS0,0OO,0O0 in the cost of goods pur-
chased from foreign nations, and cOnse
quently have left the exports of the wear to
th't amount less incumbered. In this event. |
harlng. thirty millions less to pay abroad.
instead OF ba ance of seventeen due a. |
broad, beyond the entire product of our
surplus produce, we should have had ba |
lance due us from abroad, probably of
twenty SIX millions of dollars, for the ex-
cess OF our exports over our imports ;-and
instead OF drain OF specie, we would have
In 4 IN uH l.