Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-05-15

OtlleVlnP lnat lheFe is no lIntntulate pros
pect of favourable Chanse---beg leave
to draw the attention of the society TO an
object, which in their view, we'll deserves
the most serious consideration and SIRE
nuous exertions for its accomplishment
The experience of past years has fully
established the fact, that SO long as the
nations of Europe remain in state of
peace, and adhere to the system of pro-
tecting the respective products of their
soil from the competition of all extra
neous supplies, they will continue indie
pendent Of this country for all articles of
subsistence; and the extent and fertility
of our own soil are such, that compar-
atively small portion to what is now in
cultivation, will furnish abundant means
for domestic consumption. The natural
consequence must be that if the soil cam
not be appropriated to the cultivation of
some other commodity than that of sub
sisteuce, considerable portion now in
Improbable culture, must be abandoned
and suffered to grow up in waste. The
aversion OF this impending calamity to
the agricultural prosperity Of our state,
can only be affected by the develop
mcnt of some other resource of the sol !;
and every proposed improvem ent which
has for its object the creation of new
source of wealth, claims at least fair and
full experiment.
While the products of agriculture
have experienced diminution Of value
SO destructiv TO the welfare ard pros
perity OF the middle and northern states,
the source from which the southern states
derive their immense weal,A remain par
tally unobstructed.
The cotton Of the south, notwithstand-
ing its wonderful augmentation, still
finds its way to a profitable market; its
consumption grows with its accelerated
growth; invention has been racked, and
the art and ingenuity of man have been
successfully employed to apply its use,
to the exclusion of almost every other
article ofmanufacture.
The invention of the cotton gin, for
separating the seed from the cotton, and
the application of improved machinery
to the manufacture of the raw material,
have given to this article all its present
value and importance they are the great
agents by which all the wonders OF the
cotton cultivation in the United States
have been effected.
The capacity of our soil for the growth
of fax cannot be questioned. The tedi-
Gus and destructive process and expcn-
sive labour, by which it has been hither-
to produced in the. raw material, have
rendered its general cultivation wholly
impracticable and the want of machine
ry to manufacture it with the same facil
ity as cotton, has deprived it Of that share
in the consumption of our country,
which, with the removal these difficult
ties, fax may justly claim. Ifby modern
improyemen the difficulties which
have hilbert prevented the general cult
walton of flax are removed, and if by the
application Of machinery, the raw mate
rial can be manufactured with greater
facility than cotton, a new and profitable
direction is offered to the dropping in
dustry of our country in the growth of
fax, and the establishment of useful
manufacture.
K The society, on receiving information
that flax machines had been invented in
England, for preparing fax without hav-
ing recourse to the former expensive and
destructive operation of dew Or water
rotting, and by which the labor was
greatly diminished, took immediate steps
to procure them. Funds were transmit
ted to England, and letters directed to
several gentlemen in London, request
ing their assistance TO forward the views
of the society. Owing to some difficult
ties in the laws of Great Britain against
the expectation Of new Inventions, the So
ciety have not succeeded in obtaining
them; but the President Of the society.
with his accustomed zeal, is persevering
in effort, which it is confidently expect ri
will be successful. II
The flax machine now exhibited to the
society, was constructed by artists ofthis
city, on the plan of Hill and Bundy's
fax machine, and is confined to the ope-
ration of breaking the fax gifts dry state,
s,a {; !, calculated, with the labor of two
boys, to break forty pounds per day.
The same artists propose to construct
rubber for preparing the flax for the
hackles, provided the society will afford
them suitable encouragement Other
forms have been invented and tried in
England for the accomplishment ofthe
same object, with various success; and
if the ingenious efforts Of our own coun-
trymen, SO fruitful in invention, were at
tracted to this object, there is every rea-
son to believe that still greater improve