American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-03-02
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS.
MONDAY, February l6.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

referred the petition OF the heirs of Beaumarcbai
made report thereupon, concluding with the 70
lowing resolution:
F" Resolved, That the claim Of the petilione
Eugene Emele Beaumarchais De la Rue, be ri
ferred to the Executive of the United States, to
adjusted in the pending negotiations between til
United States and France on such terms as the
may think just and equitable"
The report was ordered to lie on the table.
REVISION OF THE TARIFF.
The House then again went into committee
the whole, Mr.. C0hdict in The chair, on the bill
amend the several acts respecting duties on Imports
The question pending from the last day Of sitting
being on the motion of Mr., Brent to strike out tn
clause imposing duty of six cents per square var
on cotton bagging imported
Mr.. Hamilton, of South Carolina, said, that dis
position to offer word or two in reply to the gen
teman from Kentucky, had induced him, on Frida,
at a late hour, to move the committee to rise an
he would notice remark which fell from the Dor
gentleman in regard to the western hemp, which
ne had assured u.s. was al least 10 per cent strong
err than the R u.sian. The House were in posses
sion Of document, on this subject, which nigh
be as valuable as the experience Of the gentleman
The Navy Commissioners had transmitted letter
(he neIleVed to the Senate, and during the reces
Of the House since Friday, he had ccnversed will
some OF the Commissioners, on the subiect,) il
the western hemp was altogether lallacious for a!
though, when new, il was apparently as strong a
the Russian hemp, yet, In durability, it was not
all comparable; so little so that in the naval contracts
Tor cordsge, there was uniformly introduced stp
uation that the supplies Of rope, cable, sc. should
be fabricated OF the imported article. This differ
snce between the home and foreign hemp, did moi
result perhaps, from any intrinsic inferlority, but
from The mode OF It's preparation. II was under
md fhaN h. fasg
whist that OF the West was merely submitted TO
the more gradual process by exposure TO the dew
After much had been said pro and con,
Mr.. clay rose, and said that it had not been his
lntoetl,h to engage in any discussion on the details
OF the bill hut this was one in which his own dis
tric was so specially interested, and its proysions
had now been attacked from SO unexpected quar-
ter, that he should hold himself cuIpable if lie refu
sed to answer. He would, therefore, say to the
gentleman from Pennsylvania that, il this article
would not bear the duty proposed to be laid upon il
there was not an article in the bill that would.
The great articles which itfwas proposed to nro.
tect were cotton, wool, hemp, and iron but if the
cou try could manufacture any article whatever.
that article certainly was cotton baggng. Haylno
apersonslacquaintaDce with the mode OF its manuGac,
ture, he begged to state few of the facts respect
ing it to the House. The buildings in which !,
was conducted were Of the slightest and cheapest
Kind much resembling rope walks the bands EN-
ployed in spinning were, for the most part, small
nsEfo "oys' and lew negro girls The weavers
are all either negroes or common laborers and
such is the facility with which the manufacture
can be extended, that, if the bill shall pass I am
willing to pledge myself, said Mr.. CLAW in anv
fern, that, within IL months 90 millions of yards
can be Produced and almost without social effort
am well acquainted with the article and il L
which OF all others, should select to illustrate The
propr'ety OF the principles Of the present hill |
w Ro are our competitors in the manufacture; Tbej
~eaVers OF inverness and Dundee, two small towns
in Scotland-oefoIe the war they had the entire
monopoly Of this article. During the war. ror.
NON OF our domestic labor was directed 10 This sni
Gle and, as might be expected, the manufacture
oeng IN It's infancy, the prices FIRST demanded were
very hlgh-aiter the close of the war; the factories
sui contInued-out, in a languishing condition. ill
oy The Joint competition OF the American and tbe /
scotch manufactures they were completely pros.
trated. No sooner was this effected than immedi /
atey the pfice was raised upon the cotton grover
and the extra price then paid would be more .han
equal 10 ten years protection Of our own fabric
What Is U, on the general principles of POLITICAL
economy, that secures abundant supply of any
article MADE, and It's good quality? Ii is comment
tlon' ana Inc real question now before ConeressI
IS, whether these men OF Inverness and DUNDEE
'nall continue TO have the monopoly, or whether
mere shah DC an American competition to coun-
e'act them: The gentlemen ask, what is to hinder
he competition at present? why cannot we now
make the article? reply to them that is only for
want OF certain and steady market, guarded
ganst the sudden influx of goods sent into il from
abroad Tor the very purpose OF Frustrating our man.
fractures. The Scotch merchant reasons in this
wsy-n cam by selling my goods for one year at !
oaf or quarter OF their value, or by throwing them
away altogether, secure monopoly of those goods
or ten or twenty years, shall, on the whole, be a
gamer But it 1t is asked how sudden influx at
low prizes can so soon destroy the American man.
liac'nrer! me answer is not difficult Itisto be
ound not only IN this comparatively small capital,
,"' IN 'he CHARACTER OF our people, which has in