The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-12-14

are established in Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Vermont, New-yersey, and
Pennsylvania that they go on increasing
with astonishing rapidity that tire Anne
ricans have all our latest inventions in ma
chinery, and have even improved on some
Of them that there is a steady demand
for domestic manufactures; and that some
kinds of cotton goods are even sold for ex-
Dortation--we must perceive that the
Americans might, at no very distant Pc
rod, render themselves independen, of
foreign supplies. In the cotton msnufac-
ture they possess very great advantage
from having the raw material in their own
territories, whilst we are obliged 10 bring
it across the Atlantic, and TO send back
the goods which are TO compete with
those ofAmerican manufacture, at great
expense for freight, insurance, commission,
&c. and not lightened by passing through
so dense a medium of taxatIon.--Nor are
the Americans one whit behind us in me-
chancal ingenuity, manuel dexterity, in
dustry, or tradesmen-like habits on the
contrary, we believe they are fully equal
10 any people in the world in all these re-
spects. Their superiority in ship building
aud in steam navigation are striking
proofs of their talents in this way but,
what is more to our present purpose, we
know on good authority that they have
adopted all our most recent inventions in
machinery, and that they have. even sue
Cecded in applying the power loom to the
woollen manufacture, in ,chich the English
hare hitherto failed. Their spirit of en-
terprize is astonishing and such are their
keenness and sagacity in the pursuit Of
their own interest, that we believe Yam
kee would be an overwatch for Scotch
man.
We are persuaded that nothing would
give so effectual check to American
manufactures as the repeal of the British
Corn Laws, and that nothing will so much
encou rage them as the continuance of
those laws. Nor is this matter of trivial
importance to England. We export a
larger quantity of our manufactures to the
United States than to any other country
about seven millions sterling is the annual
value of that trade, Of which, perhaps,
nearly one tenth goes from the town of
Leeds. This commerce cannot be super
seded in day, nor in dozen years, but,
so long as our Corn Laws exist the Ame-
ricans have strong inducements to set up
rival manufactures, which will ultimately
exclude ours. We must not calculate on
the Americans making a slow progress,
like the European countries, in any object
10 which they may devote themselves
They are nation Of gigantic powers, and
the mere circumstance Of their political
freedom, gives spring and energy to all
their efforts which sets calculation at lie
fauce, A duty of fifty per cent. on British
goods, and general opinion in the people
that we deal with them unfairly, would
give an astonishing impulse to their native
manufactures. They would lose by such
policy, it is true; but the only ques
ton for us is, would not England lose BY
it even more than America? five wish
20 MAINTAIN our commerce and manufac-
lures, and to sell to all the world, we can
only accomplish that object by allowing
all the world to sell TO US.
In reference to suggestion in tae commu-
nicstion inserted in this number Of our paper,
from valued correspondent, we would re-
mark, that nothing connected with the inter-
cst of Rhode Island, we are confident, will es.
cape the observation and attention Of our del
egation in Congress.