The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-11-21

! AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURES We re-
fer our readers to a notice in this DAVIS paper
for meeting of those who are in favor of a
further protection of the growth and manufac-
ture'of wool N this country, and would urge
the propriety of a general attendance of all
who feel an interest in promoting this mpor-
tant object Such, it is not supposed, are con-
fined to those dfree fly engaged in manufacture
ing, alone, but are to be found in every class OF
the community.
10 the farming interest, especially, it is i'm
porrant that the manufactures of wool should
be protected, not merely because of the sale it
will make of the raw article, which they pro-
duce, but ON account of the increased home
consumption which they make for other pro-
ducts, and the good effect they have on the
business of the country generally The re-
markable influence of manufactures, on the
general prosperity of the country, may be In.
terred from one striking fact of recent occur
renee. During the last summer, the able and
intelligent editors of the Enquirer and Com
pier, two of the leading papers in Richmond,
Va. made tour of the New England states,
during which, particular attention was paid
to the manufactures and other resources
OF the country, and to the influence which
each had on the prosperity Of the whole. The
result was, that from opponents, they have be-
come advocates Of the manufacturing system,
and are engaged in Impressing on the people
OF Virginia, the importance Of establishing
manufactures in that state, as the only means
of sustaining their relative Importance in the
union, Q: of establishing the prosperity of the
state on substantial basis The other paper
at Richmond, the Whig,-has become the
firm and able advocate of the protective sys-
tenn.
The operation of protective duties on the
manufactures of cotton goods, hats, and nails,
have often been urged, and the opponents of
the system called upon to shew some reason
why the same effect might not be produced on
those of wool This they never have done,
for the good cause that none can be given. 1t
has sometimes been attempted to ahew, that
the great reduction in the price of cottons,
was owing to decline in the price of the raw
material, and other causes not connected with
the tariff; and it has been asserted that, if the
tari1 law were now repealed the British could
still undersell us heretofore. The falsity of
this assumption is conclusively proved by the
fact, that we are able to undcrsell them in for
eign markets, where both are admitted on
equal footing Nay, mere, even in the Brit
ish colonies, where they have the advantage
of free admittance, and aDe are obliged to paw
duties, we still compete, successfully, with
them The Quebec paper says, that Ameri-
can coarse cottons have nearly driven similar
British fabrics from that market, and the Off
cial paper of the fourishing colony at New
Holland complains of the great injury accruing
to the British trade from the heavy importa-
tons into the colony, of American shirtings
sheetings, calicoes and hats, which are sold
lower than theif own can be afforded.
The manufacture of Woollens is of peculiar
Importance to New England, because of the
adoption of our soil and climate to the raising
of the raw material Wool might become a
staple, nearly as important to the northern
states, as cotton is to the southern We there
fore hope to see the proposed meeting fully at
tended by the substantial yeomanry of the
county, TO whom the object is important, as in
volvlng not only their own interest, but the
welfare ofNew England and the Union.